Brydon Carse has bold Ashes prediction for England and hails Ben Stokes' style of leadership

The 27-year-old South Africa-born seamer - who will suit up for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred in August - has emerged as a contender to add depth to England’s bowling department after a strong winter due to the fact he offers a point of difference with his express pace.

Carse has made nine appearances for the one-day squad since debuting in July 2021 and has the autumn’s 50-over World Cup in India firmly on the radar.

But with Jofra Archer ruled out for the Ashes and Olly Stone missing for the start of the series, Carse had been climbing up the pecking order, only for a side injury to curtail his rise.

Back in action for Durham in the T20 this weekend and a contender to come into the frame towards the end of the series if injuries pile up, he will have to settle for being an interested spectator when the Ashes gets underway at Edgbaston on Friday.

“The Ashes is going to be great, exciting cricket,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“It’ll be tough cricket for both teams at certain times but I’m massively routing for England.

“I think we’re looking at a 4-1 win. The brand of cricket they’re playing has caught the eye of all cricket watchers these last 15 months.

“For me, I’m very ambitious, I’ve just come back off a slight niggle the last couple of weeks, so back playing this weekend.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into that England mix towards the back end of the summer.”

What fills him with confidence about England’s chances in the Ashes is the example set by their captain, and his team-mate at Durham, Ben Stokes.

“Playing and being around Ben Stokes at Durham and a little bit here and there, he’s not going to change the way he plays, otherwise it would be going against the way he wants to play the game,” said Carse, who played for the England Lions in Sri Lanka over the winter.

“From knowing Ben a little bit I can’t see that changing. They’re obviously going to come up against a world class team in Australia, and they’re going to have their challenges at certain points, but Ben is someone that no matter what team he’s playing in he’s a strong character, he wants the best out of everyone, he’s a winner and he’s never going to give up.

“The captaincy hasn’t changed him as a person, what you see on the field is what you get off the field.”

Carse was speaking at a Northern Superchargers event at Headingley where he and Phoebe Franklin, who has been drafted by the women’s team, were hosting a cricketing workshop with 500 pupils from 12 schools across Leeds, Wakefield and Sheffield.

Carse, who missed last year’s Hundred due to injury, said: “I think the Hundred is great, the crowds, the atmosphere, it’s outstanding to play in as a player and I’ve heard a lot of good thing from friends and families with kids about how much they enjoy it.

“Let’s hope that this season it’s as good, if not even better.”