Has spring finally sprung? Have those April showers given way to beer gardens and champers at the cricket? Not quite.
The first three rounds of this year’s County Championship have been plagued with rain delays and washout results.
With 14 of the 19 Division One results ending in draws or abandonments thus far it would be understandable to think that no one has shone in the early rounds and offered England selectors a ray of light amidst the gloomy clouds.
But that is not the case; we’ve actually seen 32 centuries and three double centuries.
An early start to the Championship season has allowed a number of players to get their runs and wickets in early, and raise a hand in the direction of England’s Test head coach Brendon McCullum, captain Ben Stokes and selectors.
The national team, away from the T20 Cricket World Cup, take on the West Indies and Sri Lanka at home and New Zealand away in 2024, with each series presenting its own challenges to a Bazball side who faced a number of on-field obstacles and defeats last year.
Here are a handful of players who have impressed in Division One, given that the likes of Joe Root and Harry Brook are battling in Division Two.
Joe Clarke – Nottinghamshire
Though 27 – which some might, wrongly, deem too old for an England debut – Joe Clarke is a top-order batter who plays his cricket at Nottinghamshire.
With international experience in the Big Bash League, the United Arab Emirates, the Pakistan Super League and for England Lions, Clarke has been a brilliant opener in the County Championship this year.
He has clocked 480 runs in seven innings at an average of 80.
Consistency is his issue so far this season. In three of his four games he has knocked at least one century – one of those was a double 100 – while struggling in the other innings with knocks of 19, 0 and 39.
His most recent match, against Warwickshire this week, saw an innings total of zero but he wasn’t required to bat a second time.
Sort that out and continue with the big scores and surely Clarke will be closer than ever to an England cap.
Drive!
Tom Lammonby – Somerset
The 23-year-old batting all-rounder Tom Lammonby has impressed for Somerset in the opening three rounds of the County Championship.
Knocking 90, 100, 51, 17, 34, 81 in his six innings to date in 2024, Lammonby has been a steady player for his county.
Across 2024 he has scored 373 runs at a basic divisional average of 62. His 100 came versus Surrey.
He is yet to take a wicket, though, and his economy is 4.60 from three bowling innings.
The youngster could be the sort of player England are able to mould into a long-term all-rounder option.
Brilliant
Calvin Harrison – Nottinghamshire
Calvin Harrison was born in South Africa, raised in New Zealand and has English county experience under his belt at the age of 26.
The bowling all-rounder has taken 12 wickets for 282 runs in just four innings for Nottinghamshire thus far in 2024 and has a style that is easy on the eye.
His bowling has earned him credit but he is no slouch with the bat either, picking up 80 runs from deep down the order.
England seem to be dead set in their selection at the moment but with Jonny Bairstow struggling in the Test format at the moment and some others dropping from the fringes it could be time for a player like Harrison to get a shot.
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