NATIONAL Academy director Rod Marsh has hinted that the short but successful Test career of Martin Saggers might not be over, even though he was overlooked for the winter tour to South Africa.

The chances of the Kent bowler making the trip were hampered by missing the second half of the season with knee tendonitis.

However, Marsh’s comments suggest he is still very much in the selectors' thoughts, and the former Australian wicket-keeper also mentioned Kent youngster David Stiff.

Marsh said: “I believe you need at least 10 fast bowlers in a battery if you are to be successful at the highest level, given that it fast bowlers that win the majority of Test matches

“Jon Lewis, Saggers, Matthew Hoggard, Stiff, Simon Jones, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Liam Plunkett, Jimmy Anderson, and Sajit Mahmood looks like the best group of fast bowlers in the world. They are all at the right age. I have always said 25 to 35 are the best years of a fast bowler's life.”

Saggers will be 33 next May.