John Turner Sets Sights on Proving His England Selection Was Justified

 

John Turner Sets Sights on Proving His England Selection Was Justified

Hampshire fast bowler John Turner is determined to validate his swift rise to the England squad after making his international debut. His first appearance came on Thursday, and by Saturday, he had his first wicket, thanks to a sharp catch by Jordan Cox off Brandon King's flashing drive.

"It’s been great being part of things these past months, but actually getting the chance to play is incredibly exciting," Turner shared. "Taking my first wicket is something I'll never forget."

Turner was one of the original members of England’s 'pace project,' going from his professional debut with Hampshire to an England call-up in just 70 days. The ECB has shown continued faith in him with another 12-month development contract. "The whole 'pace project' is really exciting," Turner said. "There are quite a few of us around the squads, which is a great opportunity to push for a spot on the Test or T20 team. I'm still young and raw, and there's a lot to learn."

Turner’s two matches have shown promise. He regularly troubled Brandon King and Evin Lewis in his debut without a breakthrough, but in his second game, he dismissed both within seven balls. Although a few pulled sixes affected his economy rate, Turner’s talent was clear.

Jofra Archer handed Turner his cap, jokingly announcing him as the squad's best player of PIG, a football-based warm-up game—a playful exaggeration, as Turner is known to be among the worst at it. Originally more skilled at hockey, Turner completed a degree in economics and finance at Exeter University over the summer. During The Hundred, he even drove back to Exeter after a late-night game to sit for an exam, which he passed.

Though Turner is one of the first to be selected by England based on potential rather than proven county success, he acknowledges both the opportunity and the challenge of surpassing players with years of experience. "It’s exciting that someone sees potential in you, maybe even before you do," he said. "Cricket’s a stats game, but success at the top level needs certain attributes. You don’t know if you have them until you’re in this environment and either succeed or fail."

Turner has noticed a drop in his pace during this tour and is working to address it. "Pace is one of my strengths, but I've been a bit down lately. I was hitting high 80s and even some 90s in The Hundred. I need to figure out what’s missing here and put it into practice," he explained. Turner aims to make an impact with his aggressive approach, hoping to be England’s "point of difference" by exploiting the surface and making things difficult for batters.