Tom Hartley’s headline role in England’s famous victory in India has left members of his hometown club “basking in the reflected glory” of a rags-to-riches Test debut.
After Hartley’s second-innings seven for 62 sealed a famous 28-run win in Hyderabad on Sunday, Ormskirk CC offered a free drink to their patrons as they celebrated one of their own’s remarkable success.
Hartley progressed through the juniors at Ormskirk, a market town in Lancashire 13 miles north of Liverpool, and was even playing the odd game for them up until a couple of years ago.
He still has close ties to the club as his father’s flower business supplies their hanging baskets, so it is little wonder there was unconfined joy at Hartley’s accomplishments on the subcontinent.
“It’s a massive, massive achievement for him,” club chair Bill Rankin told the PA news agency. “We’re all basking in the reflected glory, just to have been part of his cricket career.
“We’d have been watching it anyway as cricket fans and that was a fantastic result but to have a fantastic result where you know someone who’s been a significant part of that, it adds a new element.
“It was a great game, full stop, but it was an even greater game when you know someone who was making it happen. It’s like a dream what happened to him on Sunday.
“This is the first time we’ve had someone who’s come through juniors who played at the highest level. That’s why it’s such a special moment as a club because he really is one of our own.”
Hartley endured a turbulent start to his Test career as his maiden delivery was dispatched for six by Yashasvi Jaiswal, with the slow left-armer’s opening nine-over burst leaking an eye-watering 63 runs.
But from humble beginnings, Hartley showed his redoubtable character when the game was in the balance after India were set 231, snaring their top three then taking the final wicket as England went 1-0 up.
The unwavering support of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum echoes how Hartley was treated at Ormskirk after stepping up to adult level in his early teens.
“The way he’s been captained and looked after at Ormskirk, he’s been backed,” Rankin added. “It’s a healthy way to bring people on.
“He’s been given the ball even when he was fairly young at a time when it could make the difference to a game, told not to worry about the outcome and he’s won games that could have gone the other way.
“It’s nice to think that at the highest level he can play at, he seems to be getting that same sort of backing where you can play in an environment where you’re not afraid to fail.”
Ormskirk’s X feed on Sunday garnered plenty of attention, while a video posted by their first-team captain showing a younger Hartley standing on a table and singing ‘I wanna dance with Tom Hartley’ to Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ has been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times.
Held in the highest regard by his old club, Rankin hopes this is just the start of the 24-year-old’s journey.
“It was always obvious he was a talented cricketer but I think his progress has been a steady one,” Rankin added. “He’s been steady, steady and improving all the time.
“You’ve got to work really hard to get yourself in the situation where you have the opportunity to do what he’s done. He has done that.
“Hopefully he’ll keep on doing that, we believe he’s capable of doing it, obviously others do now so fingers crossed.”
Louis and Athanaze lead West Indies recovery to close balanced opening day at 250-5
Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze came heartbreakingly close to maiden Test centuries but fell in the nineties as the West Indies closed the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at 250-5 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Their 140-run partnership for the fourth wicket proved pivotal, turning the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts after early struggles.
Louis, playing with patience and determination, was dismissed for 97 after spending 27 balls in the nineties. He charged at Bangladesh’s stand-in captain and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz but was caught at slip by Shahadat Hossain. Athanaze, who had been steadily accelerating, fell three overs later for 90, edging Taijul Islam behind. It marked the second time in Athanaze’s brief Test career that he had been dismissed in the nineties.
The pair’s stand was the backbone of the West Indies innings, revitalizing the side after early setbacks. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell for 4, trapped lbw by Taskin Ahmed, and Keacy Carty departed soon after for a duck, caught at mid-on trying to flick Taskin. At 12-2, the West Indies were under pressure until Louis and Kavem Hodge steadied the ship.
Hodge, who made 25, was run out after a brilliant throw from Taijul Islam at long leg. His dismissal brought Athanaze to the crease, and together with Louis, he set about rebuilding and eventually dominating the Bangladesh bowling attack.
Louis reached his half-century with a straight drive off Taskin, showcasing his ability to punish loose deliveries amidst a largely cautious approach. Athanaze took a more aggressive route, particularly in the final session, finding the boundary with sweeps, reverse sweeps, and cuts as he raised the scoring rate.
Louis’s innings included nine boundaries and a six, while Athanaze struck 12 fours and a six. Their contrasting styles complemented each other, as they added 140 runs at a brisk pace, frustrating Bangladesh’s bowlers, who had earlier kept the scoring rate in check.
After their departures, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva stabilized the innings against the second new ball. Greaves ended the day unbeaten, with Da Silva scoring freely in the closing overs before bad light and a drizzle brought an early end to proceedings after 84 overs.
Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to capitalize on the early breakthroughs. Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the attack with figures of 2-46, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1-45) and Taijul Islam (1-56) provided moments of control but lacked consistency. The fielding unit also let opportunities slip, including a dropped catch off Louis when he was in the nineties.
The West Indies will resume on day two with five wickets in hand and an opportunity to push toward a commanding first-innings total. Bangladesh will look to capitalize on the breakthroughs late on day one and restrict the hosts in the morning session.
For the West Indies, the day belonged to Louis and Athanaze, whose near-centuries not only steadied the innings but also put the team in a strong position as they aim to set the tone in the series.
Starc hails 'fantastic bowler' Bumrah after day one in Perth
Australia seamer Mitchell Starc heaped praise on Jasprit Bumrah's performance on day one of their Test against India in Perth.
India struggled with the bat and finished their first innings on 150, with Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) helping them to improve on a poor start.
However, the tourists wrestled back control, leaving Australia on 67-7 at the close of play, thanks to Bumrah's inspired display.
On Friday, 17 wickets fell, the most on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
He finished on 4-17, leaving Australia 19-3 inside the seventh over as he took Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Steve Smith in quick succession.
Starc will start at the crease alongside Alex Carey on day two, and he was impressed by Bumrah's efficiency with the ball.
"So, there's no surprise that he's [Bumrah] been a fantastic bowler across the formats for a long time," Starc said.
"And again, his skills were on show [on Friday] as to how, how good he is. So, yeah, I'm sure there's something in that release point.
"That's significant to his action. It's something a lot of people can't do, so I'm not, I'm certainly not going to go and try it. I'll probably snap."
Archer back in IPL auction despite being left off the shortlist
Jofra Archer will be in the IPL auction after all, having been left off the shortlist initially.
The fast bowler was an entry on the longlist but did not appear among the names after it had been whittled down to 574 last week.
There had been no word from Archer as to why he had pulled out of the auction and re-entered, although the prospect of playing in the IPL in future could have been key.
According to new rules in the competition, a player will be ineligible to play in the IPL for two years if they do not enter the auction.
Archer has struggled with injury since 2020 and has carefully worked his way back from an elbow problem he suffered last year. Having been part of England's white-ball set-up since May, he has a desire to get back into Test cricket.
The 29-year-old has not played the longest form of the game in nearly four years and, if picked for the IPL, could find it harder to get back into it.
With the early rounds of the County Championship season clashing with the IPL, it could harm Archer's ability to prove his fitness and reduce his chances of playing in a home Test in 2025. Additionally, he could also find it difficult to force his way in for the Ashes in Australia next winter.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
