As 2021 draws to a close, Telegraph Sport has ranked the best cricketers based in Britain. The criteria is simple: the players chosen simply have to play the vast majority of their cricket in the United Kingdom – but who comes out on top?

30. Will Rhodes

29. Chris Jordan

28. Dan Lawrence

27. Jack Leach 

26. Craig Overton

25. Zak Crawley

24. Simon Harmer    

23. Rob Yates 

22. Ben Foakes

21. Sam Curran 

20. Rory Burns

Clinging on in Test cricket. Has never kicked on from his hundred in Centurion pre-pandemic. Six ducks in 2021 up to the Boxing Day Test summed up his year and England’s.

19. Olly Stone

Shame he was injured after the New Zealand Test at Edgbaston. Bowled well in both Tests he played, particularly the one in Chennai, and you just hope England can squeeze a few more games out of him.

18. Haseeb Hameed

Great to see Hameed back. Whether he makes it as a Test cricket remains to be seen but how England desperately need to find an opener. Time to live up to being Baby Boycott. 

17. Jason Roy

When he was injured at the Twenty20 World Cup, England’s hopes were shattered. Roy is a terrific white-ball opener in that he is selfless and will just keep playing his shots, rather than thinking of his own numbers.

16. Saqib Mahmood

Quick, skilful with a good yorker and skiddy bouncer. Saqib should have played Test cricket last summer but England were too conservative. He could be the star of 2022.