Reece Topley starts for England against Pakistan

The former Essex fast bowler, 21, took two wickets in England’s routine 169-run victory over Hong Kong on Sunday, conceding 18 runs off 7.2 overs.

England, who hit 342 for eight before bowling Hong Kong out for just 173, now move on to play Pakistan – their recent conquerors in a three-match Test series – in four one-day internationals, before taking on the same opposition in three Twenty20 games.

The Ipswich-born, ex-Royal Hospital School pupil, who took the wickets of Nizakat Khan (20) and Haseeb Amjad (0) on Sunday, is hoping to impress ahead of England’s tour of South Africa between December and February.

Topley’s father Don, a former Essex player, said Reece was raring to go, having been training recently at the ECB’s National Academy in Loughborough.

“They have been using a special tent to bowl in at Loughborough, enabling Reece to bowl on turf in late October,” said Don, before Sunday’s warm-up game against Hong Kong.

“He was reasonably pleased with how he was bowling, and has been bowling a lot of cutters.

“If there is one area where he isn’t satisfied, it’s with his back-of-the-hand slower bowls.

“They are not coming out quite as well as they were in the summer but I think that is all about rhythm and confidence, and the more he bowls the sooner they will come back.”

Topley’s only appearances for the England senior team came in August and September, against Australia in the respective T20 and One-day international series.

“He was amazingly excited to be going out (on tour with England) again and his family are excited for him too,” added Don of Reece, who will play domestically for Hampshire, in Division One, next summer.

“We know he is good enough to contribute and while there will be days where he is knocked around and out of the park, that is the nature of the competition.”

England, who are batting first against Pakistan today, will also play a T20 practice match against the UAE on November 23.