Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad was shaping up to be an opening bat just like his dad Chris, until he suddenly shot up. Within 18 months he had transformed himself into a medium-fast bowler and was playing for England Under-19 and Leicestershire's first XI. A few months later and he's gone from England's A team to a call-up to the full one-day side. Talk about a meteoric rise.

"I thought I may as well try bowling because I can't just stand around in the field all day," he shrugged - and promptly took 9 for 72 for England Under-19s in ODIs against Sri Lanka and 30 first-class wickets at 27.69 in ten matches in 2005.

But his game could yet change, again: he has aspirations to be an allrounder, ideally at the top level, of course. He seems made of the right mental stuff. "My main ambition is to play for England but I can't do that without doing the little things I do tomorrow."

Progress so far has been good. At the age of just 19, he was called into the England A set-up in the West Indies to replace James Anderson who flew out to bolster the seniors in India and was twice selected for England A during the 2006 season.

His early performances for the one-day team, against Pakistan, were promising but he was left out of the Champions Trophy 14, but more out of a feeling of not wanting to push him too hard, too soon. He was named in the Academy team to be based in Perth during the Ashes and by the end of the winter he had joined the World Cup squad in the Caribbean. Injury deprived him of a Test debut in May 2007, but he marked his return to the one-day side with 3 for 20 against West Indies at Lord's, and he was then announced in England's squad for the first Test against India in July. His stock continued to rise on tour with England in Sri Lanka when his 11 cheap wickets helped them to a 3-2 series victory. He was then called up for the subsequent Test series in December.