Worcestershire seamer Josh Tongue says he will bring "pace, bounce and movement" after being called up to England squad for Ireland Test; 25-year-old has fought back from shoulder injury and is now eyeing Test debut - watch England vs Ireland from 10am on Thursday June 1
Thursday 25 May 2023 12:49, UK
Josh Tongue has vowed to bring an injection of speed to England's bowling attack if his return from injury hell includes a Test debut against Ireland.
The uncapped Worcestershire seamer, 25, has been added to the squad for next week's match at Lord's, with James Anderson (groin) and Ollie Robinson (sore ankle) unlikely to be risked.
Tongue missed 15 months of cricket between 2021 and 2022 due to a right shoulder problem which required two operations, but he is fit again now and has picked up 11 wickets in four County Championship matches this term, including Australia's Steve Smith in the fixture versus Sussex.
Tongue, likely competing with Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts and Chris Woakes for a spot in the XI to face Ireland, told Sky Sports News: "To be back playing, which I love, is amazing and to hopefully now represent my country is an amazing feeling.
"[I will bring] pace, definitely. As I am quite tall, I can bring a bit of pace and bounce, a bit of movement and hopefully a few wickets."
Tongue trapped Smith lbw during Worcestershire's encounter with Sussex at New Road earlier this month but is not yet thinking about coming up against him again when England's five-Test series against Australia begins at Edgbaston on June 16.
The seamer, who has claimed 162 first-class wickets in 47 matches at an average of 26.04, said: "I haven't really thought about the Ashes. I am quite a level-minded person and have just been trying to put in performances for Worcestershire.
"It was a nice feeling getting Steve Smith out, one of the best batters in the world. It was an amazing experience to bowl against him, and [Cheteshwar Pujara] as well."
Tongue is a potential England player this summer but newly-appointed vice-captain Ollie Pope is a guaranteed selection at No 3, having been promoted to that batting berth since Ben Stokes succeeded Joe Root as captain and Brendon McCullum became head coach last spring.
Pope has managed 809 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 38.52 since his elevation, compared to a modest 28.66 in his previous 23 matches further down the order, which culminated in averaging just 11.16 during England's Ashes drubbing in Australia in 2021/22.
The Surrey player said: "I think there was a time after the last Ashes where he [Stokes] thought I was better than I thought I was, to be honest. That's probably why I got picked.
"He backed me for a long time, more than I backed myself, for sure. He's brought that out of me so now I feel like I'm a good player and he feels like I am, too.
"He' a superstar now. You travel the world with him and it doesn't matter what country we're in, he's getting recognised everywhere, but the best thing about him is he'd do anything for his team.
"Playing for England should be the best time of your life as a player and at the time [in the last away Ashes series] it probably wasn't. That was obviously a tough trip.
"It was also a trip where we got put in a hotel room for basically 10 days before we were allowed out, things that aren't amazing for your mental health. It was too much pressure, too much stress.
"What the guys like Stokes, McCullum and [director of cricket] Rob Key have done is made a Test match week a fun week.
"We'll go out and play golf the day before after training. We'll then just talk about 'how good is this? We get to play at Lord's in front of a packed house'.
"We'll just be a bit more grateful for what we can do that week, rather than thinking 'oh, if I miss that, this could be my last game'."
Watch England's Test summer live on Sky Sports Cricket. The four-day Test against Ireland takes place at Lord's between June 1-4 with the Ashes series under way at Edgbaston from June 16.
