By Luke Baker

CRAIG Miles’ stock continues to rise but former England batsman Mark Butcher believes his ability to back up a bright summer will be the Gloucestershire bowler’s acid test.

In 2013 a teenage Miles took 43 first-class wickets, before an injury-interrupted season limited him to just 18 the following season – albeit at less than 20 runs apiece.

But he came back with a bang this summer and, after reaching 50 red-ball scalps for the first time, Miles has caught the eye of the England selectors.

The 21-year-old, who featured in Gloucestershire’s dramatic Royal London Cup final triumph over Surrey on Saturday, has been called into England’s Performance Programme in South Africa this winter for a fast-bowling camp.

And while Butcher believes the call-up is deserved, he has warned Miles that carrying his form into next season will have an important bearing on his development.

“Craig Miles is a young bowler that’s picked up big bags of wickets in Division Two,” he said. “I’ve been impressed on the times that I’ve seen him and he generates really good pace, and looks to be somebody that can only get quicker.

“He’ll have batsmen hopping around a bit which is something we always need more of in the county game.

“Of course, when you break through like that onto the scene, and you’re a bit of a surprise to batsmen around the circuit, it can be a help for you.

“But you’ve got to stay fit, you’ve got to be pretty resilient to be a fast bowler in county cricket because of the amount of cricket that gets played and he’s shown that he’s got that in bags.”

LV= Breakthrough Player of the Year nominee Miles will join a handful of fellow fast-bowling prospects in South Africa, with Craig and Jamie Overton, Tymal Mills, Jake Ball and Olly Stone also selected for the ten-day camp.

They will link up with the EPP’s lead fast-bowling coach, Kevin Shine, and hope to follow in the footsteps of recent Test graduate Mark Wood.

Butcher added: “Being recognised by England is always fantastic, you feel as though you’re on the right path to realising your dream for playing for the Test side eventually so it’s a real achievement.

“It’s not the be-all and end-all, but of course, if your name is in there and you impress while you’re away on that trip then you’re never that far away from perhaps making a tour, or maybe even making your debut.”

For more reaction and a look back at this season’s LV= County Championship visit LV.com/cricket