Profile: David Fulton

Few who have seen Ravi Bopara at close quarters doubt that he will make a success of his international career. A naturally wristy batsman with a full array of attacking options against pace and spin bowling, he has the ability to take any attack apart in any form of the game, while his bowling has more menace and craft about it than is apparent at first glance.

One of the few success stories of England’s World Cup campaign, despite being under bowled by Michael Vaughan, Bopara announced himself on the world stage as a star of the future with his fifty against Sri Lanka, which so nearly got England across the line. His calmness and shot selection in a pressure-cooker environment belied his years, hinting at an inner steeliness, which sets him apart from other young England hopefuls.

As a man he is engaging and without ego. As a player he continues to impress. Having been asked by Graham Gooch to score the runs Andy Flower would have got after the Zimbabwean batsman retired from the game to join Peter Moores’ England, Bopara responded with 147 not out against Glamorgan at Swansea and 229 – his career best – the following week against Northants at Chelmsford.

An untimely thigh injury robbed Moores of his services for the start of the one-day series against the West Indies, but he is on the comeback trail and is undoubtedly one to watch.