ADIL’S KEEN FOR GLOBAL GLORY AGAIN
WORLD CUP hero Adil Rashid has gone back to his childhood days of bowling googlies on the family driveway to keep spirits up during the lockdown and get in a touch of cricket practice.
Indoors, he sits in his lounge and spins a cricket ball from one hand to the other, with as many revs as he can get from his fingers, to help keep his wrist supple.
That is sporting life now for the leg-spin ace who was a crucial player in England’s incredible World Cup triumph last summer.
Rashid played with a shoulder injury through that tournament, as injections kept him going.
There were fears the problem could threaten his career, but the 32-year-old is confident he has some years left withyorkshire and England.
“The shoulder is going well,” said Rashid yesterday from his home in Bradford via a zoom conference call.
“It’s getting better. I saw a big difference when I was bowling in South Africa in the winter. I was bowling as quickly as I have ever done in my career.
Hopefully, by the time we get to play cricket again, it will be as strong as it has ever been.
“I’m doing everything I can do here at home. The ECB
ANDY LAST was forced to keep his England success secret from his mum and dad because of coronavirus.
Hull’s interim coach (right) found out that new national team boss Shaun Wane wanted him as his assistant about seven weeks ago.
But because of the pandemic it wasn’t announced publicly until this week. Last, 38, said: “It has been difficult to keep it quiet. I have been really helpful in providing equipment and a weights schedule to follow.
“The odd time also I have turned my arm over and bowled in the driveway with my brother Amar. “We use a wind ball on the driveway. It’s how you played back in the day, like when you played in the streets as kids.you can’t play with a cricket ball in the drive because there are windows around. “Sometimes I just like to have a cricket ball in my hand and spin it with the fingers from hand to hand. That’s something I can do to keep the wrist working.”
Rashid’s renewed optimism about the shoulder has encouraged him to think ahead.
“Theworld Cup of 2023 in India is 100 per cent a goal for me,” he said. “My aim is to play for
England as long as possible. I have a vision of achieving in that 2023 World Cup.that would be lovely.” The other question for Rashid is whether the shoulder will be strong enough for him to become a contender fortest cricket again. At the moment he has a white-ball contract only with Yorkshire and England.
“I will re-assess in September,” he said. “If the shoulder is 100 per cent by then, getting back into red ball cricket is something I would consider.” didn’t even tell my mum and dad. When I told them, they were over the moon. They have been huge supporters of my career so it was special to tell them that I’d be coaching at elite level.” ■ England centre Kallum Watkins has quit NRL side Gold Coast Titans and returned to the UK to be with his father, who has contracted coronavirus.