- Saturday, July 27, 2024
The 24-year-old Lancashire bowler picked seven wickets for 62 runs to deny the hosts what seemed to be an easy win for them.
By: Shubham Ghosh
HE scripted a record in his maiden Test that would make spinners from England envious and Tom Hartley doesn’t want to stop here. The 24-year-old Lancashire cricketer hopes to have respect on his name after spinning his side to a victory not many would have thought was coming against India in Hyderabad on Sunday (28). He took nine wickets in the game, including seven in the second innings as England beat the hosts by 28 runs to go 1-0 in the five-match series.
The opening was far from ideal for the left-arm spinner as he was hit for a six by India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in his very first delivery in the long format.
But at the end of the match, Hartley was a happy soul as he went home with figures of 7 for 62 in the second essay, the best haul by an England spinner on debut since 1933. His match haul of 9 for 193 was also the best by an England spinner on Test debut since 1945.
Read: Debutant Hartley hurts India, claims 7 as England beat India by 28 runs
Speaking to BBC Sport, Hartley said, “I felt ready for it. I know my ability on spinning wickets. I knew I could do well.”
Hartley had experience of only 20 matches when he got a call for the tour of India.
Read: Ollie Pope ton leads England fightback against India
The Three Lions believed that the bowler had the qualities to be successful on Indian pitches, particularly with his tall height.
The son of Bill Hartley, who won 4x400m European Championship gold in 1974, Tom was handed his cap by former England captain Michael Atherton, who also played for Lancashire.
Conceding that he was very nervous on the first day when he scored 23 and was hit by the Indian batters at will, Hartley now looks forward to building on his team’s hard-earned lead in the subsequent games. His 34 in the second innings of the match when England made a brilliant fightback to set India a target of 231, also gave him the confidence he needed.
“To come out in the fourth innings and do what I did, hopefully they can put a bit more respect on my name and go forward from there,” Harley was quoted as saying by BBC.
Hartley feels he is ready to play an enhanced role in the remainder of the series.
“Coming out here, I was just looking to get a game or a couple of games,” he said.
“I might now have a big role, but I’m more than ready for that. I want more of it.”
