Wholehearted, zippy and with an unnerving bouncer that zeroes in on the batsman's head, Silverwood is an excellent county seamer who falls just short of Test class. His whirling action generates real pace - England bowling coach Bob Cottam once said he was faster than Allan Donald - but he lacks the consistency to trouble the best. As a Yorkshireman, Silverwood thrived on the helpful Headingley greentops, where his natural movement away from the right-hander was exaggerated.

He impressed on Test debut in Bulawayo in 1996-97, but then had to wait three years until his next chance, on England's tour of South Africa. Silverwood struggled there when the ball didn't swing, and despite plugging away for five wickets at Durban, dropped down the pecking order.

At the end of 2005 he left Yorkshire and moved to Middlesex. The move appeared to be justified when he took 63 wickets at 25.25 in 2006, but he struggled for form and also was sidelined by injuries, leading to him being released at the end of the 2009 season.

His batting is straight and correct, if limited. His private life is just straight: Silverwood is one of the county circuit's few teetotallers.
Lawrence Booth