England debutant Jamie Overton agonisingly misses out on history vs New Zealand

Jamie Overton has enjoyed a brilliant debut so far, with the England quick dismissing Devon Conway to take his first Test wicket and then scoring 97 with the bat

England quick Jamie Overton fell just three runs short of creating history on his Test debut against New Zealand at Headingley.

Overton played a truly stunning innings for England, sharing a magnificent 241-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow to rescue his side after their top-order collapsed. He joined Bairstow at the crease with England in serious trouble at 55-6 and batted beautifully.

Unfortunately, Overton agonisingly missed out on a debut hundred, getting caught at slip off Trent Boult for 97. It would have been Overton’s second-ever century and seen him join an exclusive club, having also picked up a wicket on debut.

Just one other Englishman has ever scored a hundred and taken a wicket on their Test debut and that was the legendary W.G. Grace back in 1880 in the first ever Test played in England. On that occasion, Grace opened the batting alongside his brother Edward and scored 152 in England’s first innings as they made 420.

He then picked up a wicket with just his seventh ball in Test cricket, dismissing William Moule for six as Australia were bowled out for 149 and asked to follow on. Grace took two more wickets in the match and made an unbeaten nine in the second innings as England comfortably won the match by five wickets.

And although Overton heartbreakingly missed out on a well-deserved century, his innings was crucial for England and the whole of Headingley rose to applaud him as he left the field.

The 28-year-old has worked hard to improve his batting in recent years and has been in excellent form in the County Championship. As well as picking up 21 wickets at 21.61, he has also struck 212 runs at 53 and Surrey’s assistant coach Azhar Mahmood believes he could become “one of the best allrounders in the world”.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Mahmood said: “I spoke to him about his batting. I said you remind me of myself, you have exactly the role I used to have.

“To help build an innings lower down in the order. I said to him this is the role. With that batting this guy can be one of the best allrounders in the world.

“I really haven’t done that much with him. Jamie Overton is special. He is a diamond. All we’ve done is to cut and polish him a little.”