Stamford School pupil Joey Evison makes first-class debut for Nottinghamshire in County Championship clash with Warwickshire

Stamford School cricketer Joey Evison crowned a memorable season by making his first-class debut this week.

Evison was selected for the Nottinghamshire side which took on Warwickshire in the County Championship clash at Trent Bridge.

His feat saw the Stamford School all-rounder become the youngest player at 17 years of age to represent Nottinghamshire since 2001 and he was the first player born in the 2000s to play first-class cricket for the county.

Evison scored 45 runs on his debut and was joined in the Nottinghamshire squad by Stamford School old boy Zak Chappell.

This success followed his selection for England Under 19s for a home tri-series against India and Bangladesh in July.

Earlier this year, Evison was called up to the England Under 19s Young Lions Squad for matches against Gloucestershire - where he scored 101 runs - Ireland A and Scotland.

Evison said: “2019 has been a really great year for me, firstly being selected to play for England U19s and then being given my first class debut by Nottinghamshire which came as a huge surprise to me but a very nice one.

“My school Under 17 team also reached the national semi-final. Everyone at Stamford School has been very supportive and I am very grateful for that.”

Evison has come under the tutelage of former England all-rounder Dean Headley who is director of cricket at Stamford School.

Headley added: “Joey has had an amazing experience in his first innings for the Notts first team.

“It is an accomplishment to even be selected as the youngest player for 18 years.

“He fully deserves his success and his family and friends, as well as everyone at Stamford School, will be stoked by the way he played.”

Evison - who also came through the ranks at Bourne Cricket Club - has recorded an impressive list of achievements during his time at Stamford School.

He was the youngest cricketer – aged just 13 – to play first team cricket after being selected while in year eight.

Evison became the youngest-ever first team centurion aged 14, scoring back-to-back tons against Nottingham High School and Wellingborough School.

He has now scored six centuries for Stamford School first team and holds the record for the overall runs scored for the side (2,466 runs in total).

Evison broke the Nottinghamshire County Under 15 batting record, scoring 1,270 runs at an average of 61, including three centuries and scoring 92 not out on his debut for Nottinghamshire Academy in the Nottinghamshire ECB Premier League.

He has also been selected to play for the Midlands Under 15s (as an Under 14) in the Bunbury Festival at Radley College where the best 56 players in the country represented four regions (Midlands, North, South and West, London and The East. He scored 78 against London and The East.

As a 15-year-old Evison became one of the youngest centurions in Nottinghamshire Premier League history, scoring 113 for the Academy side against Attenborough.

He then made 54 for the Nottinghamshire Second XI against Worcestershire and was selected to captain the Midlands Under 15s in another Bunbury Festival at Stowe School.

Last year he was chosen for the Under 17s to play in the ECB Super 4s (the Under 17 version of the Bunbury Festival) and was also selected to play for England Schools (ESCA) against the MCC Schools at Lords.

Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores commented: “Joey is a highly-talented product of the Academy.

“We’ve watched him develop over the past few years and we’ve been impressed with what we’ve seen.

“His first-class debut gave him a chance to see what’s required at senior level and move himself forward.”