Malan focused on staying in the running

BIG BATTLE TO PLAY AT WORLD CUP

- Dean Wilson

ENGLAND'S white-ball kings are putting each other under as much pressure as possible to make sure they head to the 50-over World Cup in rude health.

That means New Zealand are in the firing line as players try to prove their worth at every opportunity, even if they have already been named in the provisional 15-man squad.

Getting the nod for that squad came as a huge relief to Dawid Malan, who celebrated the call-up with his 17th 50plus score in T20 internationals at a packed Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.

Malan has done it the hard way by making relentlessly himself and taking his chances with his consistency of runs.