I won £50,000 with bet on England debutant after watching him bowl like Shane Warne aged two

Worcestershire star Josh Tongue has earned a family friend £50,000 after his England debut.

When pub landlord Tim Piper put a £100 bet on 500/1 for Tongue to play for England, the bookies must have laughed their way to the bank.

But as England opened the bowling against Ireland on Thursday in their opening Test series this summer, Tongue's name was on the team sheet.

The Worcestershire seamer has been drafted in to replace the injured James Anderson and Ollie Robinson.

The 25-year-old also wowed coaches when the England Lions toured Sri Lanka last week.

And family friend Piper, who played cricket with Tongue's father Phil at their local club Redditch, remembers putting a £100 bet on many years ago that has made him very rich.

Speaking on talkSPORT's Breakfast show, Piper said: "I was very, very good mates with Josh's dad. I can remember Josh being born and I used to pop around the house here and then as he was growing up.

"I watched him in the garden one day, bowling and batting. He was about eighteen months, two years of age.

"I thought to myself, 'This little lad has some serious talent!'

"I saw him bowl, he was probably about three at the time, he's bowling leg spin! Like Shane Warne!

"It was a joke, he was actually turning the ball and the googly, he was bowling them. He was probably three at this time.

"I just thought oh my god, this kid is going to make it. So he was taken on by the county at six, he was playing three or four years above himself.

"I made some phone calls, got through to a couple of bookies. They weren't that bothered so I thought okay, let it go.

"As I got in touch with Phil [Tongue's dad] over the years, he told me he's bowling really well now, scoring runs as well. He was a very good batter at the time, as well.

"I just thought to myself, let's get in touch with some bookies. So I contacted Coral, they actually offered 500/1.

"I thought, 'It's got to be worth £100'."

And it turned out right as Coral ended up forking over £50,000 after Tongue made his international debut against Ireland.

But it has not been smooth sailing for the Midlander, who nearly retired due to injuries earlier in his career.

A persistent shoulder problem nearly ended Tongue's career until a specialist suggested using Botox, which has appeared to have helped the bowler overcome his worse troubles.