Teenage cricketer Sam Wisniewski has played a vital part in England’s build-up to the Test series against India, which is now under way.
The 16-year-old Broak Oak junior, who plays senior cricket for Pudsey Congs in the Bradford League, is a left-arm wrist spinner.
So England have drafted him into the Edgaston nets to provide valuable practice, in an effort to combat India’s mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
The 23-year-old bamboozled some of England’s best batsmen during the recent ODI and T20 series.
Left-arm wrist spin is so rare that England had to scour the leagues to find exponents – with Wisniewski a prime candidate.
Former Derbyshire second XI player Akhil Patel and Essex club cricketer William Blackwell, who used to play for the county, were the other two invited to the nets.
This was the third time Wisniewski has bowled at England this summer.
He bowled against the red-ball side at Headingley and then the white-ball side a few weeks later, specifically helping Eoin Morgan regain top form.
Wisniewski has done so well, in fact, that he’s been given an open invitation by England coach Paul Farbrace to bowl at any of the pre-test training sessions.
Registered with Yorkshire Academy and Yorkshire Under 17s, Wisniewski is learning lots and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
