Teenage spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman earns England T20 World Cup call-up in 2026

Eighteen-year-old left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman was named in England's T20 World Cup squad after impressing with nine wickets in four games for Surrey.

Dogs and disbelief The moment an England selector delivered the news to Tilly Corteen-Coleman came while she walked her four dogs, the teenager’s constant companions she describes as her biggest supporters. The 18-year-old left-arm spinner, yet to earn a senior international cap, is the only new addition to England’s squad as they target their first T20 World Cup triumph on home soil since 2017, when she was just nine years old. A video shared by the England and Wales Cricket Board captured head coach Charlotte Edwards telling Corteen-Coleman the life-changing news, moments after which the youngster admitted she could barely believe what was happening. 'It was a complete whirlwind,' Corteen-Coleman told a broadcaster. 'It all happened so quickly, I was so emotional. There's always that glimmer of hope but honestly, not one part of me thought I'd be in that squad, it's so competitive.' The teenager rushed straight to her parents, jumping up and down as she shared the thrilling update. 'It's crazy, I can't really remember because of how quickly it all happened and how excited I was.' ## Fast-track to honours Corteen-Coleman’s rapid rise to international recognition has been nothing short of meteoric. The World Cup call-up follows a £105,000 contract with Southern Brave in The Hundred, secured after a competitive auction earlier in 2024. She debuted for Brave at 16 and marked her arrival by dismissing former Australia captain Meg Lanning, a scalp that highlighted her potential early on. Edwards, who coached Corteen-Coleman at Brave, played a key role in her journey, having also handed the teenager her first cap for Kent’s under-11 side years before. The young spinner feels her path has come full circle with this latest milestone. ## Teammates praise humble star Brave captain Georgia Adams has witnessed Corteen-Coleman’s extraordinary growth firsthand and speaks highly of her character. 'Tilly is one of the most refreshing young cricketers I’ve ever worked with,' Adams said. 'She has got a really wonderful balance of just being a kid, in a lovely and sweet way, but also being really mature for her age.' Adams highlighted Corteen-Coleman’s humility and genuineness as standout traits, calling her 'a superstar in the making' and suggesting others could learn from her attitude. Despite the rapid changes in her career over the past two years, the 18-year-old remains the same person she was on her first day of training, according to Adams. ## Canine connection and team spirit Corteen-Coleman’s love for dogs became part of her integration into the Brave setup when she convinced Adams to bring her energetic English bulldog to the team hotel during The Hundred. Her request was granted, giving her a chance to care for the pet and keep him out of trouble. The young spinner’s four dogs include a 12-year-old chihuahua, a pug, and two sausage dogs with chihuahua mixes, all of whom she credits as her biggest cheerleaders alongside her parents. ## Selection puzzle and unique strengths Corteen-Coleman’s selection adds an interesting twist as she joins England’s trio of left-arm spinners, alongside established stars Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith. The team also features off-spinner Charlie Dean, likely a guaranteed starter as vice-captain, while Ecclestone is considered one of the world’s premier spinners. This leaves Smith and Corteen-Coleman competing for the third spot, creating an intriguing battle for playing time. Ecclestone stands out at 2.2m tall, using extra bounce to great effect, while Smith delivers from 1.8m and relies on drift. Corteen-Coleman, releasing from 2m, offers a middle-ground option to provide captain Nat Sciver-Brunt with tactical variety. ## Bowling traits and domestic success All three spinners average around 50mph, though Ecclestone leads in drift, turn, and control. Corteen-Coleman turns the ball more than Smith (1.75 degrees compared to 1 degree) but less than Ecclestone, making her particularly effective in the powerplay where she excels. In T20 cricket, both Smith and Corteen-Coleman bowl nearly 40% of their deliveries in the powerplay. Smith has claimed 11 wickets in T20Is during this phase at an average of 16.54 and economy of 5.87, while Corteen-Coleman took seven wickets for Southern Brave at 16.42 with the new ball. Her victims have largely been top-order batters, with just three wickets against numbers eight to 11, compared to 23 against numbers one to three at 21.39 and 17 against numbers four to seven at 22.58. ## International unknown and development path Corteen-Coleman’s lack of international experience could work in her favour as she seeks to make her mark. 'I challenge both sides of the bat and I really like performing under pressure,' she said. 'Being around Linsey and Soph will be super helpful to me. They're two of the best in the world so even if I don't get to play, just being around them will be huge for my development.' The teenager describes herself as curious and eager to learn, often asking questions of her more experienced teammates—much to their amusement. 'I’m quite a curious person, so I ask them a lot of questions and pester them about things – they're probably sick of me but there's going to be a lot more of that to come now!' ## Family photo dream If England triumph at Lord’s in July, Corteen-Coleman’s four dogs—a 12-year-old chihuahua, a pug, and two sausage-dog-chihuahua mixes—could feature in a celebratory family photo. The thought of such a moment captures the joy and personal connection behind her remarkable journey from domestic cricket to the global stage.