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England Add Sam Billings To World Cup Squad

by Alastair Symondson Friday 12 December 2014

Craig Kieswetter will miss the World Cup and has been replaced by Sam Billings in England's preliminary squad

©REUTERS / Action Images

England have added Kent youngster Sam Billings to their preliminary World Cup squad as Somerset wicket-keeper Craig Kieswetter faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Kieswetter suffered injuries to his cheekbone and eye during the 2014 season when he was hit by a cricket ball playing for Somerset.

As he is still struggling with his vision, he has pulled out of the Big Bash T20 league in Australia and may miss a large part of the 2015 season, ruling him out of January and February's World Cup.

His place in England's provisional squad, which will be cut to a final 15-man squad before the final deadline of 7th January goes to Billings.

The 23-year-old has played 30 one-day games for Kent and enjoyed a breakthrough 2014 season, scoring 490 runs in 11 games.

England preliminary World Cup squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Sam Billings, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jack Brooks, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Stephen Parry, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Boyd Rankin, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright