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The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Liam Dawson: I'm ready to embrace unexpected revival of my England career
Liam Dawson is ready to embrace the unexpected revival of his England career, having spent the last three years learning to let it go. Dawson's international CV has been more stop than start since he debuted in 2016, a frequent squad member who collected just 20 caps across all three formats before an abrupt halt seemingly saw the left-arm spinner consigned to the past. As England searched far and wide for slow bowling solutions in red and white ball cricket, he quietly levelled up at Hampshire to become one of the most productive performers on the county circuit. On Friday, the 35-year-old finally returned to the fold for Harry Brook's first T20 as captain and gave his team-mates a strong reminder of what they have been missing. He walked away as player-of-the-match after picking up four for 20 against the West Indies – his best figures in an England shirt – and a chance to end his playing days on a stage he had almost given up on. 'I had got to an age where I probably thought international cricket was gone,' he admitted. 'In my domestic career, I've tried to go out there and just enjoy playing for whoever I'm playing for. It was about going out there and not worrying about playing for England. 'I think that can hamper you sometimes so I've not really worried about that. I'm at an age now where I know that I'm close to finishing. 'I'm on the edge of that. So now it's just about enjoyment, trying to work smarter in your training and just believing that you're good enough.' 1st ODI, Edgbaston - Eng won by 238 runs 2nd ODI, Cardiff - Eng won by 3 wkts 3rd ODI, Oval - Eng won by 7 wkts 1st T20, Durham - Eng won by 21 runs 2nd T20, Bristol - Jun 8 3rd T20, Southampton - Jun 10 One man who has no doubt that Dawson has the quality to thrive is Brook. He was a driving force in bringing the all-rounder back into the fold and has earmarked him for a significant role at next year's T20 World Cup on turning tracks in India and Sri Lanka. 'Personally, I think he's been knocking on the door for years to try and solidify that spot and the performance we saw from him was awesome,' said Brook. 'Him and Adil Rashid working in tandem at both ends is going be good to watch in the coming years. He can also help the younger lads along the way, to have him in the inner circle when they are bowling is going to help us a lot.' Dawson's counsel could be particularly valuable for Jacob Bethell, whose electric batting and fielding is currently running ahead of his left-arm finger spin. England are keen for him to develop into a genuine all-round package and having a seasoned campaigner as mentor may be the key that unlocks his full potential. 'I'd love to speak to him about bowling and I'm sure I'll get to know him more as the series goes on,' said Dawson. 'He's a great talent. Watching him in the nets yesterday…he's a freak. I'm sure he'll play a lot for England.' The series continues in Bristol on Sunday and concludes at Dawson's stomping ground in Southampton on Tuesday, games he is surely inked in for already. Yet his experiences mean he has no intention of taking his shirt for granted. He added: 'I know how cricket works, you've got to be consistent and it's only one game. So I'll park this and go again. It would be nice to play at my home ground, if selected.'
The Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Nortjé on why players choose IPL over internationals
The Indian Premier League (IPL) resumed at the weekend after a brief halt due to tensions between India and Pakistan along the border. The league was scheduled to end on May 25, but has now been extended to June 3. This has suddenly created a huge scheduling problem for overseas players. Many players bound to report back to their national teams after May 25 are now stuck. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India is working things out with cricket boards, the debate has once again shifted to 'leagues vs international cricket' among both players and fans. One of the boards that has been at the centre of this debate is Cricket SA. In January 2024, SA was forced to send an inexperienced side for a Test tour to New Zealand as all its top players were busy playing the SA T20 League (SA20). However, despite this, the Proteas have made it to the World Test Championship finals. But again, players are caught in the 'league vs international' conundrum as SA players were to report back on May 26 and began their preparations for the final. But with the IPL final scheduled for June 3, it will be interesting to see how they deal with it. Experienced SA pacer Anrich Nortjé explained why many international players sometimes choose T20 leagues over national duty. 'Hard to say what others are doing or what their reasons are. 'Most of the time, it would probably be income. Income is a major factor, one league can cover your entire income for what you'd earn with the international team,' Nortjé told . 'But it depends. It's different for everyone. 'I've been available for the last year, from before the World Cup to December, and only got selected again in December to play. 'There were a few series I wasn't picked for, mostly to give opportunities to others. 'So, from my side, I've been available to play for the country, but they haven't pressed on my button. 'Unfortunately, I got the opportunity in December and broke my toe, so I haven't played since the World Cup,' he said. Nortjé agreed that while income played a major part, players needed to maintain a fine balance. 'It's a difficult one. There's more opportunity to make income in leagues, but there's also that pride of playing for your country. 'It's a fine balance, and it depends on where the person is in their life and what their situation is. 'I can't speak for everyone — I can only speak for myself,' Nortje, who has played 19 Tests, 22 ODIs and 42 T20Is for SA, said. Nortjé was also full of praise for fellow pacer Kagiso Rabada, who was recently caught in a doping controversy. 'He's a great guy, on and off the field. A superb human being and a brilliant bowler. 'He's been doing it for so long, and I'm lucky to be playing with him and not against him most of the time,' Nortjé said. 'It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes him so good, but he's just so consistent. 'He gets wickets when it's tough, when it's easy — he's that kind of bowler who can win you games from nowhere. 'He's done it for years, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do in this final.' — SportsBoom
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
IPL expansion, two-tier Test cricket, cutting World Cups and an India v Pakistan Test series: Cricket's eight biggest problems to fix
Not for the first time, cricket finds itself at a crossroads, torn between those who fear for the future of Tests and those who see the white-ball game as the way ahead. Here, Inside Cricket looks at eight big questions for the global game:
