Chris Tremlett, a strapping fast bowler at 6ft 7ins, comes from an esteemed cricketing family. He is the son of Tim Tremlett, the former Hampshire seamer, and the grandson of Maurice, who played for Somerset and England in the 1940s and 50s. However, Tremlett junior hasn't needed any family favours in his progression. On his first-class debut against New Zealand A in 2000, he took a wicket with his first ball and ended up with 4 for 16. After impressing for Hampshire in both the four-day and the one-day game, he made the England Under-19 tour of India in 2000-01, and then earned a place in the first batch of Rod Marsh's academy intakes in 2001-02.

An impressive start to the 2004 season with Hampshire earned him a call up to England's preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, and the following year he was named in England's new 25-man development squad, ahead of the 2005 Ashes. He made his one-day debut during the 2005 NatWest Series - and was denied a hat-trick against Bangladesh only because the ball bounced off middle stump without dislodging the bails. Despite his domestic performances tailing off in the second half of the 2005 season and a suspicion that he tended to lose rhythm under pressure, Tremlett earned a call-up to the England squad for Pakistan before a hamstring injury ruled him out.

It set a precedent from which his international career has yet to recover. After injuries hampered international ambitions in 2006 he was named in the academy to be based in Perth during that winter's Ashes series, and was asked to join the squad for the subsequent one-day series. Though a surprising success for England it was a forgettable series for Tremlett, ended by another injury setback, which then delayed the start to his 2007 season.

However, once back on the field he impressed enough to earn a call to the England Lions squad and was handed his Test debut against India at Lord's. Troubling the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up with uncomfortable bounce and lively pace, he looked set to be a key man as England looked to forge a new attack after the 2005 generation. Instead injury struck once more.

After missing the 2007-08 winter tours he was included in England's ODI squad to face Scotland but a heel injury ended his hopes. After a frustrating 2009 season, where he played seven Championship matches, he left Hampshire for Surrey. It was a move that worked wonders and, after taking 48 Championship wickets, he earned a recall for the Ashes tour, playing a key role in retaining the urn.
Freddie Auld and Sahil Dutta