England The Next Generation Of Players.

[Ernest]

Hi,
We all live in different counties, and we all have up and coming players, players who may also have the potentiel to play for England.

can we List such players here?, the criteria would be -
1) Never played a Test Match.
2) Never played an international one day game.
3) If not English born, please state, so long as they are eligable to play for England.
3) Age between 17 and 28 (not ridged), but not as old as the hills.

If possible can anyone see a future Flintoff or Harmison, by that I mean can you provide how fast they can bowl if possible.
Also has anyone seen a good leggie?, stats would be nice.
Off Spin bowing would seem to be dead, so predictable, unles a Murali can bowl a wrong un, so an offy would have to be special.

Good prospects for opening batsmen would be good, and that thorny no 3 spot.

Anyone know of a good slow left arm, to replace Giles when the time comes, I suppose he would be better being able to bat, that is why Batty is in there, and not Keedy.

So really we are looking for an England team in say 5 years time, we must know 11 players who will come though.

[Rachael]

Most promising in the short term, without question: Ed Joyce. Eligible this summer.

[Ernest]

Yes I agree there Rachael, I will forget he would be good enough now, let alone in 5 years.

[Rachael]

OK.. a more considered response: if you are looking at the next generation I think you need to be focussed on England in 10 years time. For starters.. it seems entirely likely that 5 years down the road the side will be pretty much as it is now - switch Pietersen in for Flintoff and there's no-one there whose likely to be wanting to step aside!

IF we're looking 10 years down the road then you still need to factor in limited opportunities: guys like Bell and Pietersen might well still be around.. and they might not be the only ones.

I doubt many now < 24 years old now will be involved in 5 years time. The guys aiming to break through in the next 5 years will be familiar to us already: the likes of Pietersen, Collingwood, Batty, Prior, Key, Ed Smith (again), Foster, Wallace, Anderson, Tremlett, Mahmood and so on. The rest (the truly peripheral youngsters) will need that long just to make a credible case.

[Ernest]

Yes I take your point, and over the Flintoff/Peitersen mention strange as it may seem, I agree,I think I have said before he is the last of that type of all-rounder, he could qquite easy be burned out.

But to your main point, and this was the question I was asking, you seem to be saying there are no youngsters who we don't know that much about with lots of potential shouting "pick me in 5 years time" that's what I was getting at, Flintoff was noticed early, as was Anderson more so.

Anderson is a good case in point, we don't seem to have any more his age when he started with such a hight profile, when he was in Australia everyone knew his name.

So yes I am interested in Prior, Key, Ed Smith (again), Foster, Wallace, Anderson, Tremlett, Mahmood..

With Prior-Foster-Wallace-Tremlett-Mahmood-topping the list of maybe the most likely for the future,who are untried, I wonder if Ed Smith will ever make the grade?.

[Rachael]

Rikki Clarke has already been identified as the new Flinotff.. and was identified as such at a ridiculously early age. Thus far I'd say he's also progressing pretty well: at the same age young Flintoff still looked an unmitigated disaster in every possible respect,,, whereas Clarke is at least starting to impress for Surrey.

It sounds like you're not after the people who might well be in contention in 5 years time.... but rather the next miracle-from-nowhere to sweep all before them.... a teenage prodigy who might just take Test cricket by storm whilst still in short trousers - a new Tendulkar or Botham.

I don't doubt the scouts have a few thoughts on that.. but how about tightening your criteria to people who aren't even playing 1st class domestic cricket regularly? If you want this thread to throw up any names not already mentioned in the WAT A-team discussion I think that's what you need.

Focus on schools leagues and the Lancashire league from which Anderson sprang.

[Paoli]

Dmitri Mascharenas is another prospect. Then you've got your guys like Newman, Wagh and so on.

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by Ernest

can we List such players here?, the criteria would be -
1) Never played a Test Match.
2) Never played an international one day game.
3) If not English born, please state, so long as they are eligable to play for England.
3) Age between 17 and 28 (not ridged), but not as old as the hills..

To actually answer Ern's question and not list some players that have (a) Played test cricket (b) Played one-day cricket like Rachael has ; I've a few names for you ignoring players we've talked about during the England A team selection process.

Alistair Cook - Essex opening bat, I think he's 20. He went on England's recent A tour to Sri Lanka after Pietersen was released from the obligation. He didn't overwhelm, but in his first view of the conditions of the sub continent, played solidly. He's towards the top of the batting averages this year and has put last year's comparatively poor performance behind him (hopefully!)

Billy-Ashley Godleman - Middlesex batsman, 17 years old. Very much talked up on the circuit from what I understand. Sara (the middlesex die-hard on the BBC forum) has been mentioning him for at least a year. He had a very assured first class debut vs Cambridge UCCE so could be one for the future.

A couple of 17 year olds have been bowling for Essex recently due to injuries and absences. Westfield and Chambers are their names. Have to confess, I don't know much about them but if they're getting debuts at that age they must have promise

[cantplaycantalk]

Alistair Cook (Opener)
Liam Plunkett (Bowling all rounder)
Gordon Muchall (Middle order)
Saj Mahmood (Bowler)
Tremlett (Bowler)
Bresnan (Bowler)
Prior (Wicket Keeper/Batsman)
Scott Newman (Opener)

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Do we have any potential spinning candidates coming through, particularly of the leg variety ? They should be found !