Overtons Raring To Go After Linking Up With England Squad

Craig Overton1

Craig Overton has welcomed the addition of twin brother Jamie to the England squad, but admitted he won’t relish batting against his sibling in the nets.

Jamie, the younger of the duo by three minutes, has been called into the squad ahead of Wednesday’s fourth Royal London One-Day International at Trent Bridge as a replacement for the injured Liam Plunkett, just a few days after his brother’s selection in place of Chris Jordan.

The Somerset duo could become the first ever twins to play together for England – and Craig admits he’s looking forward to family time, albeit after ripping into each other in the nets.

“Jamie has been bowling quick,” Craig said.

“None of the boys have been looking forward to facing him in the nets, put it that way – especially me, because he always gives me a bit of extra brotherly love!

“Most of the time with Somerset it’s seemed like only one of us has been picked, or one or other of us has been injured.

“But we’ve been playing together since we were about five, so we still know each other’s games pretty well.

“We’re both pretty happy. We’ve only spoken briefly, but I’m looking forward to meeting up with him.”

Although both men have excelled with the ball during their short careers to date, Nottinghamshire were on the receiving end of Craig’s ability with the bat in the LV= County Championship in May as the 21-year-old swiped his way to a game changing 55 off 31 deliveries, the most recent of his five first-class half-centuries to date.

And Jamie, who himself has three red ball fifties, has backed his brother to become a genuine all-rounder.

“It’s been an interesting week for all of us,” Jamie said.

“I gave Craig a ring and said I’d see him in Nottingham. Then I spoke to our parents and obviously they are very happy as well.

“Craig’s been bowling fantastically and his call-up was rightly deserved.

“I saw a stat the other day that he’s the only player in the country who’s taken 20 wickets at less than 20, as well as scoring 200 runs, which shows he’s one of the best all-rounders.”