JOSH TONGUE is ready to earn a household good friend £50,000 as soon as he makes his Take a look at debut for England.
Tim Piper positioned a £100 guess on Tongue to rise to the nationwide Take a look at aspect 14 years in the past.
Josh Tongue’s debut for England might come towards EireCredit score: Getty
Which is able to earn household good friend Tim Piper £50,000 after he positioned a guess on him 14 years in the pastCredit score: Roland Leon
The cricket star was solely 11 on the time and left Piper, 56, impressed along with his spin abilities regardless of his younger age.
On the Redditch Cricket Membership within the Nineteen Nineties, Piper was a team-mate of Tongue’s dad and have become conscious of the teenager’s talent with the ball.
He did wish to place the guess on him to make it to England when Tongue was solely six, however couldn’t discover a bookmaker prepared to supply any odds.
He instructed BBC Sport: “It was superb.
“There was this little child who bowled leg-spin, googlies and top-spinners. It was like Shane Warne.”
Tongue, now 25, was moved to the Worcestershire Academy when he was six and transformed to a tempo bowler.
5 years later, Piper made a guess at Coral when he was supplied odds of 500-1.
Piper stored the guess slip in a cabinet ever since and shall be having fun with his bonus when Tongue makes his debut towards Eire.
“I’ve stored the guess slip in a cabinet all these years.
“I simply thought to myself ‘it should be value £100’. If he doesn’t make it, he’d make us proud anyway.
“That is only a bonus for him to get within the Take a look at staff.”
The guess slip states that Tongue should “play a Take a look at match for England” for Piper to win his guess.
Nevertheless, he virtually misplaced his guess final yr because the cricketer got here near retiring after persistent shoulder issues.
He overcame the issues with Botox injections and was known as as much as the England squad final week.
However Piper by no means gave up as he mentioned: “He had all these accidents, however I by no means gave up on him.
“I stored considering ‘possibly it could actually occur’. These final two weeks have been a mad turnaround.”
Piper, the owner of the Cricketers Arms pub in Redditch, hopes Tongue can decide up a five-for and get his title on the distinguished honours board at Lord’s.
Josh Tongue pictured at 10 years previousCredit score: Not recognized, clear with image desk
Josh was solely 11 years previous when Piper positioned the £100 guessCredit score: Getty
England head coach Brendon McCullum spoke about Tongue’s addition to the Take a look at aspect on Monday.
He instructed the press: “He’s obtained some actual abilities, he’s clearly a little bit of tough diamond.
“We predict he’s obtained one thing slightly bit thrilling therefore we introduced him into the squad.
“He’s one other one who seems like he’s obtained an immense quantity of expertise.”
The one-off four-day check towards Eire is ready to start out on June 1 as a part of England’s preparations for The Ashes towards Australia this summer season.