Shropshire cricketer Jack Home selected for England Under-19s

Home, 18, who enjoyed an exciting breakthrough to the Worcestershire first team last summer, played for the Young Lions in two of the three Youth One Day Internationals, a series which South Africa won 2-1 earlier this week.

Home and his England team mates, captained by Somerset’s Archie Vaughan, are now preparing for two Youth Test matches, with the opening four-day game starting in Stellenbosch on Sunday.

That will be followed by a second Test match between the teams in Cape Town, which will get under way on February 3.

Home made his first-team debut for Shropshire in the NCCA Championship match against Cornwall at St Austell in July 2022, registering a double wicket maiden in the first over he bowled. 

Further appearances followed for his home county during the next two seasons, with Home, having previously represented Shropshire at a number of different age groups, impressing as a pace bowler and top order batter. 

Home also excelled during his time as captain of Shrewsbury School’s 1st XI and plays club cricket for Shifnal in the Birmingham League alongside his brother Charlie, the Shropshire captain.

Home's emergence into the Worcestershire first team - he had previously been a member of the New Road club’s Academy - quickly saw him become a consistent wicket-taker for the Pears, initially in last year’s Metro Bank One Day Cup.

He claimed 16 wickets in five matches, including a haul of 6-51 against Derbyshire, while he also made his County Championship debut against Warwickshire in the closing weeks of the season.

A three-year contract with Worcestershire and then selection for England Under-19s soon followed.

Shropshire CCC chairman John Hulme said: “Our congratulations to Jack on being called up to the England Under-19 squad. We are delighted to see him doing so well and this is a fantastic opportunity for him to play international cricket.

“Jack has shown talent from a very early age and, having played as an all-rounder for Shropshire, it was impressive to see him make an immediate impact by taking so many wickets after being selected to play for Worcestershire last summer.

“We continue to follow Jack's career closely and it is very heartening to see him become the latest Shropshire cricketer to play for England Under-19s, following in the footsteps of the likes of Ed Barnard, Joe Clarke, Ollie Westbury, Dillon Pennington and Theo Wylie in recent times."

Home picked up a wicket in each of his opening two Youth One Day International appearances for the Young Lions in Cape Town, with England winning the first match by five wickets and then losing the second by the same margin.

He did not play in the series decider in Stellenbosch, a game the hosts won by four wickets, with Home and his team mates now getting ready for the two Youth Test matches.