Phil Salt is set to become the first Welsh-born cricketer to lead England in an International cricket match on Welsh soil when he captains the team against Australia in the sell-out IT20 match at Sophia Gardens on Friday, 13 September. (writes Andrew Hignell)
With the injured Jos Buttler having withdrawn from the England party, Phil has been appointed as the captain of the England team for the IT20 series against Australia. Born in Bodelwyddan and raised in St Asaph, Phil first played cricket for the North-East Wales Under 11s. He initially went to school in Chester before his family, who were involved in property development, moved to the West Indies where Phil played in Barbados alongside a young Jofra Archer. He subsequently returned to the UK at the age of fifteen, attended Reed’s School in Surrey and won a place in the Sussex Academy.
Phil will therefore follow in the footsteps of fellow Welshmen Cyril Walters and Tony Lewis by leading England, but the wicket-keeper batter, who currently plays for Lancashire, will become the first Welsh-born player to lead England in an International cricket match on Welsh soil.
Cyril Walters won 11 Test caps for England between 1933 and 1934. Having attended Neath Grammar School, the elegant batter started his career with Glamorgan in 1923 before becoming player-secretary of Worcestershire in 1928. In 1934 he was appointed, on a temporary basis, as England’s Captain in the opening Test of the Ashes series at Trent Bridge following Bob Wyatt breaking a thumb in the Test Trial at Lord’s.
Tony Lewis, another product of Neath Grammar School, led England on their tour to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1972/73 following the decision by regular Captain Ray Illingworth not to go on the tour to the sub-continent that winter. The Welshman who had proudly led Glamorgan to the County Championship title in 1969 skilfully steered England to victory in the First Test at Delhi before later in the series scoring 125 in the Fourth Test at Kanpur. In all, Tony made nine appearances for England before retiring in 1974.