One of the best new ball bowlers in county cricket
Ben Coad is an outstanding, skilful new ball bowler, one who took his 200th first-class wicket in 2022. His current haul of 210 has come at an eye-catching average of 20.26.
Coad, 29, missed the first half of last summer through injury but impressed with 18 wickets in five Championship matches upon his return. He also struck a career best 69 down the order in a tight home defeat with Essex – the same fixture in which he took his milestone wicket.
Coad was also outstanding in the One-Day Cup. In taking eight wickets in eight outings, he only conceded a remarkable 3.95 runs per over.
A potent weapon in Yorkshire’s attack since debuting in Championship cricket in 2016, it is a significant surprise that he is yet to earn any kind of England recognition.
Coad made his county one-day debut in 2013 and his T20 debut in 2015, with his first-class debut coming a year later – as aforementioned. He quickly nailed down a place courtesy of an impressive breakthrough summer in 2017, when he claimed 50 Championship wickets and was named the Members’ and Players’ Player of the Year. In 2018, he followed that up with 48 wickets in only nine Championship matches.
Coad, who graduated through the Academy, claimed a six-wicket haul in the opening Championship game of his maiden full season, against Hampshire at Headingley.
