A Hero In The Making | Josh Hull In Focus

Leicestershire has a historic habit of producing ready-made teenage stars. But when Josh Hull was handed a rookie contract in the winter of 2022, few would have predicted the incredible impact he’d have on the Foxes’ fortunes across his first season in the game.

Thrown straight in during 2023’s opener at Headingley, the left-armer never looked back “ taking 32 wickets and bowling Leicestershire to victory with a nerveless last over in the Metro Bank One Day Cup final in September.

Now, armed with a new three-year contract and one white-ball winners’ medal around his neck, he’s bidding to fire the Foxes to further glory in the form of a fourth T20 Blast title.

PLAY STYLE:

Standing at 6ft 7”, Hull is a towering talent who is regularly taking his game to new heights. Like a heavyweight boxer reaching for a knockout blow, Hull’s height advantage helps him generate vital added pace and bounce to unsettle batters, who can’t help but be deceived by his variation.

The 19-year-old is capable of clocking speeds north of 85mph, whistling deliveries past the outside edge with the added threat of a swinging ball when conditions allow.

A key element to being a successful white-ball quick is the ability to bowl astutely during any phase of the innings. For a teenager, Hull is perfectly adept at switching up his game plans.

He took wickets up front with the new ball and returned to break brewing partnerships in the middle overs against Yorkshire “ while his final over performance against Hampshire in September’s 50-over final showed his ice-cool composure at the death.

STATS BOOK:

Just seven games into his Vitality Blast career, Hull has already shown he has all the tools to be a top-level T20 bowler in the years to come.

With nine wickets at 24.44, he’s made a solid start to a format where the odds are usually stacked firmly against bowlers. Returns of 3/28 in game one of this year’s edition were his best to date, rendering him one to watch this summer.

Hull’s eye-catching display against the Vikings backs up an exceptional 50-over campaign last season, with the left-arm giant claiming 17 wickets at 24.23 as he helped the Foxes win the One Day crown.

HERO HIGHLIGHT:

In only his second T20 outing, Hull showcased all the hallmarks of his promising potential in last summer’s win up in Durham, taking 3/35.

In an attack containing international stars Rehan Ahmed, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Naseem Shah, as well as Leicestershire’s top T20 wicket-taker Callum Parkinson, Hull was the pick of the Foxes attack.

The Academy graduate struck twice in his opening over, bowling home skipper Alex Lees before his extra pace and bounce accounted for Graham Clark two balls later. He then returned at the death to pick up the crucial wicket of Australian star Ashton Turner, who was taking the game away from Leicestershire with 46 from just 24 balls before Hull pinned him in front.

It kept the hosts’ score down to 168, which the Foxes chased down with 12 deliveries to spare.

KEY CLASH:

With Durham in town against this Friday, the Foxes will be looking to Hull to replicate his heroics at Chester-le-Street.

If he can mirror that kind of instant impact with the ball this time around, the Foxes will be perfectly primed for a fourth victory on the bounce against Durham.

As with Leicestershire, the Vitality Blast is famed for producing bowlers who explode onto the scene. Fast becoming an established member of the Foxes’ T20 ranks, Hull “ a player who packs plenty of dynamite “ is ready to get the double-header weekend off to a bang on Friday.

Secure your tickets to watch Hull and his Foxes teammates in T20 action HERE.