By Martin Gough

England's fast-bowling attack was a major reason for the side winning an Ashes series for the first time since 1987.

Australian batsmen batted like rabbits startled by headlights as Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff bowled with pace, bounce, hostility and reverse swing.

England winter squads

But when Jones was injured, England's lack of Test-ready replacements was exposed starkly in the lead-up to the final match at The Oval.

Jones' own development - he had a mediocre record with Glamorgan before being called up - shows that county success is not necessarily the best indicator of potential.

Because of the workload in the county game, with each side seeing more than 90 days' action in a six-month season, express pace is at less of a premium.

But coaches are increasingly looking beyond the county game to spot potential stars early and then manage their development towards the highest stage.

England assistant coach Troy Cooley has been widely credited with making Flintoff, Jones, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard the best bowling quartet in world cricket.

But his job stretches far more widely than that.

"We've got about 35 fast bowlers on the books from Under-15 through to England men," he told BBC Sport.

"You've seen some of the good bowlers around - Jimmy Anderson has gone back [to Lancashire] and done really well and you've got Chris Tremlett sitting in the background.

"You want a good number of players sitting in the background putting pressure on the ones at the top."

You've got some raw natural skills and hopefully you get the right environment to bring those skills together Troy Cooley

The fruits of the England and Wales Cricket Board's fast-bowling programme are there to see in the touring squads to Pakistan and India this winter.

Anderson and Tremlett, the two players who have joined England's squad in the lead up to Tests this summer without playing, are both in the senior squad.

The slow, low pitches of the subcontinent, as well as Cooley's close eye, will provide an ideal finishing school for the two men.

The same goes for Durham's Liam Plunkett, who was a surprise call-up to the one-day squad despite having taken 68 wickets in all forms of county cricket this summer.

Tremlett's path through the one-day side - where he made three appearances this year - to the Test squad is becoming the accepted route to the top level.

Meanwhile, some potential fast-bowling stars of the future will spent the off-season honing their skills at the National Academy at Loughborough.

Stuart Broad, the son of former England opener Chris, has impressed in his first season at Leicestershire, and is one of those Cooley will take a look at next weekend.

Mark Footitt of new county champions Nottinghamshire and Lancashire's Tom Smith will join him, although they have made just one Championship appearance each.

Footitt and Broad will both be at the National Academy

"You've got some raw natural skills and hopefully you get the right environment to bring those skills together," says Cooley.

"Once the academy team is announced we go into full swing, getting the information together so we can write individual programmes for these players.

"Some of these players we've been monitoring, some we may have not had through the academy so we have to pull together the background information."

Cooley is reluctant to discuss individual players, saying "I'm not going to put that pressure on them now".

For those indulging in some future start-spotting, though, he does mention Glamorgan's Adam Harrison and Maurice Chambers of Essex.

Cooley adds: "There's a good backlog of players in there but those who want to take the next step will start to shine through.

"You've got a chance to see shortfalls coming up in the next five years and see people who can step into different roles."

Flintoff, Jones, Harmison and Hoggard provide some big shoes to fill, but England are confident they already have the raw materials.