England’s Dom Bess says he's starting to reap the rewards of a spin-bowling camp in Mumbai with Sri Lankan Rangana Herath.
Bess was part of the England team that forced a 189-run victory over South Africa in Cape Town on Tuesday. The result levelled the series at 1-1 ahead of the third Test in Port Elizabeth on Thursday 16th January.
Herath masterclass helped Bess progress
Bess returned figures of 2-119 from 60 overs at Newlands but thinks help from Herath stood him in good stead.
He said: “I was in India a few weeks ago with Herath, which was an unbelievable experience and really helped me. Picking the brains of someone with that knowledge and who is that good in those conditions is crucial.
“I get told a lot that I always want to try and bowl magic balls. This is where I'm starting to mature and realise that it is about building it up bit by bit.
“I'm really happy with how I went here because I felt like I built up pressure and produced chances along the way. That is what I'm looking for, the whole package. I'd love to be taking four or five wickets and being the man, but if I am producing consistently, then that will come another day.”
Leach to replace Bess in Port Elizabeth?
England could turn to returning spinner Jack Leach for the third Test.
Bess said he'd understand if he had to make way for his more senior Somerset team-mate.
The 22-year-old added: “I've got to focus on next week at PE and whether I play or not.
“I completely understand if Leachy plays, but hopefully I've put myself in a position to play.
“It has been a hell of a ride. I played the Test matches in 2018 and did alright, but then fell off the radar a little bit, and within myself I lost a lot of confidence within my game.”