‘He’s bought an excellent cricket mind… he is 21 however already our greatest participant’: The making of England’s subsequent all-rounder James Coles – and why an uncapped newbie fisherman fetched £390,000 on the Hundred public sale

Over coffee in Hove on Wednesday, James Coles told his Sussex coach Paul Farbrace he had heard there would be interest in his signature at yesterday’s Hundred auction in central London.

There was rather more than that. When the Lord’s-based London Spirit franchise forked out £390,000 for his services – £359,000 more than Southern Brave paid in 2025 – it made the 21-year-old Coles the day’s most expensive signing, and hurried him along his journey from happy-go-lucky county cricketer to potential England all-rounder.

‘Three years ago, he used to rock up anytime between half nine and 10 o’clock, wearing his Crocs, shorts, coat and headphones,’ Farbrace tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘Now, he’s looking like a cricketer.

‘Each year, you see the progression: he’s getting better and better. I have no doubt he’ll play international cricket as an out-and-out batter anywhere in the top order, and as a first or second-choice spinner.

‘I’m surprised by the amount he’s gone for, but I’m not surprised he’s one of the most sought-after English cricketers.’

Coles, who bats right-handed but bowls spin with his left, is known by his county team-mates as the King of Oxford, where he went to school. But his is no tale of a silver spoon.

James Coles was the most expensive signing at the Hundred auction this week, with London Spirit forking out £390,000 for his services

Coles, who bats right-handed but bowls spin with his left, already has eight first-class hundreds to his name

The 21-year-old (centre) has impressed with England Lions of late, taking 10 wickets at nine each in four white-ball games against Pakistan Shaheens

He wears a glucose monitor on his arm following a diabetes diagnosis, while a winter of white-ball cricket – ranging from the Hong Kong Sixes to the Abu Dhabi T10, and from the SA20 to England Lions – has exposed him to the habits and mindsets of some of the world’s best players.

Coles enjoyed chatting with former South Africa Test opener Neil McKenzie, and has struck up a strong rapport with England T20 opener Phil Salt. 

And while at UAE Bulls in the T10 tournament, he learned from his West Indian team-mate Rovman Powell’s ferocious ball-striking ability.

This penchant for absorbing lessons quickly and assimilating them into his own game speaks to a broader intelligence that keeps cricket in perspective and has seen him develop a love of Indian street food under the guidance of Sussex’s Saurashtran left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat, and hone the passion for fishing he first formed on an England Under-19 tour of Sri Lanka. Everything he catches, he has pointed out, goes back in the water.

It is quite a rise from the player Farbrace failed to recognise when he became Sussex coach three years ago. But his anonymity didn’t last long. 

Not long after Farbrace’s arrival at Hove, he watched Coles – already Sussex’s youngest first-class cricketer, aged just 16 – score a century for the Second XI against Kent, and drafted him straight into the Championship team.

Coles responded with 74 against Gloucestershire, before making 70 against Leicestershire in his third game and 138 against Glamorgan in his fourth. He has never looked back.

He already has eight first-class centuries to his name, and last month in Abu Dhabi made progress with his slow left-armers, taking 10 wickets at nine each in four white-ball games for England Lions against Pakistan Shaheens before political developments in the Gulf caused the tour to be aborted.

‘He could easily be our captain,’ says Coles’ coach at Sussex, Paul Farbrace. ‘He’s got a brilliant cricket brain, and he’s very popular in the dressing room’

A fast learner, Coles has developed a penchant for Indian street food and enjoys fishing in his spare time

‘He could easily be our captain,’ says Farbrace. ‘He’s got a brilliant cricket brain, and he’s very popular in the dressing room. 

‘He’s only 21, but he’s our best player. He’ll play the odd daft shot like any young player will, but he learns quickly. He’s a brilliant catcher at slip, and tactically is very good. His fitness is improving all the time.’

London Spirit head coach Andy Flower, who worked with Coles at UAE Bulls – and whose brother, Grant, has helped Coles with his batting at Sussex – admitted his side had paid more than they had expected to, but was in no doubt it was money well spent.

‘He’s obviously got certain physical talents that are going to stand him in good stead, but I enjoyed his curiosity. And for a young guy he’s quite ambitious, which is good because he’s got the confidence to rate himself a little in a nice way. That self-belief is very important when you’re playing high-quality competition.

‘He will allow us to be flexible with our order, and we think he’s got future potential as well. Banking a young English player with such potential is really exciting for the franchise.’