Brydon Carse is a right-arm fast bowler from South Africa who has been playing for England since 2021. He is the latest addition to England’s 15-member squad for the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup, replacing the injured Reece Topley. Carse was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on July 31, 1995. He is the son of former Zimbabwe first-class cricketer James Alexander Carse, who also played for Northamptonshire in England’s first-class county cricket.
Carse played his first competitive cricket for Eastern Province in the CSA Provincial T20 Challenge. Because of his British ancestry, Carse was qualified to play county cricket as a local. He signed with Durham in 2016 and picked up 17 wickets from nine matches at an average of 35.70 in his debut FC season. Pleased with the youngster’s performance, the English club offered him a two-year extension.
Carse faced struggles in the next two years, with injuries keeping him out of action. He played just two county matches in 2017 and missed the whole of the 2018 season owing to a knee injury. Despite the absence, Durham showed faith in the South Africa-born pacer and handed him a three-year contract in September 2018.
The trust paid off well as Carse returned with a bang in the 2019 domestic season, accounting for 35 first-class wickets at an average of 26.85. He also picked up 10 wickets in seven matches at 22.30 in the One-Day Cup. His best performance was 6 for 26 against Middlesex in Durham’s 44-run victory at Lord’s.
After serving three years in England’s domestic circuit, Carse was eligible to play for England at the international level. He earned his debut for England Lions on the tour of Australia in 2020. He claimed four wickets in two matches against Cricket Australia XI but was ruled out of the following tour in 2021 after suffering a torn cartilage in his right knee.
In July 2021, Carse was drafted in the second-string 18-member squad led by all-rounder Ben Stokes after seven players from the original England contingent tested positive for COVID-19. Carse finished with six wickets at 22.67 on his debut international assignment. In the final ODI in Birmingham, the Durham pacer bagged 5 for 61, including the dismissals of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Sohaib Maqsood.
Carse has been dubbed to fill the shoes of Liam Plunkett in the middle overs after the latter quit English cricket to join Major League Cricket in the USA. The 28-year-old has picked up 14 wickets in 12 ODIs at 33.92. In August this year, Carse made his T20I debut for England in the four-match series against New Zealand. He mustered 3 for 23 in his first match in Chester-le-Street, including the key wicket of the dangerous Finn Allen.
Carse is a promising young bowler with a lot of potential. He is quick, accurate and can swing the ball both ways. He is also a decent batsman and can chip in with some useful runs lower down the order. Carse will be looking to make a big impact in the 2023 World Cup. He is a good replacement for Topley and could play a key role in England’s bid to retain their title.
Here is a summary of Brydon Carse’s career statistics so far:
First-class cricket
Matches: 47
Wickets: 151
Average: 26.58
Best bowling: 6 for 26
List A cricket
Matches: 36
Wickets: 55
Average: 28.54
Best bowling: 5 for 61
T20 cricket
Matches: 29
Wickets: 35
Average: 24.25
Best bowling: 3 for 23
International cricket
ODIs: 12
Wickets: 14
Average: 33.92
Best bowling: 5 for 61
T20Is: 1
Wickets: 3
Average: 7.66
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