Jamie Overton has been called up for England’s final Test against New Zealand, joining twin brother Craig in a 14-man squad.
The uncapped Surrey seamer, who is the younger sibling by three minutes, has been added to an otherwise unchanged selection for Headingley following this week’s rousing, series-clinching victory at Trent Bridge.
The decision puts the Overtons back on the same side after they came head to head in the LV= Insurance County Championship last week, a meeting that ended with Craig suffering a concussion after Jamie hit him with a bouncer.
England have reported no injury concerns among the bowling group but the addition suggests they are keen to assess their options in Leeds, having relied on a three-man pace attack of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and newcomer Matthew Potts in the last two Tests.
No twins have played international cricket for England before, a record that seems likely to stay intact given Craig has been an unused squad member in the first two games against the Kiwis.
But should conditions favour quick bowlers, as they often do in Leeds, England could choose to replace spinner Jack Leach with an additional pace option and pit the Overtons in direct competition for one place.
Jamie is comfortably the quicker bowler, clocked at 90mph this season, and has greater range as a batter – which could be relevant given the length of the current English tail.
But Craig has proved a more reliable, consistent performer in first-class cricket over the years, boasting 402 wickets compared to Jamie’s 206 and picking up eight Test caps and four ODI appearances.
