Sam Cook

Essex's "Little Chef" enjoyed a rapid rise during the 2017 title-winning season, progressing from university cricketer to first-team debutant and then bagging two five-fors in his first four Championship appearances at the sharp end of the campaign. By the following summer, he was regularly taking the new ball alongside Jamie Porter, demonstrating excellent control and an ability to move the ball both ways while operating at a slippery, medium-fast pace.

The silverware piled up equally quickly - another Championship in 2019, Essex's maiden T20 Blast title the same year, Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 - and Cook then took another leap forward. In the summer of 2021, he claimed 50 wickets in a season for the first time, while averaging 14.43; the following year, it was 51 at 16.23. His skills with the white ball also improved sharply, 4 for 18 in the final of the Men's Hundred winning him Player of the Match and Trent Rockets the trophy. Lions recognition ensued, although his relative lack of pace (he bowls around the 80mph mark) meant he occupied a similar position with regards to England as the uncapped Porter.

A student at Loughborough University, where he read history and international relations, Cook played for the MCCU team before making his Essex debut against the touring West Indians. He made quite an impact in late season, claiming 5 for 18 as Essex, freshly confirmed as Championship winners for the first time in 25 years, dismissed Hampshire for 76 to claim a 108-run victory at the Ageas Bowl. That represented a remarkable turnaround considering that Essex's title celebrations seemed to have been going on a little too long when they were dismissed for 76 and made to follow-on.

In 2019, he finished with 32 wickets at 21.03 as Essex lifted the Championship trophy again; there was also an appearance at T20 Finals Day, although his strength was still red-ball cricket. In August, he ran amok at Canterbury on the way to career-best innings figures of 7 for 23, and a maiden ten-wicket haul, as Kent were shot out for 40 and Essex secured a come-from-behind win that kept them in the title hunt.
ESPNcricinfo staff