Brydon Carse

Brydon Carse, a strapping fast bowler with a quick arm action, came to England honours via an injury-interrupted apprenticeship at Durham. When England had to replace an entire squad due to Covid for the ODI series with Pakistan in 2021, Carse was among the new faces and he impressed with his deck-hitting style, taking a five-for in the third match.

He only made two first-class appearances in 2022 but began the following summer in strong form, scoring a maiden hundred to suggest allrounder status might not be far off. With England's seamer stocks low, a T20I debut came towards the end of the season, and he eventually became part of the ODI World Cup squad in India as an injury replacement for Reece Topley.

His breakthrough came on the Test tour of Pakistan in 2024-25. His stamina and speed proved a crucial weapon in overcoming a lifeless Multan wicket to secure a memorable England win, and he confirmed his credentials with a ten-wicket display in England's subsequent victory over New Zealand in Christchurch. His extertions came at a cost though, and after limping out of the Champions Trophy in February 2025, he underwent surgery on a badly damaged left toe.

South Africa-born but having honed his craft in the northeast, Carse pushed his way on to England's radar with an impressive 2019 season, winning a place on the Lions tour to Australia. He was Durham's joint-leading wicket-taker in the Royal London Cup, and claimed 35 wickets at 26.85 in the Championship, as he put two seasons of injury frustration behind him. In Australia, Carse claimed eight wickets in four matches as the Lions went unbeaten, which included a maiden first-class win over Australia A in a day-night match at the MCG.

Carse had first shone for Durham at both ends of a 2016 summer that also saw him succumb to injury in mid-season. He made his first-class debut against Durham MCCU and finished with 17 wickets in eight matches.

His first appearance in the northeast was as an overseas professional for Burnmoor in the Durham League in 2014, where he played mainly as a batter who bowled occasional seam-up. Carse, whose dad, James Carse, played county cricket for Northamptonshire in the 1980s, has a UK passport and completed his England residency qualification in 2019.
ESPNcricinfo staff