Didn't you used to be Adil Rashid?

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One of the many encouraging things about England's one-day victory over New Zealand was the all-round performance of Adil Rashid.

But it has taken him an awful long time to become an overnight sensation at the age of 27.

Rashid first came to the attention of this blog in July 2006 when he played his first game for Yorkshire and took 6-67. "Won't it be nice if yesterday turns out to have been an historic day in English cricket?" I asked.

The following month he played for England Under-19, when he "followed his first-innings hundred with a devastating 8 for 157".

For several seasons all went well for Rashid, and he played for England in the 2009 World Cup. At the time I blogged:

I was afraid that Adil Rashid would be savaged when he came on, but in the event he bowled beautifully and gave every sign that he is ready to play a part in the Ashes series later this summer.

Perhaps that was a little fanciful and, as it turned out, 2009 saw Graeme Swann establish himself as one of England's greatest spinners.

After that it all went wrong for Rashid. His long struggle back to favour is laid out on Cricinfo by Matthew Roller.

Now Michael Vaughan (whose sympathetic captaincy helped the young Rashid) says he would pick him for this summer's Ashes series.

If nothing else he would be a contrast to the sort of finger spinners I have heard Swann complain about. Those who are good at keeping it tight in a one-day game or the first innings of a match, but are found out when they are asked to turn the ball and win the game in the second.