GIVE EM A SPIN

Brendon urges counties to do duo a good turn

- DAVID CHARLESWORTH

BRENDON MCCULLUM admitted it would be "slightly mad" if the progress Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir have made on England's tour of India was stymied by a lack of opportunities at county level.

The spinning duo were uncapped at the start of the trip and held modest first-class records.

But Hartley, 24, is the series' leading wicket-taker with 20 dismissals in four Tests and Bashir took a maiden professional five-for in Ranchi.

Lancashire signing Australia star Nathan Lyon this summer places a question mark over how much game time Hartley will get, while Bashir is second choice at Somerset to Jack Leach.