Left to right in the Devon under-14 side of 2006 are Mohsin Allam, Lewis Gregory, Matt Thompson and Luke Tuckett<br>credit: William Sykes

LEWIS Gregory is set to become only the fourth Devon cricketer to feature in an Ashes series after being called into an England Test squad for the first time.

Gregory, whose cricket career started with Plympton and Devon under-11s, is in the 13-strong squad for the inaugural Specsavers Test match against Ireland at Lord’s next week.

The Ireland game is part of the warm-up cycle for the first Ashes Test., which is against Australia at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Gregory went straight from skippering England Lions in their drawn game against an Australia XI at Canterbury to a pre-Ashes training camp in Burton-on-Trent on Wednesday evening.

Gregory earned his first call-up to the Test squad after impressing for Somerset and the England Lions over several seasons. The 27-year-old has been in fine form this summer, taking 44 wickets at an average of 13.88.

Lewis Gregory, fielding for Devon against Buckinghamshire back in the 2010 seasonGregory’s inclusion in the squad to face Ireland is a clear indication he is a serious contender for an Ashes place. If he plays he will join the late Len Coldwell (1962-63, 1964), Chris Read (2006-7) and Craig Overton (2017-18) as Devon cricketers who have featured in an Ashes series.

Other Devon cricketers to play Test cricket for England are John Childs, Mark Lathwell and Dom Bess. 

Gregory confessed he was lost for words after being told of his call-up into the England squad.

“When [England selector] Ed [Smith] called me up, I was a little bit speechless,” Gregory told the Daily Telegraph. “I didn’t really know what to say but it’s exciting and I can’t wait to get cracking.”

Smith said Gregory’s performances have been too good to ignore.

“He has had a remarkable couple of years, with 44 wickets this year at an average of 13, and a very good year last year,” said Smith.

Gregory’s bowling strike-rate of a wicket every 30.8 balls is the best of anyone to have bowled more than 200 overs.

Gregory is one of numerous players from Devon’s ‘Class of 03’ to have gone from club cricketer to the pro game – and would be the first to play in a Test match.

Fellow Plymothian James Burke followed a similar route through England under-18s into First Class cricket with Somerset, Surrey and (briefly) Leicestershire. He plays for Devon now.

Chris Metters graduated to Warwickshire’s 1stXI and a promising career beckoned until a troublesome shoulder injury forced him out of the game.

Pace bowler Adam Dibble was on the staff at Somerset, but left the game three years ago. 

Ryan Stevenson and Matt Hickey have played First Class cricket for Hampshire and Cambridge University respectively. Both played for village club Dartington & Totnes.

Of the rest Matt Golding, Zak Bess and Matthew Thompson have all played Minor County cricket for Devon. 

Thompson, who has had two spells as Devon skipper and captained the Unicorns U25s, said the secret of the team’s successes was largely down to their management.

“There is always the danger when you look back of saying things were better in my day – and I would not want to do that,” said Thompson.

“Martin Webb managed the team and Jack Porter was with us a coach for some time, but we were never over-coached.

“By 15-16 we were playing men’s senior cricket and we just went out there and got on with it.”

An early admirer of Gregory’s was the then Devon captain Bob Dawson, who was impressed by the way the youngster batted for Plympton against Budleigh on a dreadful batting track.

“It was a heap of pitch and we had an Aussie pro called Spoljaric who was doing all sorts on it,” said Dawson, an old pro himself with Gloucestershire (1993-1999)

“Lewis just got into line and the skill he showed was outstanding.”

Gregory started out as batsman for club and county – he made his first century for the under-12 team against Worcestershire in 2004 – and added seam bowling later.

By under-17 level Gregory had a top-four spot in the county’s batting and bowling averages.

Somerset had Gregory in board from 2009 onwards and he quickly graduated into the England under-19 side. He captained the under-19s on their 2011 tour to Sri Lanka. He made his First Class debut for Somerset the same year.