The primary decade of this century featured a few of English cricket’s most well-known names. Now they’re being thrust again into the highlight by the headline-grabbing exploits of their youngsters.
Sixteen-year-old Rocky Flintoff leads the way in which, plundering runs and smashing information simply months out of the classroom.
On Thursday, below the watchful eye of his father and head coach Andrew Flintoff, he crunched a Freddie-esque hundred for England Lions in opposition to a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane.
Archie Vaughan, one other son of an ex-England captain in Michael Vaughan, has made his mark professionally too, captaining England Underneath-19 in Check and one-day collection in opposition to South Africa this month.
However they’re simply the tip of the iceberg with a number of extra juniors who spent their main years with the outfields of England’s worldwide stadiums as their playgrounds, knocking about with bat and ball so long as the the night solar permitted, coming by means of county cricket’s youth methods.
Right here, Mail Sport introduces the youngsters of an England staff that ended 18 winless years in opposition to Australia in 2005 and went on to hit the primary rating in Exams for the one and solely time in worldwide cricket historical past six years later:
The kids of the 2005 Ashes technology (above) are gearing as much as tackle world cricket
England legend Andrew Flintoff’s 16-year-old son Rocky (above) is simply the tip of the iceberg, having this week earned a shock call-up for England Lions’ tour of Australia subsequent month
Rocky Flintoff, batter, Lancashire
A very precocious expertise, his 108 from 127 balls had all of the hallmarks of certainly one of his dad’s swashbuckling innings in opposition to the Australians 20 years in the past.
Batting at No 9, he launched a ferocious counter-attack together with six sixes and 9 fours to propel the vacationers into an unlikely three-figure lead halfway by means of the four-day match.
It was a efficiency past his years, though individuals shouldn’t be shocked given earlier exploits. There aren’t many ‘youngest’ information the third eldest of the 4 Flintoff siblings doesn’t maintain: youngest Lancashire participant to attain a second XI hundred, snatching the 30-year-old document beforehand held by his dad, the county’s youngest debutant in each first-class and one-day cricket, and youngest centurion for England Underneath-19s.
The candles on his sixteenth birthday cake have been nonetheless smouldering when he celebrated a century in opposition to Warwickshire’s seconds at Edgbaston final April.
It was an innings punctuated by unmistakable swivel pulls – a definite household commerce mark – and open shoulder hitting.
And it meant he spent the summer time of GCSEs dashing between the school rooms of Manchester Grammar Faculty – alma mater of Michael Atherton – and the county circuit.
Regardless of averaging simply 12.42 in 4 first-class appearances final summer time, the England hierarchy have been eager on investing in Rocky on a visit down below that finishes later this month with a four-day ‘Check’ in opposition to Australia A.
Andrew Flintoff was a part of England’s gorgeous Ashes conquer Australia again in 2005
Corey Flintoff, all-rounder, Lancashire
The eldest of the Flintoff clan, and two years Rocky’s senior, the seamer has been dogged by a stress fracture of the again that curtailed his 2023 season, rehabilitating the harm alongside multi-format England tempo bowler Saqib Mahmood at Emirates Previous Trafford.
He returned in 2024 on a back-to-bowling programme in Lancashire’s second XI, sending down a prescribed restrict of overs per match and was a team-mate of Adnan Miakhel, the Afghanistan refugee star of his dad Freddie’s BBC present Subject of Goals, in his most up-to-date outing for Lancashire’s Underneath-18s.
There are echoes of 25 years in the past right here. ‘Freddie’ was compelled to play as a specialist batsman for some time in his late teenagers as his backbone discovered to deal with the hulking body round it.
Being upstaged by your little brother can’t be a lot enjoyable, so count on the 18-year-old Corey to remind individuals of the pecking order when he lastly returns to full health.
Archie Vaughan, all-rounder, Somerset
Recruited for the Somerset academy 12 months earlier whereas down the highway at acclaimed cricket faculty Millfield, Vaughan junior burst onto the senior scene in the course of the closing month of the 2024 season when he adopted a first-class debut within the crushing victory over Durham in late August with figures of 11 for 140, a efficiency that proved the decisive one in settling a last-gasp success over champions Surrey at Taunton.
The mix of talent and management steered his off-spin – delivered with the plain mannerisms of his well-known 2005 Ashes-winning father – would be the stronger swimsuit of his all-round sport.
Michael Vaughan’s 19-year-old son Archie (above) burst on to the senior scene in 2024
The Somerset teenager impressed with figures of 11 for 140 in opposition to Durham in late August
Archie Vaughan’s father Michael (above) holds the Ashes urn after his facet’s victory in 2005
One former England Check participant noticed: ‘You watch younger spinners come out now, and so they all sort of do the identical factor – bowl flat, do not actually spin it. I watched his first over in first-class cricket, and I used to be like, “Jesus, maintain on a minute. There’s some correct form on that. He will get correct spin.”
Nonetheless, his county captain Lewis Gregory disagrees on the stability of powers: ‘Archie has taken to first-class cricket like a duck to water.
The truth that he’s extra of a batter than a bowler is the actually thrilling bit and we imagine he’s going to be excellent to look at with the bat over quite a few years.’
Like Rocky Flintoff, he spent December with England’s Younger Lions in South Africa, and returned there this month to complete because the main run scorer in England’s 2-1 one-day collection defeat to their South African Underneath 19s counterparts.
Vaughan’s profession progress has been at its most fast over the previous yr and even on the tender age of 19, it’s anticipated that he’ll turn into a focal determine in county cricket subsequent summer time.
