5 Things about England seamer Craig Overton

Craig Overton has been handed a surprise Ashes call-up by England ahead of the fourth Test against Australia at Old Trafford.

The Somerset paceman was drafted into the squad following confirmation that James Anderson would not be able to return in the series due to a calf injury and has gone straight into the team.

Overton has played three Tests for England, two in the 2017/18 Ashes in Australia and one in New Zealand in March of last year.

Here are some things you may not know about the 25-year-old…

His first Test wicket was a notable one

As an England debutant, Overton bowled out Steve Smith in the Second Ashes Test two years ago at the Adelaide Oval.

At the time, aged 23, Overton said Smith had sledged his bowling, describing it as ‘slow’.

Smith returns to the Australia side in Manchester following a concussion suffered in the Lord’s Test when he was felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer.

He is a twin

Overton has a brother – Jamie – who also plays for Somerset. He too is a right-hand bowler and right-hand batsman.

Two years ago, both brothers extended their contracts with the county to the end of the 2020 season. Craig is older by a matter of minutes.

He took a hat-trick last year

Overton was the second Somerset bowler in two days to achieve the feat as they beat Nottinghamshire by an innings and 146 runs.

He followed captain Tom Abell’s first-innings effort at Trent Bridge, removing Ben Slater, Samit Patel and Riki Wessels in successive balls, with all three catches taken at slip by Marcus Trescothick.

He can be handy with the bat

Overton has a first-class century to his name. The 25-year-old made 138 as Somerset drew with Hampshire at Taunton in August 2016.

The knock also saw him set a new eighth-wicket record for the county of 217 with Roelof van der Merwe. However, the record was surpassed by Peter Trego and Ryan Davies in Somerset’s next game.