Saqib Mahmood reaping the benefits of working with James Anderson

With Stuart Broad and Anderson expected to retire from the Test team in the not-too-distant future, and the 50-over four-year cycle about to conclude for better or worse for England at this World Cup, Mahmood, 22, stands poised

Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood is expected to be part of England’s future, but in the meantime he could not be having a better education, under James Anderson’s wing.

County cricket has its critics, but there is a lot to be said for having Anderson at mid-on as you bowl, or vice-versa. On the golf course is a different matter, however.

With Stuart Broad and Anderson expected to retire from the Test team in the not-too-distant future, and the 50-over four-year cycle about to conclude for better or worse for England at this World Cup, Mahmood, 22, stands poised.

He was the leading wicket-taker in this season’s Royal London One-Day Cup, with 28. In the Championship he has played four matches so far, taking eight wickets at 32, with Anderson taking an astonishing 28 at 8.64 apiece. Mahmood also has team-mate Graham Onions to watch – he has taken 25 at 18.68.

“It’s great to talk about bowling with James,” Mahmood told The Cricketer. “You also learn a lot simply by watching, and fielding at mid-on when he is bowling. I like to learn for myself as well, but James – and Graham – have given me clarity and focus.

“James and I get on well, but I tend to avoid him on the golf course. I took it up recently as everyone else seemed to play it, but James just laughs at me, which is not ideal.”

^{Mahmood bowls at the opening of the new Leyton Urban Cricket Centre}

Mahmood was born in Birmingham, but moved to Greater Manchester when young. He played club cricket for Thornham CC and Middleton CC, and broke into the Lancashire first XI at 17. “I’d been taking an A-Level in PE and when I came out I saw four missed calls from Ashley Giles [then director of cricket]. I played against Derbyshire at Old Trafford and took one for 14 in three overs. I’d never played in front of such a huge crowd before.

“I wasn’t available for finals day that year as I broke my nail bed on one of the fingers on my bowling hand, and in 2017 and 2018 I had some side strains so that was frustrating. The theory is that the scar tissues from those injuries strengthen you though, and 2019 has been so far so good.

“I was picked for England Lions in white-ball cricket on the back of my red-ball form, so it’s been good this year to show what I can do for Lancashire in the 50-over game.”

Mahmood has accumulated a fair bit of experience with England representative sides. In 2016 he played in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. “We reached the quarter-finals and it was a good experience, but there were security concerns at the time so we had five weeks stuck in a hotel – at least I got to beat Sam Curran a lot at FIFA.”

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In 2017 he played for the Lions in the one-day tri-series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and that winter was part of the squad shadowing the England senior side at the Ashes. “I netted with the England team at The Gabba and was that was good to see how they built up in preparation for a Test match. It was great bowling at Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali.”

Then last winter he was part of the Lions squad in the Caribbean.

His preparation has been nothing if not thorough.

Mahmood, meanwhile, had the chance to hand down some tips himself to youngsters at the new Leyton Urban Cricket Centre.

The Cricketer reported how the ground near Leyton Tube station – formerly a popular ground for Essex in the County Championship – is being regenerated.

Mahmood was there with Graham Gooch, and they gave the new indoor facilities a big thumbs up.

The cricket hub was created by Waltham Forest Council in conjunction with the ECB and Essex CCC.

The opening marked a year since the launch of the ECB’s South Asian Action Plan. For more detailed information visit ecb.co.uk/southasiancricket or email SouthAsianCricket@ecb.co.uk