Charlie Harmison, quick bowler, Northumberland
The 16-year-old has inherited the gangling body of his dad Steve Harmison, pushing six and a half ft, however solely following a comparatively current development spurt and getting used to a drastic change in physique form that Stuart Broad encountered on the similar age.
It’s partly for this bodily transformation that Harmison views his lad as a late developer and has refused to push him past fatherly encouragement and occasional pointers.
Steve Harmison (above) views his 16-year-old son Charlie as a late developer in youth cricket
‘I’ve seen so many children give the sport up between the age of 15 and 19 as a result of sadly they’ve bought dad and mom who attempt to dwell their skilled cricket careers by means of their sons,’ Harmison says.
He and his spouse Hayley make some extent of putting their deck chairs as distant from the dressing room areas as attainable when watching Charlie play, and solely ‘chew the fats’ concerning the sport within the automotive on the way in which house, cautious of not being overly analytical, too excitable in instances of success and damaging if issues haven’t gone so nicely.
‘If my son goes on to play cricket for Durham and England or if he simply performs the sport, I’m not going to get hung up on the place he goes,’ Harmison provides.
Energy and stamina will likely be labored upon over the subsequent couple of years, however he already traces up alongside uncles Ben and James for Ashington’s first XI within the North East Premier League and has featured for Northumberland’s Underneath-18s in addition to the Underneath-16 staff over the previous couple of years, notably claiming three for 26 in opposition to Yorkshire in a 50-over cup match.
Johnny Prior, wicketkeeper, Sussex
‘Are you able to imagine it, although his dad instructed him: “No matter you do, don’t preserve wicket.” What does he do?’ Regardless of the disregard of his paternal recommendation, Matt Prior says Johnny just isn’t strictly a chip off the previous block.
‘I say this not as his father however as a wicketkeeper who will scrutinise this stuff: he is much better than I used to be. Much better. You may have your Ben Foakes, Chris Learn, James Foster, Alan Knott figures, born wicketkeepers, who would pluck the ball out of skinny air, after which you’ve gotten individuals like me who needed to work exhausting bloody exhausting to be okay,’ Prior tells Mail Sport.
‘I haven’t coached him. He’s simply accomplished his personal factor. He’s only a pure stood as much as the stumps. He is sort of bought that MS Dhoni place all the way down to a tee.
Former England wicket-keeper Matt Prior admits his son Johnny is ‘much better’ than he was
‘He sort of made the choice “I wish to be knowledgeable cricketer,” and I used to be like: “Oh, God.” Whether or not meaning he makes it or not is totally irrelevant.’
Prior is extra thrilled that the Sussex pathway participant is having fun with the sport. Oh, and that he and his eldest of 5 youngsters took the sector for Cuckfield final season.
‘As a result of he was taking part in within the Sussex Premier League, they requested me if I wished to play. So I waddled out and had a few video games. I often play a pub sport or a village sport or no matter, and it has been fun, however making an attempt to win the league, with my 15 yr previous son within the staff, was fairly cool.’
Prior, who received 79 Check caps, made 43 in opposition to Middleton in a match that Johnny hit 34 from no 6 and so they each turned out in a defeat to eventual champions Preston Nomads within the closing spherical.
Hannah Collingwood, all-rounder, Durham
Social media footage of Hannah bowling Joe Root on the finish of England’s Previous Trafford Check with South Africa two years in the past went viral and he or she has featured in her England assistant coach dad Paul’s on-line teaching movies.
Durham additionally used Collingwood junior of their video pitch throughout their profitable bid for Tier 1 girls’s standing earlier this yr.
Like her well-known father, she will do a little bit of every part to a excessive normal, though she bowls left-arm seamers fairly than proper, averaging simply 20 with the bat and eight.44 with the ball for the county’s Underneath-13 staff over the previous two seasons.
Hannah Collingwood, like her father Paul (above), can do a little bit of every part to a excessive normal
The runs have been flowing for Ian Bell’s (above) son Joseph for Warwickshire’s Underneath-11 facet
‘It’s nearly a mirror picture of what occurred in my profession. When Durham bought first-class standing in 1992, I used to be 16. Hannah’s 13 now and that is excellent timing for her to be within the pathway system,’ Collingwood says.
‘She doesn’t take pleasure in taking part in membership cricket as a lot, however she completely loves taking part in for Durham – the camaraderie and the competitiveness. She’s bought a hell of lots of expertise, however she doesn’t like me telling her.
‘Sometimes, she’ll inform me that the coach’s suggestions will likely be that she is basically good at one thing, to which I remind her that I’ve been saying the identical factor for 2 years.’
Unsurprisingly, Hannah can also be dynamite within the subject: ‘The one factor I’ve all the time accomplished whether or not it’s tennis balls or cricket balls is hit catches excessive into the air. On holidays, she could be diving within the sea.’
Collingwood says there are occasions when he needs the youngest of his three daughters would place higher emphasis on her sport, however is of course delighted to see her symbolize the county he served with such distinction for twenty-four seasons.
‘As of late there are alternatives for ladies not solely to play newbie cricket, however if you’re having fun with it sufficient, there’s a transition into skilled cricket too,’ he displays.
And at last… Joseph Bell, batter, Warwickshire
There was a sense of deja vu at Edgbaston, the place a sure Bell has occupied the Nos 3 and 4 on the scorecards of Warwickshire’s Underneath-11 facet.
And the runs have flowed too: an innings of 62 off 60 balls guiding the junior Bears to a four-wicket win over Shropshire final summer time.
