GREGORY GUNNING FOR ENGLAND
Nasser Hussain says Lewis Gregory has caused some selection headaches for the England selectors and "is an outside chance for a Test debut".
Sky Sports pundit Nasser Hussain believes Lewis Gregory, who took 13 wickets across the two recent intrasquad matches, is an outside chance to make his Test debut across the longest summer in international history. Gregory has also scored some useful lower-order contributions for Team Root and Hussain believes that he has put his name in the hat for further honours.
"Gregory is a fascinating cricketer. When he first made his mark in Lions matches and England U19, he was predominately a batting allrounder, who could bowl some handy overs to complement his six-hitting. His development and progress over recent years with the ball but also in white-ball cricket, has been remarkable and fantastic to see from the outside. He has really developed his bowling in the franchise leagues around the world, with his slower ball variation fooling lots of batsmen whilst he hits a really long ball and his strike rate for Somerset and his contribution with the bat in the T20 Blast has been massive.
The Somerset all-rounder has an impressive bowling record in red ball cricket with his best season coming last year after taking 51 wickets at an exceptional average of 15, only Matt Milnes, Harry Podmore and Kyle Abbott took more wickets in the County Championship last year as seamers.
"His red ball record with the ball is top-notch. He's not going to be steaming in bowling rockets but he offers you a different focal point in the attack. He offers you metronomic line and length, challenging and probing both edges of a similar ilk to Ben Stokes. What you have to put into perspective is that he isn't an automatic choice nor is he particularly someone England anticipated would be challenging for a starting position at the start of the summer, such is the strength in the squad. He is an effective 75 - 80mph bowler in English conditions with the Dukes ball as he can swing the ball both ways but it remains to be seen whether he can thrive in quicker wickets of Australia or flat decks in New Zealand. I think that is where his improving ability with the ball thanks to some franchise cricket and his red ball record could give him an advantage over some of the other bowlers as he could potentially use more of his skills on tougher wickets.
Hussain has doubts though on where he would fit in a full-strength England squad and where he is in the pecking order with the likes of Olly Stone and Somerset teammate Craig Overton already having made their debut alongside established all rounders Chris Woakes and Sam Curran.
"The problem is where does he fit in. His record is undeniable but you've got Woakes who is an exceptional bowler in English conditions and an ever improving asset overseas whilst also a capable batsman and a top guy and team player, as well as Sam Curran who provides a brilliant left-arm option and some swashbuckling runs. Both of there Test careers albeit Woakes has played more, have been excellent and sometimes they aren't going to be making the starting XI if Archer and Wood are fully fit. So, its a balancing act. You could argue that with Ollie Pope at 6, England will be looking at him as the future and to move him up to 3 as his career progresses as a replacement for Joe Denly so you could then add an extra all rounder who could fit in ahead or behind the wicketkeeper whether that would be Buttler or Ben Foakes.
"But with his 13 wickets against his teammates, his stocks will have risen and if England play like they did in South Africa and beat their European League opponents, Gregory could be given a chance in a dead rubber or as an injury replacement. The strength of England is the bowling and the bowling depth and we haven't mentioned Olly Stone who is a quick, young talent who played well in his debut Test match against Ireland and would have featured in the Ashes if not for injury or Ollie Robinson and Jamie Porter whose records are exceptional. Whoever England pick you could almost assume they will bowl the opposition out taking 20 wickets so it will be the batting that will need to be focused on if they are going to make it to the Global Test Tournament.
Gregory will be hoping alongside his England teammates that he will feature in the upcoming Zimbabwe 4 day Test matches, either in Zimbabwe for the first XI or down at Headlingely for the 2nd XI. You can catch all the action on Sky Sports Cricket for the whole of the summer as well as on the news, on demand or on Sky Go.
Catch the lowdown and reaction to the Zimbabwe squad announcements tomorrow on the ECB website and on the Sky Sports website.
