Rashid seeks help from top coach Birkenshaw in bid to return to form (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Rashid seeks help from top coach Birkenshaw in bid to return to form

3:40pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Sport By Graham Hardcastle

Adil Rashid has sought the help of former England Test spinner Jack Birkenshaw in a bid to rediscover the magic that once saw him rated as the hottest prospect in the country.

The Bradford leg-spinner, who has played five one-day and five Twenty20 matches for England, has been working on his bowling with Birkenshaw, the former Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Worcestershire.

Rothwell-born Birkenshaw, capped five times at the highest level, is now a pitch inspector for the ECB, as well as a highly-respected coach after starting his playing career in the Bradford League.

An off-spinner in his playing days, he coached Leicestershire to the County Championship title twice in three years between 1996 and 1998, as well as helping England women’s team win the World Cup and Twenty20 World Cup in 2009 as their assistant coach.

Rashid is in desperate need of some inspiration after a disappointing 2011 summer, which yielded only 39 Championship wickets, including 11 in the first match at Worcester.

He was also implicated in the end-of-season outburst by White Rose chairman Colin Graves after four-day relegation.

“He’s been doing a lot of sessions with Jack on his bowling recently, and hopefully it will help him to get back to where he was,” revealed Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale.

“Rash has been working really hard on his bowling and his fitness this winter. He’s been in doing quite a few sessions off his own back, which is great to see.”

Another Bradfordian who struggled for consistency last year is Ajmal Shahzad.

The fast bowler is back in training with his team-mates after recovering from ankle surgery, and Gale added: “He’s recovered from injury, and he’s doing well.

“He’s been training hard, and he’s definitely got the bit between his teeth. He’s knows it’s a big season for him this year.”