Ryan Sidebottom was the last left-arm seamer to play Test cricket for England and Mark Footitt, who is likely to become the next, is hoping to follow the example of his former Nottinghamshire team-mate by becoming an international success relatively late in his career.
Footitt’s 158 first-class wickets at an average of 21.57 for Derbyshire over the past two seasons not only earned him a move to a Division One county in Surrey but also propelled him into the Test squad for the four-match series against South Africa ahead of Yorkshire’s Liam Plunkett.
England have been desperately searching for a left-arm fast bowler since being destroyed by Australia’s Mitchell Johnson during the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash.
Footitt, 30, is able to bowl regularly at 90mph, drawing inevitable comparisons to Johnson. However, his inspiration is Sidebottom, who was overlooked for six years after making his England debut against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2001 – he failed to take a wicket in that Test and was immediately discarded – but returned at the age of 29 in May 2007 to take 79 wickets in his next 21 Tests.
“I was at Notts when Ryan was there and playing for England so back then it was very much trying to learn from him and speaking to him,” said Footitt, who started his career at Trent Bridge a decade ago before being released in 2009.
“I still speak to him sometimes nowadays. I have taken a lot from him playing one Test match and then coming back at a later age and doing well. It gives you that belief that, whatever age you are, you’ve still got a chance of playing international cricket.”
Of those comparisons to Johnson Footitt said: “It’s nice to be compared to bowlers like that. But I’m just me really and I’ll go out and do what I do best.”
Footitt had been on England’s radar for a while but it was only when Trevor Bayliss took over as coach after Peter Moores had been sacked that his international ambitions gained momentum. Called up for the pre-Ashes bonding trip to the Desert Springs resort in southern Spain he was promoted into the squad for the fourth Test against Australia at Trent Bridge.
That experience, and watching Stuart Broad run through Australia to set up a series-clinching win, made Footitt even more determined to break through into the Test team on this tour.
“My first day of the Ashes was brilliant with Broady taking eight-for and bowling Australia out for 60,” he said. “It gives you a great hunger in wanting to be involved and wanting to play for England. Being in that squad and being around the guys was brilliant. It just gave you the hunger to get your foot in that door.”
With his foot firmly wedged in that door Footitt will hope to bar entry to Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan and take his place in England’s attack alongside James Anderson and Broad at Kingsmead in Durban on Boxing Day.
“I think I’m 100% ready,” he said. “I’ve had a good two or three years in county cricket and after stepping into the nets with the [England] lads I know my game and I know I’m as ready as I can be.”
It has not been an easy road for Footitt, who rebuilt his career at Derbyshire after overcoming a career-threatening procedure to remove a disc in his back in 2012.
“I think you just have to enjoy every day,” he said. “It took a long time for me to get here but things happen and people develop at different ages and I seem to have developed a bit better in the past two or three years.
“I think it’s just getting to a certain age and learning your game. When I was younger I was very raw, very pacy but didn’t have much accuracy. But hard work has got me to where I am today. It’s just an exciting time to be here really.”
Footitt will hope to crank up the excitement levels during England’s opening three-day tour match against a South Africa XI in Potchefstroom that starts . If he can impress in that game and the second warm-up match against South Africa A in Pietermaritzburg, Footitt will have every chance of making his Test debut.
And, just in case he gets the call, Sidebottom has already given his former team-mate some sage advice. “He told me to just keep it simple really,” said Footitt. “That’s what he does – tries to hit a line and length and swing it back as much as he can and that’s what we’ve talked about.”
