Jake Ball

A prolific white-ball pacer, Jake Ball has accumulated a vast amount of experience in a decade at the top level of the game. A product of the Welbeck Colliery Cricket Club, Ball followed his uncle, Bruce French, into the international arena, and was honoured by the veteran with his cherished maiden cap when he made his Test debut in 2016.

Ball made his first-class debut in 2011 and had to be content with fleeting first-team appearances until bursting his way into an automatic selection four years later. He shot to fame in 2016 when he ripped past Middlesex's opener, leaving the champions on 0-3 in the first over.

The Mansfield-born performances that year propelled him into the thoughts of the England selectors and he made his Test debut against Pakistan at Lord’s, earning a spot on that winter’s tours of Bangladesh and India. He took 5-51 and won the man-of-the-match award on his ODI debut against Bangladesh. 

Unfortunate injuries ruled him out of the squad for over a year, eventually losing his place in England’s side. The seamer, who also represented the Sydney Sixers in BBL, was a key component of the Outlaws' Vitality Blast win of 2020, operating effectively across the powerplay, middle and death overs to finish as the tournament's leading wicket-taker. A prominent figure for the Northants, he signed a contract extension will see the premier bowler until 2023.

(As of April 2021)