COLCHESTER-BORN Charlie Allison has been called up to the England Men's Under-19s Test squad.

The talented 18-year-old has been named in a 14-player squad for this month’s two Youth Tests against Australia Under-19s.

Allison is one of three Essex youngsters to be named in the squad, with Luc Benkenstein and Noah Thain also named.

Allison has impressed for Essex in the One-Day Cup, this summer.

In July, Allison signed a rookie contract with Essex covering the remainder of the 2023 season.

 

The teenager, who is the younger brother of established Essex first-team player Ben Allison, has been on Essex's age-group pathway from under-nine level.

In club cricket, Allison plays for his hometown team Colchester and East Essex CC and last year hit 249 runs at 41.50 and took 13 wickets at 20.84 in the Hamro Foundation Essex League premier division.

The right hander made his Essex second XI debut in a ten-wicket T20 victory against Middlesex at Southend’s Garon Park in May, last year.

As a youngster, Allison has also benefited from the coaching at Piri Piri Cricket led by Colchester bowler Ben Stephens.

Gazette: Charlie Allison

Back in 2012, he enjoyed prominence as a six-year-old after footage of his excellent batting technique was posted on YouTube by PiriPiri Cricket.

In his nine second XI T20 matches to date, Allison has a strike rate of 150.63.

In July 2018, aged just 13, he returned figures of 2-24 from seven overs in a nine-wicket victory over Norfolk, in a 50-over match.

Allison has further underlined his credentials in the second XI Championship this season by crunching consecutive centuries against Middlesex and Hampshire for a total of 226 runs in just 282 balls.

Captain Ben McKinney is one of four players who are retained from the England U19 squad that drew 1-1 with Australia U19s in two Youth Tests during the winter.

McKinney’s fellow Durham team-mate Ross Whitfield and Hampshire duo Eddie Jack and Dominic Kelly were also part of the Test squad in Australia.

Young Lions head coach Mike Yardy said: "We are excited to play two competitive Under-19s Tests against Australia.

"After two high-quality games last winter in Australia, I expect the same, watching the best young players go head-to-head in red-ball cricket."

England Men’s U19s Test squad: Ben McKinney (Durham – captain); Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire); Charlie Allison (Essex); Charlie Barnard (Lancashire); Luc Benkenstein (Essex); Jack Carney (Lancashire); Jaydn Denly (Kent); Daniel Hogg (Durham); Eddie Jack (Hampshire); Dom Kelly (Hampshire); Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire); Noah Thain (Essex); Raphael Weatherall (Northamptonshire); Ross Whitfield (Durham) England under-19s will take on Australia in the first Youth Test at New Road, Worcester, on September 8-11.

The teams then meet for another Youth Test at the County Ground, Northampton, on September 16-19.