Matt is a highly rated, multi formatted leg spin bowler. He was selected in all of England's test and white ball touring squads in 2019/20 and has represented England in white ball cricket.
A tousle-haired leg spinner from Bolton, Matt was the most prolific white-ball wicket-taker in the country for two seasons before earning an England call-up for the 2019-20 tour of New Zealand. Unlike most modern wrist spinners, Matt bowls slowly and tosses the ball up above the eyeline, relying on prodigious natural turn rather than pace to take his wickets.
Matt became the youngest Lancashire player to take five wickets on debut when he claimed 5 for 49 against Warwickshire in 2016 as a 19-year-old, but it was in white-ball cricket that he really grew to prominence. He won an ECB overseas placement with Gordon, the New South Wales club side for 2016-17, and spent time working with Stuart MacGill while in Australia.
England Lions recognition soon followed, and he was the leading spinner in both domestic limited-overs competitions in 2018. That prompted some interest from IPL teams, and he only missed out on a Big Bash stint with Melbourne Stars due to a stress fracture in his lower back.
He recovered in time to take 21 Blast wickets in 2019 and send Lancashire through to the quarter-finals, and while Championship opportunities were limited, he impressed enough in his few appearances to earn an England call for both T20, ODI and Test cricket. Debuts followed in T20Is and ODIs and, whilst his potential was recognised in red ball cricket with selection in test touring squads to New Zealand in 2019 and Sri Lanka in 2020, he still awaits a test debut .
Matt shares his love of cricket with his twin brother, Callum who plays for Leicestershire and is a devoted Bolton Wanderers fan. Away from the cricket pitch, he enjoys spending time with his family and girlfriend Laura.
