Big shoes to fill for young guns (From Worcester News)

Big shoes to fill for young guns

9:00am Wednesday 27th January 2010 in

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HOW do you replace a bowler like Kabir Ali? It’s quite simple, you can’t.

With the 29-year-old’s protracted exit from New Road now confirmed, Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes is now solely pinning his faith on the future.

With a man who claimed 415 County first-class wickets now teaming up with Simon Jones at Hampshire, the New Road bowling attack is brimming with inexperience.

But the only way for the likes of Richard Jones, Jack Shantry, Chris Whelan et al to get that experience is to be exposed to the harsh realities of the middle.

“Losing Kabir was a blow — he is what I call an ‘A’ grade bowler, a quality performer.”

Steve Rhodes

Rhodes, of course, has the old heads of Matt Mason and Alan Richardson to call upon but even they will be the first too admit they are no Kabir or Simon Jones.

Yes, Worcestershire’s two most potent bowlers are now on the south coast but there will always be question marks over the pair’s fitness, meaning Rhodes would possibly have had to turn to his youngsters anyway.

The New Road chief admits the loss of the jewel in his bowling crown cannot be replaced but he is confident the emerging talent can shine through.

“Losing Kabir was a blow — he is what I call an ‘A’ grade bowler, a quality performer,” Rhodes said.

“But we have some very good, promising bowlers and they showed what they are capable of last year, especially towards the end of the season. Just look at Richard Jones and how he came on.

“He has got recognition and been part of the England Performance Programme this winter.”

The development of young Jones is particularly pleasing for all at County HQ.

Just over a year ago, he was fighting for his future in the first-class game after being told at the end of the 2008 campaign he had to prove his worth over the winter.

The 23-year-old did exactly that and has not looked back since.

Whelan is another case in point for the Worcestershire coaching staff.

The Liverpool-born seamer must have felt a lucky man to earn an extension at the end of his first season at New Road after making the switch from Middlesex.

Yet he worked hard on his ability to take wickets over the winter and for the first-half of last season he was the County’s leading wicket-taker — even if he was a little more expensive than everyone would have liked.

The unorthodox Shantry was plucked from playing Minor Counties cricket for Shropshire and the left-arm medium pacer improved as the campaign went on.

This trio were all given a harsh lesson on how life in Division One can be yet, despite the County being back in Division Two, Rhodes does not believe it will get any easier for his attack.

“I don’t think there is too much of a difference between the two divisions, I really don’t,” the director of cricket said. “Yes, we had a disappointing year in Division One last year but I do admire the cricket played in Division Two.”