Chappell aims to fill England’s pace void

ZAK CHAPPELL was as surprised as anyone to be called up for England’s Pace Programme. But after watching his country struggle to reach 85mph consistently throughout the first two Ashes Tests, motivation to hit top gear is certainly not lacking for the Leicestershire express.

Nine wickets at near 60 was far from an ideal debut County Championship season, with rhythm hard to come by for the perennially-injured 21-year-old.

Yet with pace unquestionable and a raw talent that appears polishable, the winter is certainly looking up for Chappell – already impressing coach Kevin Shine.

He said: “These little one per cents can make all the difference, you look at people like Chris Woakes who has gained two or three yards of pace and it’s transformed him into a different cricketer.

“You do notice the strength and power you get and it comes out in your bowling. A guy like Woakes is someone you want to follow, he went away and got faster, took a few wickets and got back in the team.

“There are a lot of guys you can take a lot from, Toby RolandJones, Jamie Overton and Reece Topley being on the programme really helps, just picking up the way they do things and how they mentally process what’s going on.

“They’ve been there and done it so I’m bound to pick up little bits and pieces that are going to be helpful and even some of the younger guys are there to bounce ideas off.”

England’s lack of Ashes pace is well-documented, particularly with the contrast of the rapid and penetrative Australian attack.

But with the likes of Liam Plunkett not given the nod, Reece Topley on the sidelines and Mark Wood still finding form, it appears the problem that won’t go away.

That means the door is open for those of Chappell’s ilk, with the surprise call-up of leg-spinner Mason Crane – one year younger than the Leicestershire bowler – suggesting anything is possible over the coming years.

Chappell may not be one to share in that opinion but, should he stay injury-free, England’s 90mph problem could be on its way to being solved – at least in a few years’ time.

“I want to work on things with my action but the main thing is to stay injury free,” he added. “The next step up from the Pace Programme is the Lions so that’s an obvious goal of mine.

“I feel like I’ve made a few strides forward with the programme, especially physically over the past four or five weeks. I feel in decent nick.”