On the books at Worcestershire County Cricket Club since the tender age of six, Jack Home’s rise through the ranks into the senior squad is an enriching story that is fuelled by a childhood dream and life in the fast-lane.
Initially spotted on a talent identification day on the pitches surrounding New Road as a schoolboy, Jack’s abilities were clear to see on the back of an eye-catching performance by his older brother, Charlie, who had already been enrolled onto the Pathway.
Making his way through the age groups and into the Academy, Jack’s cricketing journey took a twist, as the long-standing top-order batter began to show some unique qualities with the ball in his hand.
That transition “never stopped”, from the moment his pronounced pace with the ball became prevalent at the age of 16.
Jack’s progression into a bowler culminated on his 18th birthday, when he made his senior debut for the 2nd XI, by which point, he had been transformed, with the help of the coaching staff at the club, into an out and out seam bowler.
His persistence and promising form grew in the months that followed, where the then teenager made his first appearance for the Worcestershire Rapids at New Road in the summer of 2024, debuting in the Vitality Blast T20.
“I got told that I was going to be coming into the side back in 2024 when I came in as 12th man for the Yorkshire game, when in the warm-up, Waitey (Matthew Waite) got injured, as did Kash and Hosey was already out injured. We were quite light on seamers, so for the next game against Derbyshire I was chucked in there, I guess!
“I finished with 1-33 and it was good fun. The first eight balls only went for eight runs, but then the last three balls went 14 or something, which was a hard lesson but it was a good experience.
“I’ve never played in front of a crowd before or even experienced anything like that and suddenly it was here! The day was a surreal experience, I just remember thinking, ‘Oh my word, this is unreal’, just being exposed to the whole environment.”
Since making his List A debut, Jack has gone onto appear in both T20 and First-Class cricket for the club, with his express pace and raw skills with the ball making him one of the club’s most exciting prospects.
It isn’t just the profile of his bowling that tends to get people talking, however. Jack is a man who is right at home in the heart of the contest, making a name for himself as someone not afraid to let his emotions show whenever squaring off against his opponent at the other end.
A big celebration has become a something of trademark for the bowling prodigy, who wasted no time making an impression with both his Worcestershire teammates and supporters, adorning himself to the New Road faithful ever since taking his first wicket for the club.
“I thought the lads loved it at the time, so in my mind it was a good thing! In hindsight, if I was to have that exact moment again, I probably wouldn’t have done some of the extra things I did after. The celebration is fine, but now I’ve got to own it.
“I can’t tell you where it comes from or why I have done it before, I just like to enjoy the moment when I have been in a battle with someone.
“I would like a bit more of a low profile this season in terms of all that stuff, I want to try and get my name out there for the cricketer in me rather than anything else, but I say that, when I’m in the game and out there in the heat of the battle whatever happens just happens.”
The confidence continued to exude into 2025, when Worcestershire’s ‘Jack the lad’ was named in the England U19 side to tour South Africa in January, featuring in one Youth Test Match, and two Youth One Day Internationals.
Although only picking up one wicket in the Test Match, scores of 63 and 60 not-out in both innings reminded the selectors of his more than handy capabilities down the order with the bat and earned himself a recall to the side for the highly anticipated summer series against India.
Featuring in the first test match at Beckenham and impressing once again, Jack played in three of the following five YODI matches, producing a performance to remember on his home ground, recording figures of 4-63 in an enterprising contest during the fourth match of the five match series.
“It was a great experience. The coaches, the players, the set-up – I can’t speak highly enough of the Under-19s side. The environment helped me make some of my best friends in cricket.
“Both my first time away in South Africa, then again at home against India. The India series itself was quite challenging. They had a lot of high-quality players and it was a stretch of my ability to stay focused in some really competitive scenarios. I had not long come back from injury, which was when I had a side strain away at Sussex.
“So, I’d just come back from that, I hadn’t really played much cricket, but it was good fun. I got to play here, at my home ground which was such a cool experience, It was really good fun, really challenging and topped off by playing with some of my best mates and taking some wickets.”
After putting his cricket whites away for the winter, Jack has adopted a new routine at the start of 2026, on a mission to build strength and improve his fitness, balancing his time in the gym whilst training at Malvern College with the rest of the squad.
With Head Coach Alan Richardson and Bowling Coach Richard Jones aiding the technical aspects of his approach and delivery, the larger than life 20-year-old has been focussed on sharpening his biggest weapon – his pace.
Although the development takes time and commitment, the Shropshire-born young-gun is doing whatever it takes to kick on this summer and make it one to remember.
“It’s certainly something I want to develop. I know I’m nowhere near the levels of some people who bowl genuinely fast, there’s still a massive gap to get me the top end, but if I can get faster and build my skills, I am in a good place.
“The people that bowl-fast at the highest-level are bowling at least 85/90mph all of the time, although I can get there when I really bend my back, I want to become more controlled with it.
“The best bowlers in our team are people who can hit the top of off consistently and they played all 14 games last year. They have become very successful because of how skilful they are and how in control they tend to be. So that is something I need to add to my game if I want to try and break into the first team.
“There are so many aspects to bowling in terms of pace, accuracy, swing, seam, durability, etc, so it’s just trying to develop anything I can.
“I suppose the goal for last year was to sort of just get better as a cricketer. This year I am not looking for any accolades, not look for any stats, I just want to get better as a cricketer and try to play first team cricket on a regular basis.”
