Pacemen groomed to regain the Ashes

ENGLAND are planning to take some of the country’s fastest up-and-coming bowlers on ‘secondment’ as part of their plan to win back the Ashes in two years’ time.

Under the proposals — which would represent a new form of player control outside of the established central contracts system — the ECB would pay the majority of a player’s county wages by way of compensation in exchange for managing their workloads.

Somerset’s Craig Overton, Olly Stone of Warwickshire and the recently-capped Saqib Mahmood of Lancashire are the pace trio identified for the long-term care programmes.

Five of the 10 Test contracts for 2019-20 were awarded to seam bowlers and this additional financial compensation scheme is a clear indication that managing director Ashley Giles and head coach Chris Silverwood want greater influence on the schedules of those on the cusp of England selection.

The England hierarchy have identified the need for bowlers capable of clocking 90 miles an hour such as Stone and Mahmood to be in prime condition if England are to have any chance of winning a series Down Under for only the third time since the 1970s. They take on the Australians in 2021-22.

Overton, who made his international debut in the Adelaide Test four years ago, is someone they believe can bowl consistently quicker in future if he follows a bespoke fitness programme and his competitive appearances are managed carefully.

The 25-year-old Overton and Stone, 26, are currently in South Africa at the same Cape Town bowling camp attended by Jimmy Anderson and Mark Wood.