Adil Rashid continues to improve

Time for an update on this blog's great hope for English cricket: Adil Rashid, Yorkshire's 20-year-old leg spinner.

Rashid was awarded his county cap a couple of week ago. Then, in the match against Sussex at Hove, where Yorkshire were fighting against relegation from the first division, he scored a career best 111 before taking 7-136 in the Sussex second innings. The result was that he finished as the third highest wicket taker for the English season.

The sage of Taunton, Vic Marks, writes about the selection of the England party to tour India this winter:

The second spinner is likely to be Graeme Swann. Yorkshire's Adil Rashid continues to advance, but the word is that he will not be selected yet and that he will benefit from more grooming.

There is the consolation that the Aussies would love to have an Adil Rashid learning his trade in state cricket. They have just plucked out the 36-year-old wrist spinner Bryce McGain for their tour of India. McGain has played 19 first-class matches in his life.