Turning the tide

England A's warm-up win against an Antigua XI this week may not class as one of the most important results of the year, but it was a significant start for David Parsons, England's new spin bowling coach, as Gareth Batty, Alex Loudon and Jamie Dalrymple shared 14 between them. Here he tells The Times that he doesn't believe his lack of a first-class career should be a problem.

I can tell you that in the six years I have been working for the ECB, I haven’t bowled a ball. I just don’t believe that it’s appropriate or necessary