Potts, who has claimed 23 Test wickets at a shade under 30 but currently sits outside England’s plans, has been in scintillating form for the Lions in India. He claimed six wickets in the opening game of the series as India A fought out a draw on the last day, and then took six in England’s one bowling innings in the second unofficial ‘Test’, the only bowler to emerge from credit as India A surged to an innings win.

In the third ‘Test’, he supplied his most devastating display yet, claiming six wickets as India A were bowled out for 192. His wickets included the first four to fall and all of the top five, with his Durham teammate Brydon Carse chipping in with four wickets.

He started out targeting the stumps, with the first wicket, from the first ball of the game, so plumb that Potts had run off in celebration and Abhimanyu Easwaran had already started to walk off. For the remainder of his wickets, Potts did appeal, and the batters did wait for the decision.

After also trapping Sai Sudarshan in front, Potts then nicked off Tilak Varma before returning to the lbw method, with Rinku Singh the victim this time.

Carse then got in on the act, squaring up and nicking off Kumar Kushagra with a beauty. Potts’ fifth wicket was slightly fortunate, a leg-stump half-volley hit into the deep. Then the short ball took hold. Carse had two batters holing out and one chopping on, while Potts’ sixth also came via an attacking shot off a short-of-length ball.

Alex Lees then underpinned England Lions’ response, reaching stumps unbeaten on 48, with Oliver Price accompanying him on 20. Keaton Jennings was the only wicket to fall, bowled by Akash Deep for 20.

Watch England Lions’ 10 wickets below:

Strong Durham, strong England Lions

Six wickets for Matthew Potts and four for Brydon Carse this morning as India A are skittled for 192 pic.twitter.com/l82aptXz0I

— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) February 1, 2024