Former Gosport cricketer set for his England debut this weekend

Former Gosport Borough cricketer Paul Langley

Langley, now 55, learned his trade as a batsman/wicket-keeper at Privett Park for ten years alongside the likes of Worcestershire and England seamer Phil Newport, Alan Wassell, Peter Farley and Mike Swain before moving to Yorkshire in 1986.

He now skippers the Yorkshire Over-50s county side, beaten finalists in last season’s ECB County Championships.

After leaving Gosport, he played Yorkshire League cricket for several seasons for Castleford and in 2009 opened the batting for Streethouse in the Village Cup final at Lord’s. There he hit 68 as his side lost by six runs to East Sussex club Glynde & Beddingham.

Paul Langley lining up for Gosport Borough in the 1980s. Front (from left): Ray Porter, Jim Stares, Mick Swain, Roger Cawte, Alan Wassall. Back: Geoff Wheeler, John Wassall, Tony Stares, Phil Newport, Paul Langley, Terry Lewis.

Langley, whose late father Ken was a regular choice wicketkeeper for the Royal Navy and the Combined Services, played cricket alongside his brothers Shaun and Gareth (now in Sydney) locally.

He was also a talented rugby player in his younger days, playing stand-off for Gosport & Fareham before switching codes and playing rugby league as a full-back for Castleford and later Bramley.