sport news NASSER HUSSAIN: Josh Tongue provides a point of difference at 90mph on a good ... trends now
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That was a really good work-out in the field for England. All their bowlers were very impressive and added different attributes to the attack.
This Test has to be about beating Ireland but England must have one eye on what comes next and both aims were served well on this first day of the Test summer at Lord’s.
I have not seen Josh Tongue live with the red ball – I’ve only really seen him playing for Worcestershire on streams – and you could see immediately why England picked him here.
Tongue looks big and strong and bowled at more than 90 miles per hour while providing a point of difference to the England attack in the absence of the injured Jofra Archer, Olly Stone and Brydon Carse.
England’s stock is high in fast-medium bowlers but they haven’t got too much fit back up for Mark Wood and they were right to play him in this Test because they know what they will get should they pick Chris Woakes in the Ashes.
Josh Tongue impressed on debut not just with his speeds but also for his accuracy at Lord's
tongue is one of the only fit bowlers England have capable of 90mph speeds to back up Mark Wood
Ireland sat in on Jack Leach and simply let the spinner bowl at them - dismissing Paul Stirling as one of his three wickets on day one
You look at speeds but you also need accuracy and Tongue was very accurate even though perhaps England overdid the short bowling with him. There was not really any need for that unless Stokes wanted to see how he was equipped to fulfil that role this summer.
The other thing Tongue does well is create angles in his action by leaning towards the off-side, a
