All Out Cricket's Discussion of the Week - Best Of The Babes

Today on www.alloutcricket.com James Harris gives us his latest behind-the-scenes look at the England Performance Programme. From running up hills to public speaking practice to 'Fat Club' it's another hectic week for the Glamorgan seamer and his fellow England hopefuls.

http://www.alloutcricket.com/blogs/comment/james-harris-england-performance-programme-cricket-diar

This week, we want to know which youngsters you're backing to break into the full England set-up in the next 2 or 3 years.

Interesting one, this.

James Taylor has had all of the hype of course, but can he back that up at the highest level? He would be first in line in the middle order batting department, you would think.

With the ball Meaker could stand a chance if he can show some more control and accuracy, as he certainly has the pace.

However, my biggest pick within the next two years is Chris Woakes. Woakes has genuine all-rounder ability, giving England that vital option of playing 5 frontline bowlers on the flattest of pitches. His batting and bowling both improved immeasurably last year, and this coming season is a big test for him to see if he can take that one step further and force his way into the England selectors plans.

By the way, very interesting to get an insight into life at these camps - a good blog. Seems they have a right knees up! Great for camaraderie, team bonding etc, and a great opportunity for the England coaching staff to assess and improve the youngsters.

Time for me to blow the trumpet of my man, James Taylor, once more. Very few, if any, English batsman have had the prolific success that he has had at such a young age. Averaging nigh on 50 in both FC and List A cricket, and he has had two 1000 run seasons in the CC already, and he only fell short this year due to Lions commitments and it was seen as a relative failure for him. He clearly has the temprement for Test cricket as he has had the pressure of carrying a poor Leicestershire line up at such a young age and done so outstandingly. You may say he did this in Div 2, but his List A runs have been against all sides and besides it is arguably harder to bat in Div 2 due to the Tiflex ball and "average" medium pacers being more effective. In addition, he already has three double tons to his name which is remarkable and shows a desire to keep piling on the runs, a very Trott/Cook mentality, and extraordinary concentration skills. He is different from Trott and Cook though in the way he scores his ODI runs as he is a very quick runner between the wickets and is adept and nurdling the ball into gaps and he very rarely faces a dot ball, something you cannot say about Trott. If you add into this his outstanding fielding, he is easily the equal of Ian Bell or Eoin Morgan, (he has won Leics fielding award 2 years running I think) then you get a complete player and if he is good enough, he is old enough. He should have played instead of Bopara against India this summer in the Tests and hopefully he will get his chance sooner or later.

England do seem to have a good deal of young talent coming through. Taylor, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, Briggs, Borthwick, Meaker, Topley, Harris etc.
One area that is a concern, however, is opener. Who are the best young opening batsmen coming through. Hales? Anyone else?

I know I keep pushing his name forward, but James Taylor opened for the Lions against Sri Lanka this summer and made 70 odd. It isn't his natural position but the England management obviously see something in him there so who knows.

James Taylor
Ben Stokes
Scott Borthwick
Alex Hales

Taylor will play a lot of test cricket for england
Stokes will be a limited overs success
Borthwick IMO will be class in all forms of the game
Hales can play all forms of the game, but not sure the selectors rate him that highly..

Borthwick is overrated

Hales, Taylor, Stokes and Vince will break into the England side in the next 2 years

Gregers wrote:Borthwick is overrated

Hales, Taylor, Stokes and Vince will break into the England side in the next 2 years

you will forgive me for not believeing you there....as i am a huge fan of borthwick, and also your opinon on KP baffles me

I just haven't seen anything from borthwick that has made me believe he is better than rashid.

Also Jos Buttler. Will be class in limited overs cricket for england

cant see him playing test cricket for the forseeable though...not as a batsman as plenty of batsman infront of him

not as a keeper, as plenty of keepers infront of him

so one day cricket looks to be the way he will play for england, in the forseeable.

Yeah quality player is Buttler, but certainly no Test spot on the horizon.

Borthwick is a funny one, sometimes he looks great, others quite average. Potential though, for sure, and needs a good season.

What is Vince like? I have seen him on a few occasions and he looks a talented player, but does he cut it at the highest level?

Vince has all the shots in the world and his temperament continues to improve. Plus he is an awesome fielder which will help him no end as well. Of all of the kids I could see him getting into the test side in the next year or so. He has also shown he has the technique to be destructive in t20 and his one day form was good last season.

Future England captain if you ask me.

(This is not just bias because I went to school with him!)

I am yet to be completely convinced by Vince, Gregers. Gets in and gets out is my impression of him every time I have seen him bat. There is no doubt he has all the shots, but I am still to be convinced by his temperament although I bow to your wisdom if you say it is getting better! And I must admit I hadn't got him down as a great fielder, but I will keep my eye out for him now and see if he does have this string to his bow!

Still think that Taylor, Stokes and Bairstow are ahead of him for a Test call up though.

From what I can remember, James Vince was terrific in the U-19 WC, and since then, I have kept an eye on his county scores. He obviously has tallent, but consistency is not the strongest part of his claims for higher recognition. But he's someone to look out for England.
Not too sure of Scott Borthwick, at least as yet.

Fists of Fury wrote:

However, my biggest pick within the next two years is Chris Woakes. Woakes has genuine all-rounder ability, giving England that vital option of playing 5 frontline bowlers on the flattest of pitches. His batting and bowling both improved immeasurably last year, and this coming season is a big test for him to see if he can take that one step further and force his way into the England selectors plans.

Fists et al - One thing I haven't seen mentioned by anyone else at all about Woakes is his fielding. I saw him in a CB40 game for Warks at Guildford this summer. He took three boundary catches ranging from good to superb.

Vince is quite similar to hussein in the getting in getting out stakes. I think if he has a massive run scoring season then it'll do him the world of good. In the field he is great tho.

People we haven't mentioned yet, how about RHB and Roy from surrey?

guildfordbat wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:

However, my biggest pick within the next two years is Chris Woakes. Woakes has genuine all-rounder ability, giving England that vital option of playing 5 frontline bowlers on the flattest of pitches. His batting and bowling both improved immeasurably last year, and this coming season is a big test for him to see if he can take that one step further and force his way into the England selectors plans.

Fists et al - One thing I haven't seen mentioned by anyone else at all about Woakes is his fielding. I saw him in a CB40 game for Warks at Guildford this summer. He took three boundary catches ranging from good to superb.

You're quite right, Guildford, and that is something that often gets overlooked given that he gets the plaudits for his batting and bowling. He is a fine fielder with an incredibly safe pair of hands.

Taylor,Borthick,Kerrigan,Topley

Meaker looks to be a very promising bowler as well. He bowled well in india, he isnt as quick as people said, but he is very promising.