When Richard Gleeson made his international debut in the second T20I against India at the age of 34, he became England 's oldest debutant since wicketkeeper Paul Nixon in 2007.
It was the culmination of a long and difficult journey for the quick, who did not make his professional debut until he was 27 and has had to battle back from a career-threatening injury. At the age of 26, Gleeson had all but given up on playing professional cricket, having combined playing for minor county Cumberland with work at a boiler factory, a landscape gardening company and a fishing tackle shop.
He later landed a coaching job with the Lancashire Cricket Board, before going on trial at Northamptonshire. Gleeson made his debut in 2015 in a tour match against Australia and notably picked up the wickets of Shaun and Mitchell Marsh, helping him earn a short-term deal with the county and he has not looked back since.
The following year, he took 14 wickets at an average of 16 as Northamptonshire won the T20 Blast, earning him a T20 franchise gig with Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League. Gleeson was handed an England Lions call-up in 2018 and then made the move to Lancashire at the end of that same year.
However, soon after earning a call-up to England's ODI squad as a reserve player in 2020, Gleeson suffered a stress fracture in his back that almost ended his career. He ended up playing just two T20s for Lancashire in 2020 and 2021 and his contract with the county actually expired with the seamer unsure if he would ever play cricket again.
"I was basically unemployed for two months," he told ESPNcricinfo. "I didn't know what was going to happen - or if I was going to play cricket again.
"That thought had definitely crept into my mind. But when I had the scan, the fracture was 100% united, which the specialists had said was the best-case scenario."
As a result, he earned a part-time deal with Lancashire solely for this year's Blast, combining it with a job teaching cricket at Myerscough College in Preston. And Gleeson was back to his best for Lancashire, taking 23 wickets at 16.34 and earning himself an England call-up to face India, having had to ask for permission from Myerscough to represent his country.
"I was supposed to be on a bit of teacher training this week but, thankfully, they weren't too strict with me and let me have a bit of time off," he told Sky Sports after debuting. And what a debut it was, with Gleeson picking up the wickets of global superstars Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
He ended with figures of 3-15 from his four overs and even delivered a double-wicket maiden. "This is a great story on a human level," former England captain Michael Atherton said.
"He is a lesson for everyone out there that it is never too late, keep going and keep working for your dream." And Eoin Morgan believes the quick could be part of England's squad for the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia, telling Sky Sports: "Gleeson's debut was remarkable.
"England can add another name to that not-so-long list of bowlers that can contribute at international level. He comes in with a reputation of being great at the end of innings for his county in various forms but he came in here, hit a length hard and fast, and dismissed Kohli, Pant and Sharma.
"It was extraordinary. This is a huge find for English cricket and one they can build towards the next World Cup and possibly the next 50-over World Cup [in India] next year.
"Speaking to guys who have faced him, his yorker is probably his best ball, so if he can add a fast yorker to what he bowled today, there is your perfect bowler."
Gleeson's story is truly remarkable given the hardships he has had to battle back from and a spot at the World Cup is certainly on his radar. He said: "You want to play in the big occasions, don't you? So, yeah, why not? I'll just look towards the next game and go from there.
"[England selection] wasn't anywhere near my radar. It was just to play the highest standard that I could. I just want to keep playing cricket and enjoying it, playing for as long as I can. Who knows? If I keep performing, anything could happen."
