Swardeston pace bowler Bud Bailey is in line to make his England under-17s debut this weekend (28-29 July) after being called up for the match against Pakistan Under-19s at Loughborough.
Bailey, 17, from Watton, is a member of the Northamptonshire Academy and has previously been on two England under-16 tours, but this will be his first taste of action against a national team from a Test-playing country.
He said: “I was on my way home for the weekend when I had a call from my mum telling me to ring the Under-17s coach, Andy Pick. I’m very happy to have been picked and I’m sure Pakistan will be a strong side.”
The two-day match is one of two warm-up matches for the Pakistan team ahead of their Test and one-day international series against England under-19s next month.
After injury ruined last season for Bailey, he is now back on track with some impressive displays for Northants’ under-17s. He said: “The under-17 games in the ECB competition started a few weeks ago and I’ve done okay in the two matches we’ve had, against Durham and Yorkshire.
“I have also played for the second team against Middlesex this year, and hopefully I might get some more games with them this season, but it depends on how I get on with the county’s under-17s.”
