Back to the day job
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It is common knowledge that Charlie Dagnall enjoys a few unusual extra-curricular activities. This is the bloke who, in recent years, has supplemented his cricketing income with stints as a television presenter on a shopping channel, an occasional model and as frontman of soul-funk outfit Frisco Crabbe and the Atlantic Frantics. In August, however, Dagnall has been reminding people that he's not too bad at the day job either.
More specifically, the one-day job, as Dagnall has proved himself an increasingly capable handler of the white ball. "When the conditions have suited him, he's been a real handful in the one-day stuff with his ability to swing it both ways," says Phil Whitticase, the Leicestershire coach.
As well as a series of key contributions to Leicestershire's victorious Twenty20 Cup campaign, Dagnall has been the county's cheapest bowler in the totesport League with an economy rate hovering round four an over. He has also carried his form into the Championship, with his first 25 wickets of the season coming at an impressive rate of one every 52 balls.
"He's really running in this season, hitting the pitch harder and generally attacking more," says Whitticase. "We've slightly modified his action, but in the main, he's reaping the rewards from a lot of hard work that he's put in over the last six to eight months.
"He came back after the winter extremely fit and there's been a real purpose to his cricket this summer. The Twenty20 Cup has given him a boost, as he likes to perform in front of a crowd, but then our success has given the whole club a lift as well."
This article was first published in the October issue of The Wisden Cricketer.
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