Dominic Mark Bess (born 22 July 1997) is an English professional cricketer who has played internationally for the England Test cricket team. In domestic cricket, he represents Yorkshire, having previously played for Somerset. Bess made his Test debut in 2018. He plays as a right-handed all-rounder, bowling off break.[1]
 Bess in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Dominic Mark Bess | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 July 1997 Exeter, Devon, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowling all-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 685) | 24 May 2018 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 4 March 2021 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2020 | Somerset | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | → Yorkshire (on loan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021– | Yorkshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | → Warwickshire (on loan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | → Somerset (on loan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023/24 | Southern Rocks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 30 September 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early and personal life
editFrom Sidmouth in Devon, Bess joined Somerset's academy when he was 16. He went to spend time at Darren Lehmann’s Adelaide academy in 2015. He has attributed his career as a spinner to the shorter run up required compared to fast bowling: "I was always a little porker when I was younger, so I never took the long run-up," he said. "I always took five or six steps and just trotted in."[1] He was also a keen rugby player in his youth, playing fly-half, and attributes former Somerset fitness coach Darren Veness as the biggest influence on his strength and conditioning improvements.[2]
Cricket career
editDomestic career
editOn 3 July 2016 Bess made his first-class debut for Somerset during Pakistan's tour of England. He failed to take a wicket (ending with match figures of 0-128) and scored a combined 25 runs.[3] He made his T20 debut for Somerset in their final game of the 2016 season against Hampshire on 29 July 2016 in which he took bowling figures of 1-31 and scored a solitary run.[4]
Championship debut
editBess took 13 wickets in the later stages of the 2016 County Championship. He was included in the team for his first Championship game against Warwickshire. His first two championship wickets were Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell, and he took career best figures of 6-28 from 16 overs in the first innings, and finished with match figures of 8-59 off 27 overs.[5] Bess also featured heavily in Somerset's last game of the season against the already relegated Nottinghamshire as he took his second career five wicket haul with 1st innings figures of 5-43 from 22.5 overs including a spell of 5 consecutive maidens, giving him match figures of 5-77 from 32.5 overs. He also scored 41 runs in Somerset's first innings.[6][7]
At the end of the 2016 season, Bess signed his first professional contract with Somerset agreeing a two-year deal; keeping him at the club until the end of the 2018 season.[8] On 8 May 2019, Bess went on loan to Yorkshire for a month.[9] In August 2020, Bess confirmed that he would be leaving Somerset at the end of the season,[10] subsequently it was announced that Bess had signed a four-year contract with Yorkshire.[11] In September 2024, Bess signed a new two-year contract with Yorkshire.[12]
International career
editHaving previously represented England at U-19 level, Bess was included in the England Lions squad in the summer of 2017 for a match against the touring South Africa A team,[13] though he did not play. He was then selected for the Lions squads for the winter tours to Australia [14] and the West Indies.[15] He took 5/88 on his England Lions debut, in Antigua.[16]
Called up after an injury to his county teammate Jack Leach,[17] Bess made his Test debut for England against Pakistan on 24 May 2018 at Lord's.[18] Though he shared a century stand with Jos Buttler in England's second innings – making a score of 57 – Bess failed to take a wicket or stop his side succumbing to a nine-wicket defeat. However, in the second Test of the series, Bess took his first Test wicket, of Imam-ul-Haq. Overall in the match, he took 3 wickets and contributed 49 with the bat, as a nightwatchman. England went on to win the match by an innings and 55 runs.[19]
In January 2020, in the third Test against South Africa, Bess took his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.[20] On 29 May 2020, Bess was named in a 55-man group of players to begin training ahead of international fixtures starting in England following the COVID-19 pandemic.[21][22] On 17 June 2020, Bess was included in England's 30-man squad to start training behind closed doors for the Test series against the West Indies.[23][24] On 4 July 2020, Bess was named in England's thirteen-man squad for the first Test match of the series.[25][26]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dominic Bess". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Off-spinner by convenience, Somerset's Dom Bess strives for 'the next level'". CricBuzz. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Pakistan tour of England and Ireland, Tour Match: Somerset v Pakistanis at Taunton, Jul 3-5, 2016". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "South Group: Hampshire v Somerset at Southampton, 29 July 2016". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Dom Bess Stars as Taunton Wickets Tumble". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Dom Bess boosts Somerset title hopes". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Somerset V Nottinghamshire Scorecard". British Broadcasting Corporation. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "New Deals For Somerset 'Spin Twins'". Somerset County Cricket Club. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- ^ "Bess makes Yorkshire loan move to escape Jack Leach's shadow". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Dom Bess: England spin bowler to leave Somerset at the end of the season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Dom Bess: Yorkshire sign England and Somerset spinner on four-year contract". BBC Sport. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ "All-rounder Bess signs new Yorkshire deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ "Jamie, Jack and Dom named in England Lions Squad - Somerset County Cricket Club". www.somersetcountycc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ Macpherson, Will (2 October 2017). "England Lions opt for mixed bag of Test hopefuls and youthful promise - Will Macpherson". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "England Lions four-day squad update". 26 November 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ Lea, Kate. "Bess takes 'fivefer' on England Lions debut". Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Jos Buttler, Dom Bess earn England calls; James Vince dropped". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "1st Test, Pakistan tour of Ireland, England and Scotland at London, May 24-28 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "2nd Test, Pakistan tour of Ireland, England and Scotland at Leeds, Jun 1-3 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ "Dom Bess takes maiden Test five-for as England rip through South Africa on day three". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ "England Men confirm back-to-training group". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett left out as England name 55-man training group". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "England announce 30-man training squad ahead of first West Indies Test". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- ^ "Moeen Ali back in Test frame as England name 30-man training squad". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- ^ "England name squad for first Test against West Indies". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "England v West Indies: Dom Bess in squad, Jack Leach misses out". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2020.