Jack Home says it is “a dream come true” playing first team cricket for Worcestershire as he revealed the special bond between himself and fellow young pace bowler Harry Darley.
Home and Darley have been handed their opportunities after a lengthy injury list of senior players presented them with a chance in the latter stages of the Vitality Blast and now the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
It is a partnership that was first forged when the duo played together for Shropshire Under-14s and then Worcestershire Under-16s.
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They made their One Day Cup debut against Middlesex at Visit Worcestershire New Road on Wednesday and both picked up three wickets.
Home, now preparing for Sunday’s home encounter with Durham, has been part of the Worcestershire Academy for the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 intakes.
He said: “It is like a dream come true playing for your home club.
“I’m just so happy, so honoured to play for the club. I’m learning as we go along from the coaches, talking to all the lads.
“Just really grateful and taking it day by day.
“On the field, everyone is giving advice, everyone is really helpful. It’s really easy to integrate.
“I had never played a Seconds game before this year and aspirations were take it day by day, try my best to get a contract at the end of the season, play as much Second team cricket as possible.
“It is such a blessing to be playing in games like this. I never thought it would happen. Every game I play a game and step out onto the pitch for this club, I am just grateful to be out there.
“You learn something new everytime you go out there. Everytime you bowl, you pick up points every game, things you can take into the next game.
“The lads there have years of experience whereas I’m just starting.. Everything little thing I pick up, I try to use it in future games.”
Darley picked up three wickets with the new ball against Middlesex before Home came into the attack and also enjoyed a treble success.
He said: “Myself and Darl (Harry Darley) are good mates so always nice to follow him (into the attack). We are both from Shropshire and I love playing with him and we will for a long time hopefully.
“We started playing Under-14s for Shropshire and then at Worcestershire we’ve played together from Under-16 onwards.
“We are very close. We drive around together. Whenever we are together, we are always talking, so it’s a very special bond and I’m very grateful to be playing with him.
“We talk about it about the bowling but we are very different bowlers. I like to be a bit more attacking, short pitched bowling, fast, he is very persistent, top of the stumps.
“We sort of leave each other to it and just give each other advice when we think it is necessary.”
Home was delighted to start the One Day Cup with a win.
He said: “It is a great start for us to the campaign. I think Polly and Rodders won the game for us and it’s a bit easier as bowlers, bowling at 370.
“With Polly being another Shropshire lad, really happy for him. He is a close friendly friend so really happy for him.”
Worcestershire Rapids
2 Jake Libby (C)
7 Ed Pollock
9 Gareth Roderick (W)
10 Tommy Sturgess
11 Rehaan Edavalath
12 Tom Taylor
13 Henry Cullen
14 Olly Cox
24 Jack Home
25 Hishaam Khan
41 Harry Darley
42 Tom Hinley
77 Ethan Brookes
88 Rob Jones
– Fateh Singh
