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Back in the swing: Roland-Jones returns from injury

By Josh Bartholomew, Online Editor

Old Hamptonian cricketer Toby Roland-Jones has enjoyed a successful return to professional cricket after almost two years out with a back injury.

The Middlesex seamer has taken nine wickets in five games this season, including figures of 4/45 against Oxford MCCU earlier this month.

Two seasons ago, Roland-Jones broke into the England Test team with a five-wicket haul on debut against South Africa. In his four red-ball international matches, the Old Hamptonian took 17 wickets at an average of 19.64.

Roland-Jones had established himself as a key member of the team, but unfortunately suffered a lower-back stress fracture on county duty, initially ruling him out of the 2017/18 winter tours against Australia and New Zealand but eventually resulting in his absence from the entire 2018 summer after a recurrence of the injury.

The pace-bowler has begun the 2019 season well and with England’s fast-bowling stocks far from certain, he has a fair chance of forcing his way into the Test team by the end of the summer with some strong displays for Middlesex.

Roland-Jones faced fellow Hampton alumnus Chris Searle in Middlesex’s pre-season game against Oxford MCCU in March. Searle recorded match figures of 1/129 on his first-class debut.

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