By Malcolm Conn
The first bowler to dismiss Steve Smith in county cricket this season, Josh Tongue has become England’s latest fast bowling hope little more than two weeks out from The Ashes.
Having trapped Smith leg before wicket with a “bail trimmer” after the Australian great complied a sedate 30 for Sussex against Worcester early this month, Tongue is set to make his Test debut against Ireland from Thursday at Lord’s.
Josh Tongue during England training at Lord’s. He has been named to make his Test debut against Ireland on Thursday.Credit: Getty Images
While the lbw call was considered marginal, Tongue consistently troubled Smith with good pace, bounce and movement.
A year after almost retiring with serious shoulder problems, a good performance this week could see the 25-year-old lining up against Smith in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in little more than a fortnight. Australia start their England tour with the World Test Championship final at The Oval next week.
Rushed into the squad as cover for injured pair Jimmy Anderson (groin) and Ollie Robinson (ankle), Tongue was preferred ahead of Lord’s specialist Chris Woakes, 34, where he averages 61.2 with the bat and 11.3 with the ball in five Tests at the famous ground. Tongue has never played at Lord’s.
Jofra Archer is out of the entire Test summer with a recurrence of the stress-fracture of his right elbow, while Olly Stone is out until at least the third Ashes Test with a hamstring injury. Other pace options Jamie Overton and Brydon Carse are also injured.
Josh Tongue bowling for Worcester against Sussex this month, when he dismissed Steve Smith Credit: Getty Images
England’s fastest bowler, Mark Wood, is on paternity leave and being saved for The Ashes.
This leaves veteran Stuart Broad leading the attack against Ireland, with Matt Potts, 24, set to play his sixth Test and Tongue his first.
Tongue is keen to make a bigger impression at Lord’s this week than he has managed so far with the England Cricket Board’s dispatch department.
He was presented with his helmet ahead of training at Lord’s this week with his name misspelt as “Tounge” on the box, much to the amusement of his new England teammates.
Steve Smith after being dismissed by Josh Tongue playing for Sussex against Worcester this month. Credit: Getty Images
“Fingers crossed they spell my name right on my shirt,” Tongue said laughing.
It is less than a year since Tongue returned from a rare shoulder injury which required two operations, leading him to ponder retirement.
“I’m just proud of myself and how I held in there,” he told the UK Telegraph. “I was very close to retiring just due to my shoulder. Having two operations, seeing a lot of specialists and I was in a really dark place.”
Tongue has a strong overall first-class record with 162 wickets at 26 but this season his average is above 41, reinforcing the view that long-term progress mean more than current numbers.
A Worcester junior from the age of six, Tongue has always been highly regarded, making a big impression when he debuted in the County Championship as a 19-year-old.
And like many young faster bowlers he also struggled with injury, suffering a stress fracture of the back that required surgery and a stress fracture of the foot.
With the UK Telegraph, London
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