Ed Cowan's aim at the start of last season was to establish himself at the top of the New South Wales order. He did that, playing every Pura Cup game and six one-dayers and securing himself a place at the Academy in 2007. With the possibility of higher honours for Phil Jaques, Cowan will be even more important for the Blues in 2007-08. A highly-talented left-hand opening batsman, Cowan had a quiet pre-Christmas period but made his first two Pura Cup centuries in the new year and finished with 640 runs at 30.47. His 108 against Tasmania helped set up an innings victory and he recorded 128 as the Blues drew with Queensland at Sydney. He was just as effective in the limited-overs game and averaged 43.20 at a strike-rate of 82. His maiden one-day hundred - 119 from 120 balls - came as the Blues posted 295 against Victoria at Canberra. It was an encouraging year after Cowan played only one ING Cup game in 2005-06. That season he required a reconstruction of the big toe on his left foot after he damaged it while batting in a club match.

Cowan fielded for Australia as a substitute before he had even played for New South Wales. Called from the Members' Bar, he was on the SCG for about five minutes against Pakistan in 2004-05. His state career started in the same season; he played three games but was 12th man for the final victory at the Gabba. In 2003, Cowan was an exchange student to Oxford Brookes University, and after playing first-class matches against English counties for the Academy side twinned with Oxford, he was selected for the British Universities, and scored an unbeaten 137 against Zimbabwe. As a junior, Cowan was the player of the under-17 national championships in Sydney in 1998-99, where he set the record for the highest individual score for a New South Wales player in the tournament's history (218 not out v ACT). He was also a member of the Australian Under-19 World Cup team in Sri Lanka in 2000. Cowan balances his cricket with studies; he has a commerce degree, has worked as an analyst for an investment bank and is studying his masters in applied finance.
Brydon Coverdale June 2007

Australia Under-19s 1999/00

Club: Sydney University

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Jan 11, 2008 Ed Cowan is bowled by Ishant Sharma © AFP

Nov 21, 2007 Ed Cowan takes evasive action as Michael Dighton pulls © Getty Images

Nov 7, 2007 Ed Cowan had a few let-offs on his way to 37 © Getty Images

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