England have selected 20-year-old left-arm pacer Josh Hull for their final home Test of the season against Sri Lanka as they chase a sixth straight win.
Hull made his first-class debut just last year and has picked up 16 wickets in 10 matches for Leicestershire in Division Two of the County Championship.
However, the 6'7" tall pacer has impressed with his pace and ability to move the ball. He has thus been rewarded with a Test debut, replacing Matthew Potts for the third Test at The Oval starting on Friday. England are eyeing another 3-0 series sweep after achieving the same feat against the West Indies in July.
This season, however, Hull's numbers have not been impressive, taking just two wickets in the championship at an average of 182.50. But England believe they have spotted something in him worth backing.
England have made it a habit of picking young players since head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took over. Spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir, among others, were thrown straight into the deep end.
Ollie Pope said he is looking forward to see what Hull has to offer. “He's obviously got a massive ceiling,” said the stand-in captain. “He's pretty massive himself as well, which is handy as a bowler.
“When you're 6ft 7in and you can get it down, pushing up to the 85-90mph mark with a bit of swing and the left-arm angle, there's a lot to like. It's a great week for him to come in, learn a little bit and show off exactly what he can do.”
England have made it clear that Hull's modest statistics will not be held against him. The team see a player with the right ingredients to succeed at the highest level.
“We've played four right-arm seamers for the first two games so it's just something different for the opposition batters to think about,” said Pope. “It's a point of difference and he's got some good pace when he's clicking in the nets.
“The numbers sometimes speak for themselves but there's obviously a bigger picture with some of the guys. There's a little bit more to the numbers and I think it's credit to the way the guys have gone about it, the boldness from Brendon and Ben to get these guys in the squad at such a young age.”
Meanwhile, England white-ball captain Jos Buttler has been ruled out of the T20 series against Australia because of a right calf injury and could also miss the ODI series between the teams.
Buttler has been replaced in the T20 squad by Jamie Overton, while Phil Salt will take over as captain having also deputised for Buttler in the role for the Manchester Originals in the recent Hundred tournament.
Buttler has been out since July because of the injury and England said in a statement he has had a “setback” in his recovery.
The three-match T20 series with Australia begins next Wednesday. The five-match ODI series starts on September 19, so Buttler has time to recover. Batsman Jordan Cox has been added to the ODI squad as cover in case Buttler does not make it.
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The%20US%20Congress%20explained
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
