The Young Pretenders 2008

We continue our brief look at the top eleven up and coming talented youngsters who will be on display in county cricket over the English summer. The qualifiers are all under the age of 23 and are looking to establish themselves in their respective county sides this season.


Tom Westley (19) – Essex – Right Hand Middle Order Batsman

Another young batsman who has come through the ranks at Essex is young Tom Westley. He already has a first class fifty to his name and he is also a more than useful limited overs player. Under the tutelage of Graham Gooch and playing on the benign surfaces at Chelmsford, Westley has an excellent chance to secure himself a permanent place in the Essex first team, in both formats of the game. Apart from being a brilliant prospect with the bat, Westley is also a very handy offspinner, as match figures of 9-91 in the SEC against Middlesex demonstrate.


James Harris (17) – Glamorgan – Right Arm Medium-Fast Bowler

Another regular in the England U19 squad, young Harris was the youngest player to take a seven wicket haul in the County Championship, aged just 17. He is a product of Glamorgan’s partially enforced policy of giving youth a chance to shine. He has taken 33 wickets in his 9 first class matches to date and he is sure to gain more exposure to first team cricket this year. He is another young bowler who also knows how to hold a bat, as a top score of 87 not out shows.

Championship Week 5

The test matches may have started, but the Championship goes on. The biggest winners this week were probably Yorkshire and Notts, who had a week off while the teams that did play battled against the weather.

Div 1
Worcester continued their North of England tour at Lancashire, skittling the home team for 161 is the first innings, Kabir Ali taking eight of the wickets. The evergreen Graeme Hick scored a ton as they took a lead of 167 on first innings, despite 6 for Murali. However, the weather and a much more resilient Lancashire performance (Peter Horton getting a ton) meant the game ended in a draw and Worcester remain winless at the bottom of the table.

Champions Sussex continue to struggle, conceding 626 for 3 at home to Surrey, with big scores for ex-internationals Mark Butcher (179) and Mark Ramprakash (254 no) who put on over 400 for the third wicket. Despite a ton from Murray Goodwin, Sussex were made to follow on, but a double hundred from Goodwin again and a ton from Chris Adams saw them to safety.

Even less play was possible at Edgbaston, where two of the divisions form teams were playing. Warwicks batted first, and tons for Kumar Sangakkara and Alex Loudon got the Bears to 335, with Graham Onions filling the boots of Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett and taking eight wickets. Durham’s reply was cut short by the weather at 274 for 6, Dale Benkenstein nearing a hundred as the game ended.

Div 2
Derbyshire and Middlesex were the only teams to take their game into a fourth innings, with Middlesex outscoring the home team 248 to 225 on the first innings. Middlesex then scored 180 second time round, Irishman Boyd Rankin taking his second four-fer of the match setting Derby around 200 to win. With the weather getting in the way, they close at 53 for 1 and had to settle for a draw.

Local rivals Glamorgan and Gloucester locked horns in Bristol, with the Welshmen scoring 392 in their first innings, thanks largely to tons from Mark Wallace and Alex Wharf. All eyes were then on the returning Simon Jones, but he was out-bowled by 17 year old James Harris, who took seven wickets as Gloucester were bowled out for 219. Following on, Gloucester scored 328 for 9, with Kadeer Ali scoring a ton and Harris taking five more wickets.

Finally to Grace Road, where Leicester scored 335 before rolling Essex over for 201. The second innings had barely got started when the match was abandoned as a draw.

England Hopeful watch
Less of these now as the test team is playing. However, it is good to see Simon Jones playing again, even if he did go wicket-less. Steven Davies scored 43 for Worcestershire, but the form of Matt Prior (with bat and gloves) in the first test suggests that the England keeping slot is in safe hands at the moment.

Graham Onions is part of the England development squad and will have done his chances no harm with an 8-fer. However, the current test seems to show that taking wickets for Durham is no indication of form.

Player of the Week
Two contenders this week. One at the start of his career, one approaching the end. Mark Ramprakash has continued his sublime county form from last season, leading to many (including those who should know better) pushing him for an England recall. However, pipping him to the player of the week is James Harris. 17 years old and 12 wickets for Glamorgan against Gloucester. Certainly one to watch.

Record breaking teenager outshines returning Ashes hero

Seventeen year old James Harris (below) must think that professional cricket is an easy game.

As he ponders his forthcoming AS level examinations at Gorseinon College near Swansea (that's right, he's a year away from A levels), the young right arm Glamorgan seamer may be wondering why he's bothering. A twelve wicket match haul against Gloucestershire in only his second county championship game has set the grapevine buzzing and sets the record for the youngest player to take ten wickets in a Championship match.

James Harris finds the outside edge again during a highly impressive display against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Often bowling in partnership with Harris was returning Ashes hero, Simon Jones MBE. After toiling through 37 wicket less overs, he may have been tempted to ask Harris for some tips. In fairness to Jones, luck was not on his side as a series of hostile deliveries were either fended or edged safely.

As Glamorgan fruitlessly pressed for victory on the final day, captain David Hemp increasingly turned to Harris to break a partnership and the youngster, who has captained England for his age group, usually obliged. His approach to the wicket is reminiscent of Neil Foster, formerly of Essex and England, but his natural movement is through the air and away from the bat.

County dressing rooms will be discussing how batsmen have to learn to play him very late, which is easier said than done when a leg stump ball then passes your outside edge.

Simon Jones, bowling in the Championship for the first time since April 2006.

But what of Jones? Known as 'Horse' in the Glamorgan dressing room (I think it's due to his speed, but it may be more 'Carry On' than that!), 'SiJo' generated good pace once properly warmed up and during several hostile spells was genuinely unfortunate not to get a wicket.

That's the good news. Slightly more concerning is an ambling, stuttering run up during which he never really breaks into a full stride. Whether this is deliberate caution after such dreadful injuries, or a more concerted effort to get more control I don't know. What I do know is that he is someway off a Test recall, and I estimate that even the First test versus India may be a little optimistic.

Jones is now scheduled to miss the first of Glamorgan's three Championship games at Swansea, play the second, and then miss the third, all at the ECB's bequest of course. What is of interest is whether they see Jones as part of the One Day International plans. I've never viewed him as such. His limited overs record with Glamorgan is poor, but it may be a sensible way for England to ease him back into the International fold.

To conclude, let's go back to Harris. He is a talent. Glamorgan signed him on professional terms shortly after his sixteenth birthday, keen to ward off the attentions of Warwickshire amongst others. His future is bright for his county and hopefully for England - indeed Glamorgan may be struggling now but solid foundations are in place both on and off the field.

But for now it's back to the books for Harris. He misses Wednesday's game versus Middlesex due to examinations, a pity, as it's at St Helen's, Swansea, where friends and family could come to watch his progress.

There's plenty of time for cricket though. Remember the name.