4:53pm Wednesday 10th March 2010
By Marc Higginson
IT is fantastic that England coach Andy Flower is prepared to unleash young pace bowlers Ajmal Shahzad and Steven Finn on Bangladesh over the next couple of Test matches.
Both pacemen are genuine stars of the future and have the raw ability to be a success in international cricket.
In James Anderson, Graham Onions and Stuart Broad, England have a decent seam attack capable of bowling out most sides. However, the trio lack real competition for places and they could get just that if Shahzad and Finn shine in Chittagong or Mirpur.
Shahzad, the 24-year-old who was the first Yorkshire-born player of Asian extraction to play for the county, is a quick bowler with the ability to swing the ball at pace in the mould of Darren Gough. He has it in his armoury to cause problems on the sub-Continent — just like Finn.
The Middlesex 20-year-old is 6ft 8ins tall and the bounce he generates from being so tall makes him a seriously tricky customer for batsmen.
Neither player has a wealth of experience in county cricket but they are fearless and, according to their respective coaches, have a winning mentality that will ensure they are not overawed by the step up in class.
They may not be up against the best team in the international game but they will have to work hard to dislodge Bangladeshi batsmen playing in their own back yard on wickets more conducive to slow bowling than seam.
The duo will have to figure out new ways of dismissing opponents and, if they can be successful on the lifeless wickets of Asia, they can have every confidence of a successful career. Many top fast bowlers have toiled away for little success in places like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka but Shahzad and Finn have the talent to succeed.
If they combine that with a smart cricketing brain — a là Chaminda Vaas — they will put some serious pressure on their more senior rivals for a fast bowling spot.
Let’s hope they can do just that.
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