“If you ask most batters around the world, of course you don’t want to face 90mph, but if there’s a place where you’d love to face 90mph, it’s in the sub-continent. England have hit both India and [teams] in the Champions Trophy with a huge amount of pace and batters have been deflecting the ball to all parts.”
Reflecting on England’s previous successes with fast-medium bowlers as opposed to out-and-out quicks, he continued: “I’ll just go back to the 2019 World Cup final. I know it’s different conditions but Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett got 6-79 [and] they bowl around 82-84 mph. Recently, England have been hell-bent on making sure they’re looking for that 90mph bowler.
“The England Lions tour of Australia – a young chap, Sonny Baker, bowled nicely, he bowled 90mph. He’s been given a central contract, or a contract that England can manage.
“There’s a lad at Essex called Sam Cook. He’s 27 years’ old, he bowls 82mph, he’s got 311 wickets in county cricket at an average of 19. He was the pick of the bowlers on the Lions our and he hasn’t got that contract.
“It’s a clear decision by the England management that it’s all about pace. In the time I’ve been watching cricket, playing cricket, and involved in English cricket, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson have been our best two bowlers. They don’t bowl at 90mph.”
