Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes was hit for six when he was named as the pivotal all-rounder in England’s new-look Ashes side.
But nothing could have prepared his Edgbaston colleagues for their astonishment when their team-mate was confirmed in the line-up for the Fifth Test at The Oval.
The most Woakes himself had expected was to be carrying the drinks during breaks in the action. Some of his county colleagues were hoping he would return to bolster the injury-hit Bears in their domestic fixtures.
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Instead the Great Barr-born youngster was presented with a first Test cap by hero Sir Ian Botham to make his sporting dreams come true.
And by noon he was bowling his first overs in Test cricket, but soon found that there was no room for error at the game’s highest level when Aussie batsman Shane Watson clubbed him for a succession of boundaries. His early figures read 0-30 off six overs – and radio pundit Geoffrey Boycott claimed the Warwickshire player’s 80mph bowling “would not trouble his mother.”
However, this somewhat unfair criticism could not dilute the immense pride felt by Edgbaston staff who had helped 24-year-old Woakes develop from an athletic kid who was jack of all trades, into the latest cricket hero wannabe ready to step into the all-rounder’s shoes previously worn by Botham and Andrew Flintoff.
Woakes began his county affiliation with Warwickshire when he was a lanky 11-year-old.
Ed McCabe, cricket development manager at Edgbaston, has monitored the all-rounder’s progress from his days as a promising young lad who played for fun.
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Kent-born McCabe said: “Everyone at Warwickshire was really chuffed when Chris was named in the squad and we really did not expect him to make the final 11. He has always been an excellent athlete and is one of the most grounded individuals you could meet so he should be able to handle any pressure.
“I always saw him more as a bowler but he is one of those players who is a genuine all-round talent and is an outstanding fielder.”
Before joining the county as a professional, Woakes played for local club sides Aston Manor and Walmley.
“Club cricket gave him that extra edge. It is an excellent grounding for any young player because the standard in the West Midlands is so high. There is nowhere to hide, but Chris was always highly-rated by his fellow club players.
“He gained match experience but at that time there was nothing to indicate he would be that special. His stats were good but not that amazing,” added Mr McCabe. Villa-fan Woakes was born in March 1989 in Birmingham, and attended Barr Beacon Language College from 2000-2007. He began playing cricket when he was seven years old, starting out with Aston Manor before moving to Walmley.
He then played three games in the 2006 Minor Counties Trophy for Herefordshire, and for Warwickshire’s under-15, under-17, Academy and Second XI teams between 2004 and 2007.
In April 2009, Woakes was chosen to play for the England Lions in a warm-up match against the West Indies. In the first innings, he achieved bowling figures of 6-43 (including the wickets of Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul) as the West Indies were bowled out for 203.
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During the same season he scored 131 not out against Hampshire, his maiden first-class century, batting at number nine and sharing a 222-run partnership with Jonathan Trott.
Woakes made his International Twenty20 debut in January 2011 against Australia in Adelaide. Opening the bowling, he took figures of 1-34, taking the wicket of Australian captain Cameron White with his final delivery. He later scored the winning runs, as England won off the last ball with just one wicket left and one run required. He has since gone on to win four T20 International caps and 13 ODI caps.
During his domestic career Woakes has made 82 First Class appearances for the Bears and boasts a batting average of 37.67 and 25.48 with the ball, having made six hundreds and taken 13 five-wicket hauls.
According to McCabe, much of that success can be attributed to the coaching skills of county stalwarts Steve Perryman and the late Neal Abberley.
“They were the main coaches when Chris went through the Warwickshire youth system and they must be given credit for his development,” said Ed McCabe.
His pace is deceptive and experts claim that the longer form of the game is most suited to Woakes.
Bears’ chief coach Dougie Brown agrees. He added: “He moves the ball both ways, he gives you control and he has proved with us that he can bowl out good teams.
“As a batsman he has scored a lot of important runs for us in recent years, but the exciting thing is that he is yet to reach the upper levels of his game.
He had a tough winter and did not get much opportunity to play red-ball cricket while he was with England in New Zealand, but, to his credit, he has come back and worked hard on all aspects of his game.
“His desire to keep giving his game attention and time shows that he is determined to sustain a career at the highest level. He is a top character and a very down-to-earth bloke.”