Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. James Wharton completes the incredible catch at Scarborough last summer to dismiss Sussex’s Tom Haines off Jack White’s bowling.
James Wharton says his England Lions call was a “massive surprise” – so much so that he mistook head coach Andrew Flintoff for his taxi driver when phoning to let him know about the good news.
Wharton, who turned 25 yesterday, was handed an early birthday present when he received his maiden call-up for the ODI leg of the Lions’ trip to face their Pakistani counterparts in Abu Dhabi later this month.
The Lions play three T20s against the Pakistan Shaheens and five 50-over matches from February 20 to March 9.
England have named two separate squads, with Wharton’s Yorkshire team-mate Matthew Revis in both, following hot on the heels of his pre-Christmas involvement alongside Flintoff and co in Australia.
Wharton said: “It came out of the blue, but I’m over the moon.
“I was actually in a restaurant when I got the call. I thought it was our Uber driver, and he said, ‘Hi, it’s Fred’. I was like, ‘Oh, Fred who?’
Picture by Philip Brown/Getty Images. Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff.
When he said, ‘Fred Flintoff’, I couldn’t believe it. As I said, it was a massive surprise.”
Wharton revealed the humorous tale as he chatted whilst midway through a light beach jog on Saturday morning Melbourne time with some of his county colleagues.
The serious side, however, is that this is reward for progression and consistency.
Wharton has scored just shy of 3,000 runs across the last two seasons for the county, including 1,458 from 37 appearances in all formats last summer.
He was the only Yorkshire men’s player to play every competitive match in 2025.
“To play every game last year was amazing,” he said. “It was something I was very happy with.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Matthew Revis on Lions duty in Australia before Christmas.
“With the schedule, you’re constantly chopping and changing between the formats and the different styles in which you have to play. So it’s great to be able to contribute in each of them.”
As much as consistency was there, Wharton has identified an area for improvement in 2026 – bigger scores and more match-winning contributions.
“I need to be scoring more hundreds than I am at the minute, he said, in reference to scoring 12 fifties and one century across the formats last year.
“I feel like while there’s been a level of consistency to my game, converting more scores into hundreds is the next step for me. It can be a lot better. I need to be producing more match-winning performances.
“But I know every batter will be striving for that, and it’s not that easy to do.”
With this 50-over call-up, Wharton doesn’t believe it’s a sign that that particular side of his game is further developed than the others.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. James Wharton was the only Yorkshire men’s player to play every match available in 2025.
“Not really,” he continued. “I think it’s just where opportunity comes.
“If that’s where they see me performing at my best and it’s what they want to pick me for, that’s great. But, no, I wouldn’t say I’m better at that format than the others. I dedicate the same amount of time to all areas of my game.”
With a Lions call, Wharton has moved a step closer to the dream of full international cricket, which is obviously the dream.
“Absolutely, but I’m not even thinking about that,” he said. “It would be easy to get swept away with thoughts like that. I’ve just got to concentrate on the next step. First, it’s doing this camp out here with Yorkshire for the next three weeks or so. Then I’ll turn my attentions to a bit of 50-over cricket with the Lions.
“Ultimately, though, I have to do my job for Yorkshire. That’s my main role. If any rewards come from that, amazing.”
And he added: “I meet up with the Lions on the 20-something of February. Their tour overlaps with our pre-season tour (Yorkshire’s) in Abu Dhabi. I’ll miss a day or two of that tour before linking up with the boys. It works out really well.”
