Uncapped spinner Liam Patterson-White called up for England's Test series against South Africa
Nottinghamshire spinner Liam Patterson-White has been named in England's Test squad for the three-match series against South Africa. The first Test starts in Johannesburg next month. He has not yet played a Test, so he is described as uncapped. The Guardian reported the call-up on 9 November.
Spinners bowl slower deliveries that turn as they bounce, and they often come into their own on the later days of a Test. Patterson-White took 42 wickets this summer in the County Championship, England's domestic four-day competition. That was more than any other spinner in the competition.
His rise has been quick in other ways too. In October, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced its central contracts, the yearly deals that tie players to the national side. Patterson-White was given a 12-month development deal, a contract aimed at bringing younger players along. He is 27.
He is not new to the England set-up. In May he played for England Lions, the second-string side, against South Africa A at Arundel. He was in the playing XI for that match, and at 27 he was the oldest player on the England side. ESPNcricinfo carried the match report.
The wider squad has some moving parts. Jacob Bethell returns to the Test squad after missing England's recent series against Pakistan through injury. Joe Root, Dan Lawrence and Bethell have all been picked as spin-bowling options. Shoaib Bashir will travel with the Lions rather than the main squad.
Josh Tongue is set to miss the first Test because his second child is due, so he is scheduled to be away for that match. Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone and Matthew Fisher will join the Lions for the South Africa tour. Marcus North is England's men's national selector.
For South Africa, the series follows a strong run. They won their recent home Test series against Australia, and Simon Harmer was their leading wicket-taker in it with 14 wickets at an average of 29.35. An average is the number of runs conceded for each wicket taken, so a lower figure is better for a bowler.
For Patterson-White, the call-up is a chance to test a summer of wickets against top-level batters on a tour far from home. Every Test is played over up to five days, so a spinner gets time to find rhythm, and to wear down a batting side as the pitch changes. Whether he plays in any of the three matches will depend on the team England pick closer to the start.
