“This is an opportunity to refresh and look forward” said Andrew Strauss as he announced that England’s two leading all-time wicket-takers would not be boarding the plane to the Caribbean.
And despite the furore and the Twitter storms, there was some logic behind the call. At 39 and 35 respectively, Anderson and Broad are certainly in the twilight of their Test careers, and England do need to be prepared for day when the two veterans decide to finally hang up their bowling boots.
England have not been short on options in the bowling department in recent times. But despite this relative strength, it is hard to predict what the make-up of the attack will look like in the medium-term future.
The understudies to Broad and Anderson are no spring chickens. Chris Woakes will be adding a 33rd candle to his birthday cake at the start of March, whereas speedster Mark Wood turned 32 in January. Even England’s latest breakthrough bowling talent – Ollie Robinson – is 28, while the leading England Lions bowler against Australia A this winter – Liam Norwell – is already in his thirties.
With that in mind, here are the players who could be leading England’s bowling attack in five years time.
The Usual Suspects
Back in 2019 few would have counted against Jofra Archer being a mainstay in England’s bowling attack for at least a decade. But after incurring an elbow injury, Archer has missed England’s last 12 Test matches and it remains uncertain as to when he will return. It has already been reported that Archer will miss the entirety of the 2022 Test summer. That said, Archer still has time on his side, and will be only 31 when the 2027 summer rolls around.
Without Archer, in the team England have turned to Saqib Mahmood to add a bit more pace into their bowling line-up. He was first picked in a Test squad for the tour of New Zealand in 2019, but it looks like the Lancashire paceman will finally get the chance to prove himself in England whites this winter.
Another player who offers England a point of difference in their attack is Warwickshire’s Olly Stone. Stone made his debut against Ireland in 2019, and since then has played two subsequent Tests, impressing in both. At 28, Stone could still have a lengthy England career ahead of him if he can shake off his perennial injury problems.
It is hard to believe that with 24 caps to his name and 47 wickets that Sam Curran is still only 23. After bursting onto the scene in style back in 2018, the returns back to drift away before falling off a cliff entirely. Since the start of 2020, the Surrey all-rounder averages 17.08 with the bat and 47.53 with the ball in Test cricket. However, given what we have seen him do in the Test arena, he shouldn’t be written off.
Arguably the most surprising pick for the West Indies tour was Matthew Fisher. Only 24, the Yorkshireman has been playing county cricket since 2013. His height gives him good bounce and carry, but Fisher is yet to have an outstanding summer with the ball, having never taken more than 20 wickets in a single season.
On to the spin department and England’s incumbent spinner Jack Leach could still be involved in five years time. Leach will be 35 by then, but spinners can often play deep into the 30s. He has thus far endured a stuttering Test career, often through no fault of his own. It is not far-fetched at all to envisage Leach consolidating the first choice spinner’s berth under new management.
If a further five years of Leach’s finger spin at Test level doesn’t materialise, then Matt Parkinson is a someone who could make that spot his own. The Lancashire leg-spinner has already played 5 ODIs and 4 T20Is, and became a fan favourite thanks to his eye-catching wicket-taking deliveries. Like his Lancashire teammate Mahmood, Parkinson has been involved in England Test squads without yet making his debut. He boasts a first-class bowling average of 23.35.
An honourable mention too for Dom Bess. Though inconsistent at times during his so far short Test career, Bess has shown glimpses of his potential, performing admirably on the tour of South Africa in early 2020 in particular. Bess is a fighter and if he can iron out the loose stuff, he could have a promising England career ahead of him. Mason Crane is another young spinner England could turn back to. Crane was part of England Lions’ tour to Australia and enjoyed a quietly impressive 2021.
Of the current first choice attack for the West Indies tour, Robinson is the only one who you’d realistically expect to be with the team five years down the line.
Knocking on the door
Essex seamer Sam Cook has been integral to the side’s red-ball success of late and was the third-highest wicket-taker in the County Championship last season. The 24-year-old was rewarded for his success with a call-up to the England Lions squad at the end of 2021. Although not yet the answer to England’s overseas woes, there can be little doubt that Cook would be a handful in English conditions with a red Dukes in hand.
If England want someone with a bit more pace in their side then they should look no further than Brydon Carse. The South African born paceman is capable of clocking speeds around 90mph and made his ODI debut last year, picking up his maiden five-wicket haul in only his third match.
Part of the Kent team that won the 2021 T20 Blast, Matt Milnes has also impressed in the longer form of the game. A brisk seamer who finished 2019 as the leading English wicket-taker in Division One of the County Championship, Milnes has already caught the eye of previous selectors in earning an England Lions call-up later that year.
Another player who can lay claim to deserving a shot at England selection is Leicestershire left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson. The twin brother of Matt, Callum Parkinson was the only English spinner to pick up 50 wickets in the County Championship last season, becoming only the fifth Englishman to do so in the last ten years. At just 25 years old, Parkinson is still learning his craft and come 2027 he could be reaching his peak.
The next generation
After making his county debut in 2017, young fast bowler Henry Brookes has been touted as a future England star. Brooks missed the entirety of last season through injury, but the fiery 22-year-old will be keen to pick up from where he left off in earlier seasons this summer.
One of Milnes’ Kent team-mates Nathan Gilchrist could also be in contention come 2027. The 20-year-old Zimbabwean born quick only made his first-class debut in 2020, but has already taken 30 wickets in 10 first class matches.
18-year-old Sonny Baker is another up and comer who England fans should watch out for. The tearaway quick tore through various batting line-ups for the Somerset 2nd XI was drafted into The Hundred without playing a professional T20 match.
One of the quicker bowlers on the county circuit, Durham’s Matty Potts was initially more of a force in white ball cricket. However an improved 2021 season, which included taking eight wickets against Northamptonshire showed that the 23 year-old may well have a Test future ahead of him.
Another player who is looking to bring their white-ball form into the Championship is Blake Cullen. The 19-year-old was one of the wildcard picks in The Hundred after taking 20 wickets in 12 matches for Middlesex in the T20 Blast.
Off-spinner Jack Carson is part of Sussex’s exciting crop young talent. At just 21 years old, Carson has already been described by Sussex coach Ian Salisbury as the “best young spinner in the country”. With 55 first-class wickets to his name, if Carson continues on his current trajectory an England cap isn’t out of the question. Amar Virdi, a key cog in Surrey’s County Championship winning machine in 2018, is another exciting spin-bowling prospect.
