England have included uncapped right-arm fast-bowler Dillon Pennington in their squad to face the West Indies in a three Test match series starting at Lord's next week. Here's all you need to know about the 25-year-old Test newbie.
England have made some bold calls in their first Test match squad of the summer, leaving out Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes in favour of Surrey's Jamie Smith taking the gloves, and opting for a new look bowling attack over Ollie Robinson. The first Test at Lord's will be James Anderson's final Test match; Chris Woakes, Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, and Dillon Pennington are the other fast bowlers selected.
Neither Atkinson nor Pennington has received their maiden Test cap yet, although Atkinson was part of England's Test squad that toured India over the winter. Pennington's call-up, the first in a senior England squad, comes off the back of a successful first half of the County Championship season with Nottinghamshire: he currently sits joint second in the Division One wickets chart with 29 wickets at an average of 23.13.
Before this season, Pennington plied his trade for Worcestershire but left the club to further his international ambitions at Nottinghamshire, in an identical move to fellow up and coming England fast-bowler Josh Tongue.
Pennginton first emerged as a significant future international prospect in the 2018 U19 World Cup, where he featured in a side that included Harry Brook, Will Jacks and Tom Banton. He returned with glowing reviews after taking six wickets; later that year, Morne Morkel said he was "blown away" by the young quick.
He made his first-class debut in the County Championship in 2018, taking the wickets of Chris Nash and Billy Root in his opening outing. Later that year, he also made his List A and T20 debuts. However, 2022 was his breakthrough year, where he took 140 dismissals across formats for Worcestershire.
England managing director Rob Key has been open in prioritising pace over dismissals for the future of England's Test fast-bowling attack, with Pennington reaping the rewards of that decision. Bowling at a quick pace and getting plenty of bounce, Pennington fits Key's criteria. He will be competing with Atkinson, Woakes and Potts for a space in the XI following Anderson's retirement.
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