17 August 2023
Former Hilton College opening bowler, John Turner, has been turning heads in England, with Wisden, the revered authority on all things cricket, turning its attention to the Hampshire paceman, who regularly bowls at over 140 km/h.
The English selectors have noticed him, too, and with Turner having recently qualified to play for England, they have named him in their T20 squad for a four-match series against New Zealand, which begins on 30 August.
Turner, who was Head Boy at Hilton, was also a top academic, but he has chosen to pursue his cricket dreams, while also working towards a degree from Exeter University. His team-mates at Hampshire include Kyle Abbott, formerly of Kearsney College.
Steep bounce
Besides his pace, Turner is known for his ability to generate steep bounce. Those two things stood out, along with how hard he hit the bat, when I first set eyes on him, when he took the new ball for Hilton in the final of the Coca-Cola Schools National T20 Competition in 2018 against Saint Andrew’s School. He opened the attack with Michael Booth, who is now with Warwickshire.
With that duo leading the way, a very talented Saints team was restricted to just 35 for 3 in their first 10 overs. But with the shackles removed, they were able to chase down 124 runs for victory. Incidentally, on the Saint Andrew’s side that day was a young tearaway, Gerald Coetzee, who is now making his mark with the Proteas.
That year, though, with Turner and Booth headlining the bowling attack, Hilton lost only one other game – against Kearsney College, in case you were wondering – and were regarded by many as the best team in South Africa.
Fantastic comparison
Turner, when at Hilton, was under the guidance of Dale Benkenstein, who enjoyed a very successful playing career with the Dolphins and Durham. Now the Head Coach of Gloucestershire, in a recent interview with the BBC, Benkenstein spoke highly of Turner, likening him to the legendary Australian, Glenn McGrath.
Describing Turner’s high action as beautiful, with good wrist movement, Benkenstein said: “There were a lot of fundamentals there which I think any coach would have liked. He reminds me of Glenn McGrath. He is not as tall, but he has that repeatable action. I didn’t see him as an out-an-out quick bowler, but he bowls at a good pace.”
Now, maybe, Benkenstein needs to check back in on Turner’s pace. Anything in the mid-140s, which is where Turner has regularly been clocked is fast in anyone’s book. Maybe his accuracy removes some of the image of out-and-out pace.
Benkenstein also paid tribute to Hampshire bowling coach Graem Welch for the work he has done with Turner, saying: “Hampshire got a racehorse and Graeme is turning him into a thoroughbred.”
Top T20 performances
Turner’s performances in the recent Vitality Blast T20 competition were especially eye-catching. He picked up 21 wickets for the Hampshire Hawks at the very impressive strike rate of one every 10.57 balls bowled.
His average of 11.67 was top of table, and his economy rate of 6.67 was the best among bowlers with 10 or more wickets. Those incisive, consistent performances helped the Hawks reach the semi-finals of the competition.
Michael Booth told the BBC: “You could always see he had a determination to make it. He enjoyed watching Stuart Broad bowl and aspired to be like him the most out of England’s bowlers.”
Hilton old boy Eathan Bosch wins big SA20 award | Pinnacle Schools (pinnacle-schools.com)
Challenges posed
Turner, though, poses his own challenges, which, as Benkenstein pointed out, are more like McGrath than Broad. Either bowler, though, is a wonderful comparison, especially considering that at the time this article was written they were responsible for 1 167 test wickets between them.
Turner is quick, he’s accurate, and he produces batsman-troubling bounce. At just 22 years of age, his best lies ahead of him, potential injuries notwithstanding. And his story is just beginning.
To quote another man from Down Under, former rugby commentator Chris “Buddha” Handy: “Go, you good thing!”
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