T20 journeyman could be a shock choice in England’s squad for the Ashes against Australia

A 35-year-old plying his trade on the T20 circuit, who was overlooked for eight years by England’s Test selectors before emerging from the wilderness against India, could be a shock contender as the tourists’ frontline spinner come the Ashes.

One Test wicket in eight years is no-one’s idea of a shock weapon for the Ashes tour … but hold the phone.

England’s spin bowling veteran Liam Dawson returned from a deep, dark wilderness to take a wicket with his seventh ball of the fourth Test against India and immediately became a hot chance to fill the second spinner’s role on the Ashes tour to Australia.

Don’t write him off for the main role either.

Liam Dawson celebrates his wicket on day one of the fourth Test against India, upon returning to the England team. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Dawson in action at Old Trafford. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

The only reason he got a start in this Test is because his main opposition, Shoaib Bashir, is injured and 11 spinners have been chosen ahead of him since he last played a Test for England eight years ago.

But Bashir, though richly encouraged and carefully nursed, is just a battler, taking 68 wickets at 39 from 19 Tests and while his 10 wickets in this series look reasonable on paper, most have been caught on the fence.

Shoaib Bashir leaves the field during the Lord’s Test against India. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

There is a lambs to the slaughter feel about England’s finger spinners in Australia and even the best of them, including the clever Graeme Swann, struggle.

Swann averaged 52 per Test wicket on Australian soil and there’s been many who have done even worse.

Shoaib and Dawson, who took his sole first day wicket when a clever skidder claimed an edge off Yashasvi Jaiswal when he played for spin which wasn’t there, are intriguing men of complete contrasts.

Graeme Swann during the 2013/14 Ashes in Australia, at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Dawson is left-armed and 35. Shoaib is right armed and 21.

The later was picked by Ben Stokes after viewing a social media post which created a flurry of interest. Dawson, by contrast, has been plying his trade in front all and sundry with Hampshire for 18 years without anyone getting particularly excited.

Massive resources have been put into speeding up Bashir’s learning curve for the Ashes while Dawson has been quietly chipping away as no-one’s favourite child, playing for an exotic array of T20 teams including the Rangpur Riders, the Gulf Giants, the Comilla Victorians and the Melbourne Stars.

Shoaib can’t bat. Dawson averages an impressive 35 in first class cricket.

The case for Dawson to play in the Ashes is strong and if he does England – incredibly – will field a side without a tail for he would have Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse, first class average 31 and 32 respectively, joining him in the lower order.

Originally published as T20 journeyman could be a shock choice in England’s squad for the Ashes against Australia