A terrific twirler with a high ceiling
Dom Bess is a premier all-rounder whose drive to succeed is clear to see. His move to Headingley from the home comforts of Somerset in a bid for greater opportunity is one example, his pugnacious style of cricket is another.
Bess spent two short loan spells with Yorkshire in 2019, getting him used to his new surrounds before he later moved North on a four-year contract ahead of 2021. The Devonian Test off-spinner and lower middle order batter has also captained Yorkshire in a few one-day matches.
In 2021, he returned match-winning County Championship hauls of 6-53 and 7-43 at Sussex and Northamptonshire.
Bess, 26 in July, played his age-group cricket in the West Country and debuted for Somerset’s first team in a first-class friendly against Pakistan aged 18 in July 2016. That September, he made his Championship debut against Warwickshire at Taunton and took a first-innings 6-26.
He made his Test bow against Pakistan at Lord’s in May 2018, but upon his return to Somerset during his early Test career Jack Leach’s presence meant he would sometimes be playing in their second team.
In early 2021, he took 17 wickets in three overseas Tests in Sri Lanka and India, including a Test best of 5-30 in the opening game of the series win over the former at Galle. Unfortunately – some would say harshly – Bess lost his place a month or so later and hasn’t played since. But you sense international days are far from over.
