REWARD FOR LOYAL RASHID

Yorkshire bowler handed benefit in 2018 after 13 years at Headingley

YORKSHIRE have awarded legspinner Adil Rashid a benefit for next year.

The 29-year-old has spent more than 13 years at the club after rising up through the academy ranks.

“It’s a huge privilege to be awarded a benefit year and I’m thankful to Yorkshire for giving me that,” he said.

“I’ve had a brilliant time at the club for the past 13 years and hopefully that will continue.

“It all started off at a young age, playing age-group cricket, and from there I never thought it would come to this. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride.” Rashid, who burst on to the scene as an 18-year-old when he made his first-class debut against Warwickshire at Scarborough in 2006, has since gone on to play 10 Tests, as well as 54 oneday internationals and 24 T20 internationals.

He has taken 490 wickets in 166 first-class games at an average of 35.07 and scored 6,577 runs at 33.21.

“My hard work has paid off, but there’s plenty more to do as well,” he said. “I didn’t think it would have gone as well as it has done but, when you put the work in, that’s when things happen for you, and I’m thankful for everything that has happened.

“I’ve definitely experienced ups and downs; it’s not just been ups.

“But, when you do have those tough times, you’ve just got to find a way again.”

Rashid, who has just returned from the Bangladesh Premier League, where he has been playing for Dhaka Dynamites, added: “I’m very much looking forward to the 2018 season and contributing to some big wins for the club.

“We didn’t perform to our potential last year in the County Championship but, hopefully, this year it will come good and we’ll win it.

“It will undoubtedly take a lot of work and a huge team effort, but that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”