A week ago, Ben Stokes had never met Josh Tongue. But as the England captain heads into the Ashes series with questions over his own fitness, he fancies an additional fast bowler has been found to augment his attack.
Tongue was already in the 16-man squad for the first two Tests against Australia before completing a maiden five-wicket haul on debut at Lord’s, with England, a team in a hurry, naming the group at lunch on the third and final day against Ireland.
Ben Stokes (capt), Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Indeed, it is the attributes and adaptability of the 25-year-old that have caught the eye as much as his figures of five for 66 from 21 overs, Tongue’s angle proving tricky to line up and his speeds clocked in the high 80s throughout the match.
As such, having previously feared he may be down to one outright quick in Mark Wood after losing Jofra Archer and Olly Stone to injury, Stokes is confident the newcomer would be ready to enter the fray if called upon.
“It was the first time I met him at the start of the week,” said Stokes, fresh from a 10-wicket win in his side’s final outing before the Ashes gets underway at Edgbaston on 16 June. “He must think I’m a pretty good bloke, giving him his Test debut.
“His first spell, he bowled really well, pitching the ball up. And then we looked to use his pace, to use him as the aggressor when the wicket got a bit flat.
“For him to show he’s more than one type of bowler does us the world of good as a team, knowing we’ve found someone else who can fulfil the role of the guys with the extra pace.
“He was very unlucky not to get a wicket in the first innings but he definitely reaped the rewards. The way he bowled on day one contributed to the five wickets he got in the second innings, because [Ireland] were already on the back foot against him knowing he’s got that extra bit of pace.
“He can bowl 90mph full and short. I was very, very impressed with the way he just said ‘yes’ to the plans I wanted.”
Stokes once again played down concerns about his ability to perform as an all-rounder despite not bowling in the match. Instead, he insisted the pain he appeared in while taking a catch on Saturday was a case of twisting his left knee, rather than the chronic tendonitis he has been suffering over the past six months.
He said: “I’m building myself up and bowling in the warm-up before the start of play was a first step. I’m happy with it, so I’ll just keep building it up now before Edgbaston. I am definitely on course to bowl in the first Test.”
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Before then comes an extended break for England, with a team-bonding camp taking place in Scotland next weekend. Stokes said: “We will get together, spend some quality time as a group and have some fun together before the big Ashes series starts. But yes, we’re really looking forward to it.”
