Newman P: Players to watch in the Eng Season 1994 (24Apr94)

Gallian stands out as bright Test prospect The young players to watch this season

By Paul Newman

A bowler born in Yorkshire playing for Lancashire; a batsman from Manchester appearing for Yorkshire and an Australian who has pledged his future to England are, in their cosmopolitan ways, three of the brightest prospects in county cricket. Glen Chapple, Michael Vaughan and Jason Gallian have already given glimpses of their considerable potential in fledgling careers. Now they are all likely to be handed extended first team chances while just behind them is Danny Law, the strapping Sussex paceman who took 10 wickets for England A against Middlesex IIs last week. Disregarding those who have progressed to England A level, it is still easy to pick 'four to watch' when previewing the season and it is the Anglo- Australian who may make the biggest impact. Gallian, 22, born in Sydney of English parents, captained Oxford University last season, scoring a century in the University Match in opposition to Cambridge captain John Crawley. Now the pair are carrying responsibility at the top of a young Lancashire batting order. "Jason is a tight, solid batsman and we see him filling the Barry Wood role of a top-order player who can bowl," said Lancashire coach David Lloyd. "He's a lively medium pacer and we're looking to maximise his bowling." Gallian, who qualifies for England this season, has been earmarked as Mike Atherton's opening Lancashire partner with Crawley at No 3. It will give the England captain a close look at someone Lloyd insists will soon be a Test prospect. "Jason captained Australia Under-19s when they included Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden and he has a tremendous Australian-type winning attitude," said Lloyd. "But he's very much English and has set his stall out to play for us. I think it'll happen sooner rather than later." Vaughan, 19, is another with captaincy credentials. The Yorkshire opener led England Under-19s in Sri Lanka during the winter and coach Graham Saville said: "He's a very exciting boy. Michael has a nice personality, but has got an aura about him that commands respect from his team-mates. I understand Yorkshire rate him, so I've got him in my fantasy team!" Chapple, 20 and also of Lancashire, having been born in Skipton, is described by Saville as "very similar to Neil Foster". Lloyd believes he will figure more in Lancashire's four-day team than the one-day team this year. "Glen was on stand-by for the last England A tour and I think he should have gone," he said. "He's with us full-time now, having played for the Under-19s since he was 16, and he's a good athlete. He's worked hard on his fitness and there will be opportunities for him and Peter Martin to impress, particularly when Wasim Akram leaves in July." Law's path into the Sussex side may be initially blocked by the likes of Paul Jarvis, welcomed into their seambowling ranks this year, and Ed Giddins. But there is no doubting his pedigree. "I would've called Danny the best prospect in the country before our Sri Lankan tour, but he had a bad time there," said Saville. "Now he looks back to his best after Uxbridge."

(Thanks : Sunday Telegraph)