DAWSON’S TWEAK
Spinner will improve with Warne’s help
LIAM DAWSON will turn to the greatest of all slow bowlers for advice on how to make the most of his unlikely elevation to england’s No 1 spinner.
The Hampshire all-rounder plans to seek out Shane Warne for tips, now he has leapfrogged adil rashid, Mason Crane and even Lord’s hero Moeen ali in england’s spinning estimation.
‘I will try to catch up with Shane to talk about bowling,’ said Dawson after taking four wickets in england’s first Test victory over South africa.
‘you can only pick the brains of someone who was that good, been that successful and is a legend of the game. I might pick up something that gives me a little edge.’
It is Trevor Bayliss’s way of getting the most out of Moeen — who took 10 wickets at Lord’s — to bestow upon Dawson a lead spinner status you sense has surprised even him, as he too has always been primarily a batsman at county level.
The england coach liked Dawson when he first saw him training, and promoted him to the World Twenty20 squad. Whether he is good enough at Test level remains to be seen.
‘Mo has played a brilliant part for england and will only get better,’ said Dawson when asked if he considered himself england’s No 1. ‘There will be days when he bowls better than me and the other way around. I’m trying to do what I do for Hampshire and that is to be accurate and consistent. That’s what disappointed me about the first innings at Lord’s.’
a first-class record of 155 wickets in 126 games at 36.56 apiece does not suggest front-line spin status. ‘I’m an all-rounder but batting is my strongest suit,’ said Dawson. ‘I can do a good job with the ball and having two strings to your bow is always helpful.’
Temperament, of course, can be more important at Test level than county figures and Dawson has something about him that makes england believe he can be successful. ‘People probably watch and think, “He’s not the best” but I have to use my cricket brain,’ added Dawson. ‘I have always prided myself on being smart. I am always trying to get into a bat- tle and enjoy it, and Test cricket suits that.’
Dawson looks set to keep his spot for the second Test against South africa at Trent Bridge on Friday, with england keen to give a chance to a man who has ducks in three of his four Test innings. RAVI SHASTRI was last night appointed India’s head coach until the 2019 World Cup, after anil Kumble quit the role. The 55- year- old, India’s team director from 2014 to 2016, will be assisted in his new job by Zaheer Khan and rahul Dravid.