Jim Maxwell says England’s bowling ranks “look a bit thin” following the retirements of Stuart Broad and James Anderson, with Ben Stokes’ absence making the problem worse for whoever takes charge of the Test side going forward.
“He’s going to somehow have to find, particularly in the absence of Stokes, some penetrative bowlers. Because since Broad and Anderson have gone, the ranks are looking a bit thin.”
Jim Maxwell, YouTube, 2026
Maxwell, the ABC commentator who has called more than 350 Test matches across five decades, is not someone who makes throwaway remarks about England cricket. He has watched English teams tour Australia since the early 1980s and holds a standing place on BBC’s Test Match Special. When he says the ranks are thin, it carries the weight of someone who has seen every version of England’s bowling since Botham.
The timing matters. Stephen Fleming was appointed England’s Test coach three days ago, with Joe Root returning as captain. Marcus Trescothick takes interim charge for three Tests against Pakistan this summer before Fleming begins a four-year deal starting with the South Africa tour in December. Maxwell’s comments land directly on Fleming’s desk.
What makes this criticism sharper is how different it sounds from what Maxwell was saying nine months ago.
What happened to the bowlers Maxwell backed
Before the 2025-26 Ashes, Maxwell spoke on the Guerilla Cricket podcast and specifically praised England’s pace options. He named the bowlers he expected to cause damage in Australia.
“That’s where Archer, and Wood, and Carse can shake up the Australian batting, they can have them nicking off.”
Jim Maxwell, Sunday Service with Church and Vickers podcast, Guerilla Cricket, November 15, 2025
Every one of those three bowlers has since broken down or underperformed. Mark Wood was injured after bowling just 11 overs in the Ashes and is unlikely to play Test cricket again. Jofra Archer was injured out of the final two Tests and his long-term availability remains unclear, with IPL commitments taking priority. Brydon Carse was the only bowler to play all five Tests but was expensive and wayward throughout, with Mark Waugh describing his pitch map during the Brisbane Test as “third-grade standard.” Carse has since been injured out of the IPL and is unavailable.
Then came Stokes’ retirement on June 28, announced during the penultimate day of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. England lost that series 2-1. A 15-year career and four-year Test captaincy ended with Stokes saying he had “no more fight” left.
The combined loss of Broad, Anderson, Stokes, and effectively Wood represents over 1,600 Test wickets of experience. This is England’s first home summer since 2007 without all of Anderson, Broad, and Chris Woakes available together.
What Fleming inherits is Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson as the only established options. Tongue was England’s best bowler in Australia with 18 wickets in three matches. Atkinson had a breakthrough debut year in 2024 but was dropped during the Ashes before a hamstring injury ended his tour. Behind them, the options are Sam Cook performing well in county cricket, Ollie Robinson returning as Sussex captain but carrying a rift with management, and Sonny Baker as an unproven bolter with raw pace. Archer’s long-term commitment to Test cricket remains uncertain.
Sources:
[Jim Maxwell, Guerilla Cricket, November 15, 2025]
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