One of the best stories to come out of this year's Twenty20 has been the success of Chris Schofield at Surrey. The former Lancashire and England legspinner has relaunched his county career and claimed 17 wickets in the qualifying stage. Seven years ago he played Tests and was touted as the 'next big thing'. Then it all went wrong and last season he was left trying to forge a living playing Minor Counties and doing some part-time decorating. In The Sunday Times Simon Wilde charts the long road back and finds a motivated cricketer who still has dreams.
Looking back, Schofield, who was born in Rochdale, realises that he should have left Lancashire long before they let him go at the end of the 2004 season. His bowling had been going nowhere for some time and Lancashire were no longer interested in developing it. They had other spinners and the only way he could get in the side was as a batsman. In his last season he bowled just 26 overs in the championship but scored 99 against Warwickshire and 69 against Surrey as a No 6.
