‘We’ve got to hope he’s used up all his runs…’ Tom Hartley on Shubman Gill and helping Ormskirk make cup progress

Tom Hartley is confident England’s battery of bowlers can find a way back into the Test series against India – despite the sensational form of Shubman Gill.

The visiting captain has made 585 runs in the two Tests so far, including three centuries from four innings.

On his Test debut in Hyderabad last January, Hartley got Gill cheaply twice – caught at mid-wicket for 23, and at short leg for a duck – as England pulled off a sensational comeback win.

But asked if he has any advice to offer Ben Stokes and co ahead of the third Test, which begins at Lord’s on Thursday, the left-arm spinner said: “It was on quite different wickets when I got him! 

“Obviously Shubman is in unbelievable form and we’ve got to hope he’s used up all his runs for the series. 

“But I think the bowlers we’ve got are more than good enough to get him out.”

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Hartley was England’s leading wicket taker in that series in early 2024, but has fallen out of contention since.

Opportunities have also been limited for Lancashire – Hartley has missed the Red Rose’s last three Vitality Blast T20 games, along with Rothesay Championship games against Kent and Derbyshire.

Their loss is Ormskirk’s gain. On Sunday, Hartley helped his boyhood club reach the quarter-finals of the ECB National Club Championship with a five-wicket win over Love Lane Liverpool Competition rivals Northern.

His 2/37 included the key wicket of opposing captain James Cole, who was bewitched, beaten and bowled just as he and Tyler McGladdery were threatening to put together a challenging total.

Hartley said: “It was pretty low-scoring but it was a really good game between two very competitive sides. 

“They took their time and didn’t play many shots until the back end, then they were going pretty well.

“Cole was playing a good supporting role and to get him out was really important, because the two of them could have put on a few more, maybe another 50. 

“It was a difficult wicket to rotate on and both sides bowled pretty well, but I think because of the lack of wickets lost we always knew we could go hard towards the end.”

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Next up for Ormskirk is a trip to South Northumberland in Gosforth, just north of Newcastle, on July 27.

It comes between Championship games, after the Blast’s group stage has finished and before the start of the Hundred.

But Hartley, who is part of the Manchester Originals squad in the shortest format, says he will wait and see what his availability is like.

“If I can play for Ormskirk in the later rounds of this competition then I’ll really look forward to it,” he added.

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