Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey
England have sprung a surprise, selecting 20-year-old Josh Hull for the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Hull, who stands at 6ft 7in, offers a point of difference with not only his height but left-arm angle.
Hull plays for Leicestershire in the County Championship. He yet to crack it at First Class level, taking just 16 wickets in ten matches at a huge average of 62.75. He also has just nine List A games (17 wickets) and 21 T20s (24 wickets) to his name.
However, England see him as a future prospect, especially after his heroics in the 2023 Metro Bank Cup Final. At the start of the English summer, men’s cricket team director Rob Key pinpointed Hull as one to watch. He impressed for England Lions against Sri Lanka in a tour match last month, taking five wickets in the game.
Hull caught the attention of Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne. “He gets some bounce and he got some swing movement,” he said. “In that [ENG Lions vs SL] match, he didn’t get much seam movement, but in the second innings he bowled really well with the new ball. He has a good future.”
Josh Hull: 20 year old backed to make strong impression
Born on August 20, 2004 in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, Hull has only just left his teenage years. In addition to featuring for the Lions, Hull has also played for the Young Lions in their Invitational XI three-day match against Sri Lanka U19s in August 2022.
“He’s very confident in himself, but quietly,” said Hull’s former coach Dean Headley speaking to Sky Sports. “It’s quite amazing really, because he wasn’t playing much underage cricket until U18. Northampton overlooked him and he got a move to Leicester and signed his professional contract.”
England coach Brendon McCullum was very bullish about the selection. He described it as one that is not a huge gamble despite the numbers.
“Josh Hull? Six foot heeps, bowls left-arm, ranges in pace from 80 to 90 miles an hour,” he said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “Swings it, not too dissimilar to the likes of Jimmy Anderson. He’s 20 years of age, good farming stock. It’s not a huge gamble, is it?”
Stand-in captain Ollie Pope also backed the decision to pick Hull. He believes a point of difference is important as England look to develop their attack.
“When you have a point of difference, being a batter myself, I know the impact it can have,” said Pope, as quoted by Daily Mail. “Left-handers can create some pretty good footmarks for off-spinners, too. He’s obviously so young. He could have two good games and I’m sure his [First Class] numbers would look completely different. But seeing his point of difference is a credit to selectors.”
Hull has also been selected for the ODI and T20I squads against Australia. The first T20I against the old enemy begins on Wednesday, September 11 in Southampton.
