If David Wainwright can consider himself unlucky to be in the same Yorkshire squad as Adil Rashid, Yorkshire can consider themselves highly fortunate that he is. As after several years where Wainwright’s path to a regular place has been blocked, it now looks like he’s flourishing into a genuine all-rounder just as ‘Team England’ are about to drag Adil off, never to be seen again.

As with Bairstow, we need to temper our expectation, but the century at home to Warwickshire, made when he came into bat at 99/7, and the impressive 85 not out at Hove, have proved the maiden first class century from the final match of last season was no flash in the pan. Wainwright it seems, is a batsman of some skill – his late season innings against Sussex was played with a fluency of shot that frankly embarrassed some of those already back in the pavilion. Perhaps more importantly, he‘s also a batsman with a tendency to play his best innings when his side are in greatest need.

There might be some in the Yorkshire backroom staff who’ve taken notice of the way Hampshire have developed the batting of their own slow left armer, Liam Dawson. But whilst Wainwright is more than capable of playing higher in the order than he has this season, we need to bear in mind his bowling remains the prime asset to us, as the word from Hampshire is that Dawson is now regarded as a batsman who bowls, rather than the other way around.

Next year should see a further step up in Wainwright’s career. There can certainly be no more excuse for him not be to an ever present in the one-day side, his exclusion this summer from teams containing six bowlers was inexplicable enough. Similarly, only a combination of early season wickets and the brief appearance of Rashid from England duty can keep him out of our championship side now, surely?

Championship – 9 matches, 356 runs @ 44.50, 26 wickets @ 30.65

Friends Provident – 4 matches, 43 runs @ 43.00, 6 wickets @ 26.83

Twenty/20 Cup – 6 matches, 3 runs, 5 wickets @ 23.00

Pro40 – 8 matches, 12 runs @ 12.00, 4 wickets @ 49.25

(Wainwright photo: by kind permission, Dave Morton)