James Matthew Coles (born 2 April 2004) is an English cricketer who plays for Sussex.[1] He made his first-class debut on 6 September 2020, for Sussex in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy, at the age of 16, becoming Sussex youngest ever debutant.[2]

James Coles
Personal information
Full name
James Matthew Coles
Born (2004-04-02) 2 April 2004 (age 20)
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2020–presentSussex (squad no. 30)
2024Southern Brave
FC debut6 September 2020 Sussex v Surrey
LA debut23 July 2021 Sussex v Lancashire
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20
Matches 35 20 35
Runs scored 1,872 320 520
Batting average 36.00 22.85 24.76
100s/50s 4/8 0/0 0/2
Top score 180 32 69*
Balls bowled 2,967 760 406
Wickets 37 21 22
Bowling average 52.97 35.85 25.22
5 wickets in innings 0 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0 0
Best bowling 4/61 3/27 4/12
Catches/stumpings 30/– 7/– 18/–
Source: Cricinfo, 29 September 2024

Career

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At the age of 12, Coles joined the Sussex academy,[3] and he has represented them at the Bunbury Festival.[4] He has also played for Aston Rowant in the Oxfordshire cricket league, and in 2020, he scored a century on his Oxfordshire debut against Buckinghamshire.[4] At the age of 16 years and 157 days old, Coles became the youngest player to appear in a first-class match for the county.[5] The record had been held by John Mare since 1870.[3]

He has received the Oxford Junior Sportsman of the Year award and Sir John ‘Jack’ Hobbs Silver Jubilee Memorial Prize for the most outstanding under-16 schoolboy cricketer in England.[6] He made his List A debut on 23 July 2021, for Sussex in the 2021 Royal London One-Day Cup.[7]

In December 2021, he was named in England's team for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.[8]

Personal life

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Coles was a pupil at Magdalen College School, Oxford, up until 2022.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "James Coles". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  2. ^ "South Group, The Oval, Sep 6-9 2020, Bob Willis Trophy". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b "James Coles, the Sussex batsman who is younger than Facebook". The Argus. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Oxfordshire's James Coles selected for Sussex against Surrey". Oxford Mail. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Tom Haines hundred leads inexperienced Sussex on solid first-day showing". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Who Is James Coles, Sussex's 16-Year-Old Bob Willis Trophy Debutant?". Wisden. 6 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Group 2, Sedbergh, Jul 23 2021, Royal London One-Day Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Young Lions announce England U19 World Cup squad". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
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