ENGLAND selected an unlikely rookie ahead of their second Ashes Test with Australia.
Pace bowler Josh Tongue was picked after an impressive debut against Ireland last month.
England’s Josh Tongue celebrates after taking the wicket of Australia’s Usman Khawaja
Tongue takes the place of veteran Moeen Ali as Ben Stokes makes one change to the England side that narrowly lost the first test at Edgbaston.
Who is Josh Tongue?
Josh Tongue is a 6ft 4in paceman who made a name for himself as a teenager for Worcestershire.
He took a five-wicket haul on his County Championship debut against Glamorgan in 2017 and finished his first season with a whopping 47 wickets.
Tongue claimed a spot in England Under-19s side before injuries halted his progress.
There were major fears he could be forced to retire early due to suffering a nerve tissue problem in 2019.
Tongue had a nerve problem in his right shoulder called thoracic outlet syndrome which required two surgeries and botox injections.
However, now the 25-year-old has made an inspirational comeback and has made his Ashes debut at Lord’s.
He has an incredible bowling average of 26.04 in first-class cricket, having taken 162 wickets in just 47 matches.
What is the Ashes schedule?
Here is the full schedule for the Ashes 2023:
- First Test: Edgbaston, Birmingham – June 16th – June 20th (Australia won by two wickets)
- Second Test: Lord’s, London – June 28 – July 2
- Third Test: Headingley, Leeds – July 6 – July 10
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester – July 19 – July 23
- Fifth Test: The Oval, London – July 27 – July 31
