Ed Barnard

Cricket runs in his family. His father, Andrew Barnard, appeared in a handful of List A matches for Shropshire, and his brother Michael is credited with a single first-class appearance for the same side.

Barnard first drew attention in age-group cricket, where he was part of the England squad at the 2014 Under-19 World Cup. Worcestershire gave him strong backing as he moved into the senior game, and he showed what he could do in 2016 before making a much bigger impact the following year.

The 2017 season was his breakthrough. He claimed 47 wickets and averaged 36.25 with the bat, figures that marked him out as a genuine contributor in both disciplines. Worcestershire tied him to a three-year contract, and with England searching for a bowling all-rounder, sustaining that level of performance could put him in contention for international selection.