Rashid focusing on battle for England place
Adil Rashid may have to get used to missing big moments with Yorkshire as he continues trying to carve out a permanent role in the England side.
Rashid played a key role as England won the third Royal London ODI against Australia on Tuesday and was making his way across the Pennines to Headingley when his county colleagues clinched the LV= County Championship.
Rashid would have loved to be part of the celebrations at Lord's as his team sealed back-to-back titles, having taken 25 wickets and scored 273 runs in six appearances this term.
But instead he has been attempting to nail down a place in the national set-up, by proving his white-ball nous as well as auditioning for a long-awaited Test debut on the forthcoming tour of the United Arab Emirates.
A controlled display as the hosts comfortably defended 300 in to make it 2-1 will have done no harm, and he is contented with his place in Trevor Bayliss' set-up.
"Winning back-to-back championships was a proud moment for Yorkshire, I'm really chuffed and happy," he said ahead of Friday's fourth ODI, which will be his first England appearance on his home ground.
"I was keeping tabs on the score on Twitter, looking every five minutes and there were texts flying around.
"Obviously it's a shame to miss it, a great feeling for the whole team, for the whole squad to win.
"But when I came into this one-day series I had a clear mindset of what my role is in this team and what I'm looking to do.
"It's a different set up from when I first came in (in 2009), a whole different environment. My mindset is a lot clearer, the coaches, the captain...the mindset of the team is a lot clearer.
"And playing against the best batsmen in the world gives you confidence, especially if you're taking a few wickets as well."
Rashid's supporters - they are numerous and vocal, in the stands at Headingley and in several high-profile commentary boxes - remain baffled that he has yet to make his Test bow.
One erratic warm-up game in St Kitts appeared to cost him the chance under Peter Moores in the West Indies, whose successor Trevor Bayliss is receptive to playing two spinners in Tests but found little opportunity in an Ashes series dominated by seam.
Rashid himself, though, is happy with the direction of his career and felt improved for the experience of being involved with the squad throughout the past few months.
"It's not been frustrating at all. It's nice to be part of the squad going round to all these different grounds, to be around Cooky and Straussy and all the boys," he said.
"It would be nice to play but that's a long way away. I'm not really concentrating on that, I'm just looking to take it a step at a time so that if I do get selected in a Test series I'll be chuffed.
"Trev has been really encouraging, personally encouraging me to spin the ball, look to take wickets and be positive and that is the same throughout the whole squad.
"We haven't really talked about playing two spinners. We just talk about the individual - 'what is your aim in this game?'.
"The rest is up to the selectors and the team."
All-rounder Chris Woakes, meanwhile, has been ruled out of the last two games of the series with a thigh injury.
The Warwickshire player has featured in each of the first three games, but has yet to take a wicket.
He was ruled out on the eve of the fourth ODI but is expected to be fit for the UAE trip, if required.
The 26-year-old has had a frustrating year, missing the start of the county season with a broken metatarsal sustained at the end of England's disappointing World Cup campaign.
He then saw his comeback disrupted by a knee complaint that required keyhole surgery, effectively preventing him pushing for a place in the Ashes.
Left-armers Reece Topley and David Willey are vying to deputise for Woakes, with the latter a more like-for-like replacement given his superior batting.
The 26-year-old has had a frustrating year, missing the start of the county season with a broken metatarsal sustained at the end of England's disappointing World Cup campaign.
He then saw his comeback disrupted by a knee complaint that required keyhole surgery, effectively preventing him pushing for a place in the Ashes.
Left-armers Reece Topley and David Willey are vying to deputise for Woakes, with the latter a more like for like replacement given his superior batting.
England won the last match by 93 runs at Emirates Old Trafford to take the series score to 2-1.