Jonny Bairstow publicly calls out England and the ECB over 'absolute joke' announcement
Former England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow has described the omission of Yorkshire all-rounder George Hill from the latest England Lions white-ball squads as an 'absolute joke'.
England's secondary cricket teams will play against West Indies A in three T20 matches and five 50-over tests in St Kitts and Nevis in November, but 25-year-old Hill has not made the cut.
Bairstow, who knows Hill's abilities as a Yorkshire teammate and played for England between 2011 and 2024, didn't hold back in his assessment of the decision to exclude his fellow son of West Yorkshire.
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Bairstow condemns George Hill's England Lions omission
The 37-year-old posted on Instagram Stories on Friday: "What does [George Hill] have to do!!! Averages 18 with 48 wickets and 750 runs @ 34!
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"England are hardly blessed with people that can swing the ball, bat well and be a jet in the field!
"Absolute joke!"
Hill has been Bairstow's colleague in the county game since his first-class debut in 2020 and his ability as an all-rounder makes him a player who is frequently backed for international recognition.
His first-class career batting average sits at 31 runs, while he's taken 178 wickets for an average of 21 runs, though his one-day and T20 numbers are less striking.
Bairstow is far from alone in his assessment. Fans have been vocal on social media about Hill's absence from the Lions squads.
"Have been scratching my head all morning about how George Hill is not in England Lions squads," posted one fan on X. "Proper, proper cricketer that lad."
Another said: "What is the problem with George Hill? Obviously his face doesn't fit for some reason."
"More runs than the player of the season, but Yorkshire's George Hill is still overlooked by England," said the Yorkshire Post this week, and that was after the ECB's men's contract list was announced in relation to the England squad proper.
Hill was called up for the England Lions squad in May 2025.
England Lions' white-ball squads in full
England Lions T20 squad
- Thomas Rew (Somerset)
- Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
- Scott Currie (Hampshire)
- Adam Finch (Worcestershire)
- Calvin Harrison (Northamptonshire)
- Jack Haynes (Nottinghamshire)
- Eddie Jack (Hampshire)
- Ben Mayes (Hampshire)
- Ben McKinney (Durham)
- Liam Patterson-White (Nottinghamshire)
- James Rew (Somerset)
- Naavya Sharma (Middlesex)
- Ekansh Singh (Kent)
- Asa Tribe (Glamorgan)
England 50-over squad
- Dan Lawrence (Surrey – Captain)
- Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
- James Coles (Sussex)
- Sam Cook (Essex)
- Mason Crane (Glamorgan)
- Adam Finch (Worcestershire)
- Jack Haynes (Nottinghamshire)
- Eddie Jack (Hampshire)
- Ben Kellaway (Glamorgan)
- Ben Mayes (Hampshire)
- Ben McKinney (Durham)
- Liam Patterson-White (Nottinghamshire)
- James Rew (Somerset)
- Thomas Rew (Somerset)
- Naavya Sharma (Middlesex)
- Ekansh Singh (Kent)
- Asa Tribe (Glamorgan)
Chris Nee