England’s Lost Generation: The ‘Price of Pace’ for prolific County seamers

In the limited 2020 summer that has just been, England found out that searing pace is not everything for a fast bowler in Test Cricket. They have seen the West Indian pair of Kemar Roach and Jason Holder have success; the former taking eight wickets in two matches whilst Holder took arguably the spell of the summer, a tormenting 6-42. These all preceeded Mohammad Abbas’ efforts for Pakistan, who’s bail-trimmer to Ben Stokes was arguably the delivery of the season.

All three of the aforementioned seamers operate around the 80mph-mark and demonstrate match after match that express pace is not the minimum requirement to forge a successful Test career.

Given the England selectors’ desire for extra pace in their recent selections in Olly Stone, Ollie Robinson and Saqib Mahmood to name a few, there are also those players whose careers in County Cricket have churned out impressive performances without the express pace that is so highly sought after.

Here is a look at five players who remain uncapped but, in another era, under a different Selectorial board, would stake a significant argument for International honours.

All statistics are restricted to first-class performances in England since 2017.

Chris Rushworth has long been a payer who can hang his hat on being one of the most prolific bowlers in County Cricket. In 2015, the Durham seamer took 83 victims, and this has since remained the highest tally of wickets taken by a seamer in the 21st century.

At 34 years of age he still has the menacing streak, surpassing 500 first-class wickets during the Bob Willis Trophy this summer.

198 wickets @ 20.67, 9 five-fors, BBI: 8-51.

Jamie Porter almost managed the make an international birth and came within touching distance after being named in England’s 13-man squad for the first Test against India in 2018.

After not being included in the 55-man training group just 24 months later, it appears that may have been the ceiling for the right-armer from Essex.

None the less, what has been England’s loss has been Essex’s gain, relentlessly taking wicket after wicket helping bring to Chelmsford three first-class trophies in just four years, including the 27 wickets at 19.66 throughout 2020 and six wickets in the Bob Willis Trophy final.

226 wickets @ 21.41, 11 five-fors, BBI: 7-51.

Jack Brooks has long been one of the most successful bowlers after being afforded a route into the professional ranks via Northamptonshire, having been discovered trundling out numerous wickets for Oxfordshire in Minor-Counties.

A real cult hero who played a pivotal part in Yorkshire’s consecutive titles in 2014 and 2015, still is evergreen at 36, Brooks was a crucial figurehead of the Somerset attack that narrowly lost to Essex in the final at Lord’s in September.

115 wickets @ 28.70, 7 five-fors, BBI: 6-94.

Darren Stevens defies the logic that a professional sportsman’s abilities wain beyond the age of 35. County cricket’s very own Benjamin Button turns 45 in April, and, in similar fashion to England’s James Anderson, keeps on getting better and better as the years go on.

Ten years ago, when Stevens’ contract expired with Kent, eleven of the 18 counties deemed that his age proved a deciding factor in not employing his services and ultimately looking elsewhere.

Re-signing to extend his stay at the St. Lawrence Ground proved a masterstroke for the Spitfires, as since turning 40 during the 2017 season, Stevens has taken 188 wickets.

It’s also worth noting that not only has his bowling prowess avoided diminishing, his batting has continued at a similar pace, and at the tender age of 43, he bludgeoned 237 off 225 balls against a Yorkshire attack including three internationals.

188 wickets @ 17.79, 17 five-fors, BBI: 8-75.

Ben Sanderson’s numbers are simply outstanding. After suffering disappointment following his rejection at his boyhood county when in 2011 Yorkshire ended his contract, Sanderson found himself at Rotherham Town CC and working as a builder.

Opportunities were sparse, but after being given a chance at Shropshire, he was afforded a trial and subsequently a part-time contract with Northants which allowed him to continue working as a tradesman.

Since establishing himself in the Steelbacks’ side in 2015, Sanderson packed in the day job and neither party has looked back since. Across his whole first-class career, the wily seamer has nagged and nibbled 244 wickets at 19.84.

172 wickets @ 18.75, 8 five-fors, BBI: 6-37.

It may be that none of the above will ever be afforded the chance to don the Three Lions, and given how highly express pace is desired in the armoury whenever we are set to tour Australia, it is perceived that 90mph is the minimum benchmark.

This in recent years could very well have been a formidable bowling unit walking out at Edgbaston for England, however, the price of price has meant such players have slipped under the English radar.

There will always be those who peak their speeds below, and those who cannot reach such totals have more to offer than a simple rejection note on the basis of a speed gun.

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