Time ticks relentlessly away: before you know it you’re halfway through the afternoon and Jimmy Anderson is 41. For England, the clock has almost reached midnight. A five-Test tour of India in early 2024 is England’s only red-ball cricket for 11 months; there is two and a half years until the next Ashes series in Australia.
Anderson’s retirement is surely a matter of time (whatever he says), Stuart Broad has gone at 37, Ben Stokes’s knee is n object of fragile awe. Even Joe Root is 32. With just three twentysomethings in the current team, a changing of the guard is imminent. Who are the young prospects in the wings?
James Rew
The sensation of the season. Just 19, the Somerset batter scored another half-century last week against Surrey, becoming the first Division One player to pass 1,000 runs. Organised, calm and able to change pace at will, he often makes runs when others don’t, and under pressure. His maiden double-century came against Hampshire, striding in with Somerset 41 for four, one of his five Championship hundreds this season.
James Coles
The brightest of a young and talented Sussex batting pool. Like Rew, Coles is now 19, but made his bow at 16 in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy – Sussex’s youngest debutant. A right-handed batter, he nicked the limelight in front of the national media this summer, dancing to his maiden century in what was supposed to be the Smith v Labuschagne show. Also bowls slow left-arm. Has trained with England during the Ashes.
Tawanda Muyeye
Spent his childhood in Zimbabwe before coming to the UK as refugee with his parents. Wisden’s 2019 schools cricketer of the year, Muyeye polkaed to his maiden first-class century for Kent against Northamptonshire in June, buccaneering through the 90s and to three figures with a six and a four. On England’s radar because of the freedom of his strokeplay, the ECB hopes to bring the 22-year-old’s availability for selection forward from 2027.
Kiran Carlson
When on form, the 25-year-old Carlson is like a glass of champagne in the afternoon sun. Wristy and positive and after some fallow seasons has rocked to four centuries and three 50s this summer, leading the charge in Glamorgan’s push for promotion.
Sam Cook
Almost an old-fashioned English bowler, sending down highly skilled grenades at around 80mph. Cook’s partnership with Jamie Porter makes facing Essex a tricky prospect for openers, especially on an overcast day. The 25-year-old has 41 wickets in 10 games this season and England continue to keep a watchful eye on his progress.
Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts
The Durham duo waiting for their time. Carse, who is 27, has nine ODIs under his belt, Potts, at 24, six Tests. Both are strong, fast bowlers, with Carse able to break 90mph and willingly accept the tag of enforcer, Potts is able to coax fierce bounce from a flat track. Both make things happen, both can give the ball a whack, too.
Gus Atkinson
Earmarked in dispatches from seasoned observers such as David Lloyd and Mike Atherton, the Surrey 25-year-old is tall, strong and quick. Stymied by a stress-fracture for three years, he has lengthened his run-up, beefed up and has a short ball to make batters quiver. Has pPicked up 20 wickets in five Championship games for Surrey this summer.
Rehan Ahmed
A leg-spinning Leicestershire all-rounder who has already flirted with the international game. Played his one Test at Karachi aged 18, becoming England’s youngest male Test debutant. Pocketed seven wickets in that match and impressed with his maturity, hunger and enjoyment of the fight.
Jamie Smith
Part of Surrey’s golden generation and another who can pull on the gloves. But it is with the bat that the 23-year-old really dazzles, capable of taking an attack apart at will as well as doing the coal-shovelling when needed. This season’s offcuts for Surrey include a shimmering 70-ball hundred as Surrey chased down 501 in the fourth innings to beat Kent.
Jack Carson
Born in Northern Ireland, Carson came to England after his GCSEs and signed with the Sussex academy. A tactically astute off-break bowler, the 22-year-old collected a wicket with his second ball in first-class cricket in a ridiculously successful debut season in 2020. Simon Harmer, who worked with him briefly, called him a bowler with “that X-factor and a lot of potential”. Injury ruined much last year, but Smith has caught England’s eye, bowling in the nets with them this summer.
Ollie Robinson
Moved from Kent to further his career last year and hit a Durham team on the rise, hurtling towards Division One with a Bazball flavour. The 24-year-old Robinson fitted in perfectly, notching three centuries at quite a lick and keeping wicket with aplomb.
Dan Mousley
A hard-hitting left-hander in the middle-order, unlikely to be challenging Ben Stokes just yet but the 22-year-old Warwickshire batter is bubbling with potential. Also has handy off-breaks up his sleeve.
