West Indies v England: Adil Rashid hailed by Michael Vaughan
- Published
Second Test: West Indies v England |
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Venue: St George's. Dates: 21-25 April. Coverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW, online, tablets, mobiles and BBC Sport app. Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. Alerts available through BBC Sport app. |
Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid can be a match-winner and should be given his Test debut against West Indies, says former England captain Michael Vaughan.
The second Test starts in Grenada on Tuesday after the opening game in the three-match series was drawn.
"He might bowl four spells in a day and two and a half of them might look utter rubbish," Vaughan told BBC 5 live.
"But that spell and a half might be the difference. That's why you pick him."
Former England bowler Graeme Swann: |
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"The thing with Rashid and any leg-spinner who can bowl googlies is that people who bat eight, nine, 10 and 11 can't pick googlies. I know that from direct experience. Also, because of the drainage in English grounds, the pitches are dry as bone. At some point in the Ashes we might need two spinners and this Test is the ideal opportunity to see if this guy can be that second spinner." |
Vaughan believes Rashid, 27, might have proved the difference on the final day of the first Test in Antigua, when England failed to bowl the hosts out.
The pitch in Grenada is expected to offer more turn and Rashid, who took 46 wickets last summer in his county's Championship-winning campaign, is competing with James Tredwell and Moeen Ali for a spot in the team.
"If you're not going to play him on a wicket like this or in Barbados next week, I don't see when he will ever be trusted for England in a Test match," added Vaughan. "I think the surface will suit his bowling.
"It took England a long time to get wicketkeeper Jos Buttler into the side because he might not have been able to play the swinging ball. What about looking at all the things the guy can bring?
"Alex Hales can't get into the one-day side because he struggles against a bit of spin and the ball coming back into him, but what about the ball which he can whack out of the ground?"
Trial by leg-spin
West Indies will field a leg-spinner in Grenada after confirming Devendra Bishoo - the 29-year-old who has taken 40 wickets at an average of 39.55 in his previous 11 Tests - will get the nod.
"The pitch will turn out to be better - in terms of spin - than the first Test in Antigua," said Windies captain Denesh Ramdin. "He has bowled really well in first-class cricket in the last month and a half.
"In our squad's practice match he bowled long spells and got results. It's going to be a batting track for the first two days and then the fourth and fifth days the spinner will come into play.
"With a leg-spinner you get bad balls and you get beauties. Hopefully he'll get a lot of beauties in this game."
Anderson 'taken for granted'
James Anderson will lead the tourists' bowling attack days after he surpassed Sir Ian Botham to become England's leading Test wicket-taker during the drawn first Test match.
However, his longevity means he is "sometimes taken for granted" - according to captain Alastair Cook.
"Being such a good bowler, he has delivered for the last six or seven years on a consistent basis and you expect him to bowl perfectly every time," Cook told BBC Sport. "That doesn't happen in sport, but Jimmy has never let us down. He can now relax and concentrate on taking a few more wickets."
Cook strives to find form
Cook, 30, has not scored a Test century since hitting 130 against New Zealand at Headingley in 2013.
The Essex player scored just 24 runs in two innings in the first Test against the Windies.
He does, however, believe he is getting better as a batsman and has been studying his technique in an effort to regain his form.
"I did have a look back in early February, watched a little a bit and it has changed quite a lot," he said.
"It's evolutionary - if you tried to go back to exactly what you did it would probably be really unnatural.
"You're always constantly trying to tinker with technique. But the most important thing is that when you're out in the middle you're not concentrating too much on technique, you're concentrating on what is important: that ball coming down to you in the situation and conditions you're in.
"I'd like to think my game has improved over time, I definitely believe it has, it's just different."
A return for Moeen
Spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen is expected to return from injury to replace Tredwell in the England team, and would likely bat at number eight following good performances in the first Test from Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler.
Worcestershire's Moeen is seen as England's first-choice slow bowler after taking 19 wickets at an average of 23 against India last summer.
He also has a Test century to his name, and vice-captain Ian Bell believes the 27-year-old left-hander will strengthen the batting line-up and provide extra firepower if the top order can lay a solid platform.
"Mo is a quality batter and bowler, so we will have to fit him in somewhere," said Bell, who hit his 22nd Test hundred in the first Test. "With Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, that is an exciting lower order.
"If we can get off to a good start, they're going to be worth watching - especially if Stokesy plays like he did the other day.
"They'll give a lot of entertainment over the next few months. To be a senior player in the middle of that exciting young group is a nice place to be."
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