Uncapped fast bowler Josh Tongue has been picked in England’s 16-man squad for next month’s one-off test against Ireland, the country’s cricket board (ECB) said on Wednesday.
Tongue, 25, has yet to represent the national team in any format but has impressed in County Championship Division Two this season, taking 11 wickets for Worcestershire. He also took eight wickets in an England Lions test win over Sri Lanka in February.
The one-off test will take place at Lord’s from June 1-4, before the five-test Ashes series against Australia begins at Edgbaston on June 16.
Congratulations, @JoshTongue 🤝
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 24, 2023
England have had injury problems in the lead-up to the Ashes, with fast bowler Jofra Archer ruled out of the series and fellow quicks Ollie Robinson and James Anderson returning from injury issues.
“It is important to have players ready to respond and with a big summer of test cricket coming up, we will need that depth to our squad.
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We wish Josh and the rest of the squad well for the first international of the campaign,” England men’s selector Luke Wright said.
Cricket Ireland also confirmed a late change to their squad on Wednesday, bringing in seamer Matthew Foster in place of Conor Olphert, who failed to recover in time from a knee issue.