It was Adil Rashid’s turn to shine with the ball on Thursday, if not always coming via turn off the pitch. Twice, in fact, he took the 22-yard strip out of the equation to wicket-taking effect, with Australia’s new opener, Joe Burns, and their new captain, Steve Smith, both perishing to that most devilish of deliveries in the leg-spinner’s armoury: the full toss.
Such dismissals may stick in the craw of the batsman but there was no question that the Yorkshireman was still the stand-out bowler for England, claiming four of the six victims in the first innings after an Ashes series in which he was tipped by the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, to play a part at some stage – and named in all five squads – and yet somehow failed to make his debut.
In one-day cricket, however, Rashid has been a permanent fixture since being recalled as part of England’s post-World Cup reboot and no spinner has taken more than his 12 wickets in the 50-over international game during this time. Here he delivered for his captain, Eoin Morgan, with the initial breakthrough and three further innings-derailing strikes when the tourists threatened more than their eventual 305.
With only four fielders allowed outside the circle in the middle overs, what used to be a good day’s work for a spinner in one-day cricket – an economy rate of four or less – is now an unrealistic yardstick. Instead the slow men are judged as much by the final column of their figures as much as the second, with wickets so valuable in the turbo-charged modern game.
Rashid confirmed as much as he walked off the field at the interval, with the instructions from Morgan based on using his variations – he certainly did that – and attacking at all times, rather than worry too much about receiving some tap. These are the same words of encouragement he receives at his county, with his captain there, Andrew Gale, interested only in what he can do, which is induce mistakes, rather than what he cannot, which is keep it tight.
The 27-year-old entered the fray in this series opener at something of an unenviable time, with Burns, a muscular right-hander tipped to be the replacement for Chris Rogers in the Test side, and his partner David Warner, the muscular left-hander he will join, well set on 54 for no loss after negotiating the initial batting power play with minimal fuss.
Rashid’s first two overs bled only five runs apiece, with Warner’s miscued drive over mid-off for four the first sign that the left-hander was both keen to get on with things and not quite at ease in his first look at the leggie. It was his partner who would depart first, however, with Burns slamming back a full-toss on 44 for a straightforward, if slightly painful, caught and bowled.
Rashid was whipped out of the attack after one more over but Morgan turned to him again in the 27th as the search for wickets increased once more with Australia an ominous 133 for one. If there was fortune in his initial incision, there was deception in the follow-up as Warner, attempting to drive a seventh four through extra, was duped by a googly that took the edge and was held safely at short third man.
Rashid’s most valuable wicket – even if coming via another full toss – was Smith on 44, who could only pick out Ben Stokes at deep midwicket attempting a second successive six and walked off fuming. There was more bamboozlement in the exit of George Bailey, who missed a skidding leg-break to be trapped lbw for 15, although he was more sanguine than his captain.
Theoretically on for all 10 at one stage but eventually missing becoming the first England leg-spinner since Tommy Greenhough in 1959 to take an international five-wicket haul, Rashid’s four for 59 in an innings that went at six an over were still stellar figures and, were it not for his interventions, the tourists would have far exceeded the total they eventually posted.
In one-day cricket Rashid is performing his assigned job and now the question for England in the long term, looking ahead to their winter series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, is whether this talent of breaking partnerships in 50-over cricket can translate to the Test arena.
Some fear his speeds – ranging between 49 and 53mph here – are too slow to challenge the best batsmen. But after needlessly dragging him around the Caribbean in April through some stubborn conservatism of the old regime, the current management will get their answer only by picking him. Two spinners will probably be needed in the desert and he remains the next in line.
