Nottinghamshire’s Fateh Singh has been named in an 18-strong squad for the upcoming series between England U19 men’s team and the West Indies U19s.
Singh, 17, has been a star turn across various Notts teams this season, taking 32 wickets at 12.62 with his left-arm spin for the U18s, appearing regularly for the Second Eleven in four day and T20 cricket, and making his List A debut with three appearances in the Royal London Cup.
“It’s a dream come true for me to get an international call up, and something I have worked really hard for,” Singh said.
“It feels like recognition for the time I have spent working on and improving my game, and it caps a season of growth for me personally where I have got a taste of what it is like to be in and around the senior set-up and the first team at Notts.
“I would like to place on record my thanks to those who have helped me develop to this point, whether at my club, my school or at Notts. To have the belief of the likes of Matt Wood and Peter Moores is incredibly reassuring, and I will do everything I can to represent the club well.
“It is exciting to join up with some of the talented players from around the country who I have played against over the years, and some of whom I played with at the ECB Super 4s competition this year - I know it is a great opportunity for me and another step in my career.”
Singh is the latest Nottinghamshire cricketer to be selected for the most senior England age-group, after Joey Evison’s berth for his country in last year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, and the squad, selected by the Young Lions’ selectors, will be led for the first time by ECB Elite Pathway Coach, Richard Dawson.
Dawson said: “I’m excited to see the group in action and to see how they fare against their international peers. It’s a big opportunity for the players, and it’s their first step on the international pathway.
“It’s testament to the quality of our young players that we may lose a few during the series, should they be called into their county’s first team squad. We’ll be communicating and collaborating with the counties throughout, we’ve selected a group to cover that eventuality and we’re looking forward to getting going."
England U19 men's squad
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Tom Aspinwall (Lancashire)
Sonny Baker (Somerset)
Nathan Barnwell (Surrey)
George Bell (Lancashire)
Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
Josh Boyden (Lancashire)
James Coles (Sussex)
Alex Horton (Glamorgan)
Dan Ibrahim (Sussex)
Archie Lenham (Sussex)
Will Luxton (Yorkshire)
Harry Petrie (Hampshire)
Tom Prest (Hampshire)
James Rew (Somerset)
James Sales (Northamptonshire)
Fateh Singh (Nottinghamshire)
George Thomas (Somerset)
Royal London U19 Series
Saturday September 4: 1st Royal London International, England U19 v West Indies U19, Beckenham.
Monday September 6: 2nd Royal London International, England U19 v West Indies U19, Beckenham.
Wednesday September 8: 3rd Royal London International, England U19 v West Indies U19, Beckenham.
Friday September 10: 4th Royal London International, England U19 v West Indies U19, Polo Farm, Canterbury.
Tuesday September 14: 5th Royal London International, England U19 v West Indies U19, Polo Farm, Canterbury.
Friday September 17: 6th Royal London International, England U19 v West Indies U19, Polo Farm, Canterbury.