Josh Tongue takes 7 wickets and hits a maiden 50 in an emotional return for Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge

Josh Tongue’s long-awaited debut for Nottinghamshire became a fairytale comeback as the England fast bowler delivered a stirring seven-wicket haul to help his side defeat Durham in their County Championship opener at Trent Bridge.

The 27-year-old, who had not taken a wicket in any competitive match since August 2023, was visibly emotional after finishing with match figures of 7-158, including a destructive spell of 4 wickets in 12 balls on the final day. He also added a career-first with the bat, scoring a maiden first-class half-century.

Tongue’s journey to this point has been anything but smooth. Signed by Notts from Worcestershire in 2023, he missed the entirety of the 2024 season due to a string of injuries, including troubling pectoral and hamstring issues. After a tentative return with the England Lions over the winter, where he failed to take a wicket in two appearances in Australia, questions lingered about whether he could rediscover his old rhythm.

His answer came loud and clear on the banks of the Trent.

“It was an amazing feeling to be back out here,” Tongue told BBC Radio Nottingham. “I had a bit of nerves, with the crowd thinking, ‘Is Tongue good enough?’ But hopefully they’ve gone home really happy.”

The nerves were understandable. After all, 590 days had passed since his last wicket before Ollie Robinson fell caught off his bowling in the first innings. Tongue admitted he was not entirely pleased with his initial figures of 2-92, but the two wickets restored belief after months of uncertainty.

“There were definitely stages in the winter when I was thinking, ‘Am I going to get another wicket again?’” he confessed.

That self-doubt quickly turned into elation by the final day. With Durham looking to hold out for a draw, Tongue ripped through their batting order in a dramatic spell, finishing with 5-66. It was the kind of performance Nottinghamshire had envisioned when they brought him in—and the kind he had been dreaming of throughout his injury nightmare.

Adding to the occasion, Tongue chipped in with the bat, notching up a gritty half-century that further underlined his contribution to an eight-wicket win.

“It was a very emotional moment,” Tongue said of his five-for. “The things I’ve been through with injuries last year, and then putting the hard work in to be back on the field… to make my debut for Notts and perform like that was amazing.”

Twice capped for England in Tests, Tongue’s story is now one of resilience as much as talent. His return to the County Championship with such an emphatic display will no doubt have England selectors watching closely again.

As the sun set on Trent Bridge, it wasn’t just the scoreboard that told the story of the day. It was etched on the face of a tearful bowler whose long road back finally came full circle. Josh Tongue had arrived—again.