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Top 5 Ashes newcomers: Mark Wood and Josh Hazlewood make our list

Which new names are set to star in the Ashes?

Mark Wood

Wood epitomises the word newcomer as not much was known a few months ago about the Durham paceman.

England had been keeping tabs on him after an impressive 2013 for his county but injuries and being a late developer to the game has limited him to just 26 first class appearances for his 25 years, denying the paying public too many chances to see him in action.

Leader of the Durham fan club, Steve Harmison, championed him though and in his first taste of Test cricket against New Zealand earlier this summer, it’s easy to see why, as Wood showcased the sort of pace that has been missing from the England attack since Harmison’s days in the side.

Adam Voges

ROSEAU, DOMINICA - JUNE 04:  Adam Voges of Australia celebrates after reaching his maiden century in his debut test during day two of the First Test match
Image: Adam Voges celebrates after hitting a maiden century in his debut Test for Australia against the West Indies

It’s not the first time Australia have drafted in a 35-year-old county cricket veteran to combat England’s bowlers and conditions. Chris Rogers scored a maiden Test ton, averaged over 40 and has gone on to play 20 Tests after being drafted in for the 2013 Ashes.

Voges now gets his chance internationally, after plundering county attacks up and down the country, most recently for Middlesex earlier this year. He made his Australian debut on the recent tour to the West Indies and his 130 not out in his first innings suggests the step-up hasn’t  exactly phased him.

More from The Ashes 2015

Adil Rashid

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Adil Rashid gives his thoughts on being included in the England squad ahead of the 1st Ashes test on July 8.

England have a mystery leg-spinner up their sleeve, meaning the only one they'll have to worry about facing in this Ashes series, is Rashid in the nets. 

Rashid received his first call-up to the Test squad in 2008, but is still yet to make his debut. He did return to the one-day set-up earlier this summer though and did well, taking eight wickets, joint second-most in a series dominated by the bat. Moeen Ali is still England's number one spinner, but Rashid could play if England decide to go with two, particularly in the first Test at Cardiff.

Fawad Ahmed

Image: Fawad Ahmed has yet to make his Test debut for Australia, but could the Pakistan-born legspinner make his bow in the Ashes?

Scrap what I said earlier, Australia do have a leggie of their own, in 33-year-old, Pakistan-born Ahmed. Similar to Rashid though, he is likely to only earn a place in the Australian team as a second spinner, particularly if Nathan Lyon and his ‘mystery deliveries’ are to be believed.

Ahmed came close to selection on the 2013 tour only to be overlooked initially for 19-year-old Ashton Agar, and then Lyon. He has beaten out Agar for the second spinner spot this year and if Lyon struggles in the early Tests, could do the same to Lyon.

Josh Hazlewood

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Sky Sports sits down with man-of-the-series from the Caribbean, Josh Hazelwood, ahead of the 2015 Ashes

Hazlewood has given the Australian selectors a bit of a headache – in a good way – ahead of the first Ashes Test in Cardiff. Up until a month ago, Australia’s attack of Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc picked itself.

But 12 wickets in two Tests in the West Indies at an astonishing average of 8.83 has seen him fight his way into contention. His probing line and length style is an ideal fit for English conditions and perfect foil for the searing pace of Johnson and Starc. It likely leaves him battling the oft-injured Harris for a place in the side.

Watch the first Ashes Test between England and Australia, which gets underway on Wednesday, July 8. Coverage begins on the Sky Sports Ashes channel at 10am.

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