England's future fast bowlers...

In reference to a question Mudge asked in the match thread about who were the up and coming English seamers with a bit of nip, this is the winter Fast Bowling Programme picks, who'll spend weeks being ruined by Kevin Shine at Loughborough before spending three weeks in India getting some proper coaching by Dennis Lillee:

Stuart Meaker (Surrey)
James Harris (Glamorgan)
Jacob Ball (Nottinghamshire)
Nathan Buck (Leicestershire)
David Payne (Gloucestershire)
Andy Carter (Nottinghamshire)
Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire)

Don't know much about Jacob Ball, although he's apparently related to Bruce French (current England wicket-keeping coach), and I can't remember seeing Carter bowl although I have a vague idea some of the Notts fans on here think he's got a bit of talent. Boyd Rankin's that Irish lump.

Meaker, meanwhile, has been awarded the first "Harold Larwood Fast Bowling Scholarship" as, presumably, the brightest prospect, and he'll also spend three-months out in Australia, receiving specialist coaching, playing grade cricket and probably serving in bars.

So, now you know. Doesn't look a vintage intake of seamers, but time will tell, I guess...

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/england/elite-player-development/ecb,312605,EN.html

Carter was on loan at Essex last year, decent county pro but farq if he's the upcoming promising future of english cricket we need to be keeping an eye on who is in the SA U19's right now...

Or the West Indies - Maurice Chambers was on the Fast Bowling Programme last winter, came back and took 38 wickets @ 24 for Essex (a rubbish, relegated Essex) - would've been more but for injury - and is now with the EPP squad out in Aus.

On the slow bowling front Danny Briggs took 4 for 9 against WA 'A' - pity he can't bat much.

He's only about 12, isn't he?

Certainly seems a handy young SLA talent.

Boyd Rankin? So he's qualifying for England then?

Henry wrote:Boyd Rankin? So he's qualifying for England then?

The ECB want sacking if he isn't - this is the second or third time they've invested in him over the off-season.

Would be weird if they were doing so in order to help out the Oirish.

Although, ultimately, it probably will as he's not good enough to play for England.

All he seems to have is height. Not all that quick. Not all that accurate. Irish.....


Bad times.

Injury-prone, too.

Big stong lad, at Ashley Giles' Warwickshire - of course he's on England's sex list radar.

Meaker interview and footage, if you've never seen him.

http://www.britoval.com/tv/meakers-motivation

I didn't realise he'd been called up to play for the Lions against Bangladesh (but pulled out with injury) last summer. What with the Larwood Award thing, it looks like England have really taken notice of him, in spite of his inexperience and mediocre record so far.

I liked the look of Meaker when I saw him. He was darn quick too.

Another farqin Saffer.....

JKLever wrote:Another farqin Saffer.....

If you can't beat them...

And I touted him as one to watch in early 2008......

Henry wrote:And I touted him as one to watch in early 2008......

Based on what? A cricinfo profile that said he was fast.

That's some nice talent spotting Trev.

Didn't you tout everyone as one to watch in 2008?

I saw him bowl on Surrey TV!

And they talked about him clocking 96 mph in pre-season training, indoors, wearing four sweaters, and coming off a short run because he was carrying an injury.

I'm still touting Chris Schofield. Keep an eye on that one. Next year. It's going happen for him next year, I'm sure...

I think Jimmy Harris is the only player, Trev, hasn't touted.

Henry wrote:I saw him bowl on Surrey TV!

And they talked about him clocking 96 mph in pre-season training, indoors, wearing four sweaters, and coming off a short run because he was carrying an injury.

He looks interesting. Doubt he's as fast as advertised, but with his stocky height and hustle there's a bit of Dazzler Gough in there. Which is no bad thing, seeing as all England seem to produce lately is 7ft beanpoles. Nice to mix it up a bit.

I hardly need to with you bigging him up every day on here. Overkill and all that.....

Henry wrote:I hardly need to with you bigging him up every day on here. Overkill and all that.....

Ah well. He's a good little bowler.

Henry wrote:I hardly need to with you bigging him up every day on here. Overkill and all that.....

In all fairness, Harris needs all the bigging up he can get as he's got the weedy build of a starving Ethiopian. And bowls just as slow as you'd imagine a malnourished child would.

That's his problem though, isn't it- Not tall enough.

Only a faint Saffer twang by the sound of it? Just looked at his profile and he's lived here since he was 12. Are his parents South African or English? Don't think you can really argue he's in the same class as Trott or Pietersen.