Tall story spells a big future for England hopes

13 April 2012

English cricket is producing a new breed of giant fast bowlers aiming to terrorise the world's batsmen.

There are 42 pacemen appearing in county cricket of 6ft 4ins and taller.

The tallest at 6ft 8ins is 21-year-old Greg Lambert of Yorkshire (born in Stoke) who, unfortunately, does not bowl at express speed just yet.

But at 6ft 7ins Nick Hatch, a 22-year-old on the books of Durham, and 25-year-old Paul Griffiths of Leicestershire, are quicker.

In the international arena, England have two 6ft 5ins performers in Andy Caddick and Alan Mullally to match Australia's Glenn McGrath and left-armer Nathan Bracken, who are the same height.

The tallest of all in the English game is Essex batsman Will Ingleby Jefferson, who stands 6ft 10ins. He classes himself as medium pace but has yet to bowl in first-class cricket.

If 21-year-old Jefferson worked on it he could outdo Joel Garner, the Barbadian who bounced the ball regularly into the chests of opposing batsmen when he played for the West Indies.

Joel was the tallest of the West Indians, standing at 6ft 8ins. Jefferson Junior is the son of Richard, who played for Surrey between 1961-6 and was 6ft 7ins.

Most of England's great fast bowlers would now be classed just above medium height. The greatest living Yorkshireman, Fred Trueman, was only 5ft 10 and-a-half, two inches taller than Harold Larwood.

Brian Statham was around six feet, barely taller than Frank "Typhoon" Tyson.

If only just a couple of the 42 could turn into a Larwood or a Tyson.

Tall order in the county game

Derbyshire Kevin Dean 6ft 5ins, aged 25 Tim Munton 6-5, 35

Durham Steve Harmison 6-4, 22 Nick Hatch 6-7, 22 Danny Law 6-5, 25.

Essex Ashley Cowan 6-5, 25 Ronnie Irani 6-4, 29 Will Jefferson 6-10, 21 Andy McGarry 6-5, 19

Glamorgan David Harrison 6-4, 19 Alex Warf 6-4, 26

Hampshire Alex Morris 6-6, 24 Alan Mullally 6-5, 31 Lee Savident 6-5, 24

Kent James Golding 6-4, 23 David Masters 6-4, 23 Martin McCague 6-5, 31 Ben Phillips 6-6, 25 Ben Trott 6-5, 26

Lancashire Andy Flintoff 6-4, 23 Mike Smethurst 6-5, 25 Peter Martin 6-5, 32

Leicestershire Matt Whiley 6-4, 21 Bill Stelling 6-4, 31 Scott Boswell 6-4, 26 Jon Dakin 6-6, 28 Paul Griffiths 6-7, 25

Middlesex Simon Cook 6-4, 24 Angus Fraser 6-6, 35 Aaron Laraman 6-6, 22

Nottinghamshire Nadeem Ward 6-5, 18

Somerset Matthew Bulbeck 6-5, 21 Andy Caddick 6-5, 32 Ian Jones 6-4, 24 Graham Rose 6-4, 35

Surrey Ed Giddins 6-4, 29

Sussex Robin Martin-Jenkins 6-5, 25

Worcestershire Depesh Patel 6-4, 19

Yorkshire Tom Baker 6-4, 19 Paul Hutchison 6-4, 25 Greg Lambert 6-8, 21 Ryan Sidebottom 6-4, 23

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