The England Test side is clearly crying out for some fresh faces. Here, CIARAN McCARTHY picks out 10 names that could and should get a look-in in the near future...
A dismal England performance in the recent Ashes series, in which the side were on the end of a 4-0 drubbing, has highlighted the need for more focus to be put on red-ball cricket in England.
In the short term, the England Test side is clearly crying out for some fresh faces. Here, CIARAN McCARTHY picks out 10 names that could and should get a look-in in the near future...
Matt Parkinson
The Lancashire spinner has been unlucky not to have been selected for the Test side yet, though he has been a reserve on a few occasions. Parkinson’s first-class bowling average of 23.35 is a good one for a spinner, and he has the ability to spin a ball a long way, showcasing that ability time and time again over the last year or so.
That is a quality that will stand him in good stead not only in England, but on hard tracks away from home.
Saqib Mahmood
Having been in and around the England side in short-form games over the past few years, Mahmood seems like an obvious choice to make the Test side at some point soon. David Lloyd felt he should have been one of the first names heading to the Ashes, given his pace and bounce, which Mark Wood proved was a top asset to have during his spell of 6 for 37 in the fifth Test.
Mahmood can also swing the ball a long way, making him a valuable bowler in English conditions, and despite having played only 25 first-class games, his 70 wickets show his quality with the red ball.
Josh Bohannon of Lancashire
Alex Lees
Opening the batting is an area that England’s Test side have struggled with massively, pretty much since Alastair Cook retired from international cricket in 2018. Lees has batted himself into good form of late, and looks as if he could be the next man to be blooded in the job.
The Durham man hit 625 runs in last year's County Championship, with a highest score of 129, earning himself a recall to the Lions side after six years. His first-class average of 34.86 is a good one, and his top score is 275 not out.
Harry Brook
The Yorkshire batsman is an enigma of a cricketer, his batting style shares a mix of poise and power, and he has been described as “Joe Root on steroids” by a member of Sky Sports’ commentary team.
While he has been making a name for himself in the shorter formats - hitting 189 runs in the maiden season of the Hundred, as well as hitting 91 not out from 50 balls against Lancashire in the Blast in July - Brook holds a first-class average of 27.63, and has hit four hundreds and 11 fifties in the format.
Josh Bohannon
The Lancashire batsman was one of the highest run-scorers in the County Championship last season, hitting 853 runs, which included two hundreds and five fifties. At just 24 years of age, Bohannon could have a long and prosperous career ahead of him, and England should be taking a serious look at him soon.
His first-class average of 43.97 is excellent compared to most of his peers, and with the promise he has shown recently, he could well be a fantastic cricketer for years to come.
Alex Lees of Durham
Tom Abell
Somerset’s captain hit 711 runs in last season's County Championship, and was rewarded with a place in the Lions squad to tour Australia. His leadership qualities stand him in good stead in terms of England selection, with Joe Root’s position as captain up in the air, and there not being an obvious answer to who would take up the role if it were to be relinquished, either in the near future or beyond.
Abell has a first-class batting average of 32.61, and a bowling average of 29.54; being able to contribute with both bat and ball should be something England are very keen on.
Rob Yates
The Warwickshire man was crucial to his side’s County Championship win in 2021, hitting 793 runs, with a top score of 132 not out. At just 22 years old, Yates is a young, hungry batsman, and holding an average of 31.84 as an opening batsman in red-ball cricket is sure to interest England’s selectors.
Yates hit 113 in the Bob Willis Trophy final in 2021, and was called up to the Lions squad after his great season with the bat.
Jamie Smith
At 21 years of age, Smith has burst onto the scene fairly recently, and has clearly impressed throughout his short career so far, making the squad for the Lions’ recent tour of Australia.
While there is an abundance of wicketkeeper-batsmen around the England Test squad - Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Ben Foakes and now Sam Billings - the position does not seem to be a stable one. Given Smith has hit four hundreds and four fifties in his 42 first-class innings on the way to his average of 36.71, he seems to have the solid foundations to be a Test player, and could make the role his own in years to come.
Liam Norwell of Warwickshire
Liam Norwell
At 30 years of age, Norwell is considered fairly old to have been selected for the recent Lions tour of Australia. He may not have a long career in the Test side if he does make the step up, but Stuart Broad and James Anderson will not play forever, and Norwell averages 25.23 with the ball in first-class cricket.
The Warwickshire seamer took 49 wickets in last seasons County Championship, and helped Warwickshire to the title. Fourteen five-wicket hauls in his red-ball career showcase his quality, and he could be a good Test player, at least for a short period.
Brydon Carse
Out and out pace is something rarely seen in English red-ball cricket, a sentiment echoed by Joe Root following the recent Ashes loss, but it is something that Carse possesses.
The Durham seamer’s 34 wickets at an average of 21.29 in last season's County Championship really showed his quality with the red ball in hand, and would have had the opportunity to reinforce that in Australia on the Lions tour had he not sustained a knee injury. As well as his bowling prowess, he also possesses quality with the bat, averaging 25.93 in red-ball cricket, having twice surpassed fifty in the format.
A bowler being able to add runs to a total is something England are in desperate need for, and Carse can do just that.
Posted by Glenn on 22/04/2022 at 23:30
Bring back W G Grace.
Posted by Pete on 07/02/2022 at 14:16
Cannot understand why Jake Libby does not get a mention in this sort of article. 1,000 runs at an average of plus 50 in 2021, with four centuries. 498 in five Bob Willis Trophy games at 55. And yet we're talking up a guy with a first class average of 27?
Posted by Ant on 19/01/2022 at 10:00
Nothing against those mentioned but since when was a batting average of 34 considered 'good' and how likely is it that someone averaging 27, 31 or 32 is worth considering when Ollie Pope averages 66 in first class cricket (removing his test numbers)? I would bring in Saqib and possibly Bohannon and Parkinson (and Foakes) and forget the rest for now. BTW I am not a Lancastrian!
Posted by Marc Evans on 19/01/2022 at 01:15
It doesn't matter what personnel you choose as long as the structure of the game remains so white ball dominated. Talent is taken for granted at test level, it's technique and application that needs addressing and that can only be done playing red ball. As so few of our test team do much of this for their counties it's difficult to see how they can improve their performances.
Posted by Keith Plaister on 18/01/2022 at 16:46
What about Dan Lawrence, and why wasn't he given a chance during the miserable Ashes tour?
Posted by Robert Henderson on 18/01/2022 at 16:34
managed to exclude the two highest scoring English openers in the country in the season just past: Jake Libby (Worces) and Tom Haines (Sussex) Libby 1075 runs @ 56.57 Haines 1176 runs @ 47.04 https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/highest_career_batting_average.html?id=13821;type=tournament https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/highest_career_batting_average.html?id=13821;type=tournament
Posted by neil Bradford on 17/01/2022 at 23:15
Send for William Michael Rhodes Send for Will Rhodes of Warwicks for England Captain. 0