England's new cricketing hero Jason Roy could hold the key to winning the Twenty20 World Cup for his country.
But today the big-hitting star’s girlfriend told how she was left scrambling to join him in India for Sunday’s final.
Eloise Moore revealed she was watching the semi-final with colleagues and only realised half way through Roy’s “unbelievable” innings England were going to win.
Roy has taken the tournament by storm and is preparing to open for England in the final against West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday after smashing 78 in 44 balls in a seven-wicket thrashing of New Zealand in Wednesday’s semi-final.The 25-year-old batsman lives with his long-term girlfriend in Reigate, Surrey.
Ms Moore, 25, who works for property investment firm Riverside Capital, Roy’s bat sponsor, told how she was watching the “unbelievable” performance in the office and quickly realised she’d have to pack her bags. She said: “I was always hopeful that England would go all the way, but I was half-joking when I said I would fly out if we reached the final. Jason’s batting was incredible, but he’s not getting carried away and just looking forward to Sunday.”
Ms Moore is flying out tonight to India with other England stars’ wives and girlfriends. Roy’s father Craig, also travelling to the final, today revealed his son’s big-hitting style was down to a slip in his first game for a junior side in Chipstead, Surrey.
The nine-year-old Roy had recently moved to the UK with his family from South Africa, where he was used to playing barefoot with no protective kit. He was told he had to wear a cricket box, but it came loose as he sprinted to score his first runs.
Craig Roy told the Standard: “He stood there to keep the box in place and just hit sixes and fours off nearly every ball. He made at least 50. I guess that’s where he got the big-hitting style from and he’s been loving to smash it around the grounds ever since.
Mr Roy said he was “incredibly proud” of his son’s rise from U-11 Surrey cricket level to England superstar 15 years later. But the corporate sales manager, 49, who works in the City, revealed his son almost turned his back on cricket to be a rugby player.
He said: “He had a choice at U-17 level. Harlequins were interested in him signing for them but he was offered a little money by Surrey so he stayed. That’s when it all took off and he really started believing in himself as a cricketer.”
