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King’s pace ace Chris is making swift progress

26/ 3/2008

King’s School fast bowler Chris Connolly has one ambition - to open the bowling for England.

The six foot five inch prodigy has already played for England under-15s and the North of England at under-17 level as well as the Cheshire county team.

His next step is to graduate to the England under-17 set up this Summer. Signed up by the Lancashire academy, he has already been clocked at 82 m.p.h. and says, "I want to bowl at 95 m.p.h".

King’s Cricket coach Steve Moores, the brother of England coach Peter Moores, said: "He is the fastest bowler I have seen at King’s in the last 30 years. But not only does he have pace, he has control as well.

"He has as good a chance of making it as any player I have seen here, but of course it all depends on how he matures from now both physically and mentally.

"Part of the Lancashire Academy, he is certainly in the right place to develop his talents.

Chris, who trains with Lancashire twice a week under the wing of coach Terry Holt, represents Ellworth in the South Cheshire and North Staffordshire League and will open the bowling for King’s this Summer.

Earlier this year he toured Sri Lanka with the King’s Cricket Squad meeting Peter Moores, Monty Panesar and Matt Prior.

"It was a fantastic trip," he said. "It must be a great life to be an international cricketer."

A good judge he counts Australian fast bowlers Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee plus England all-rounder Freddie Flintoff as his cricketing idols and is working hard to improve his batting and fielding as well as his bowling.

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