By Jamie Lillywhite

Rashid can consult ex-Test stars like county captain Craig White

At a bleak moment indeed for England cricket fans - just one of 10 international matches this summer has been won by the host nation - a beacon of light for the future has emerged.

Last Friday an 18-year-old leg-spinner, Bradford-born Adil Rashid, took 6-67 on his Yorkshire debut against Warwickshire to win his team the match.

He is a prodigious talent who began bowling spin at the age of 10 under the watchful eye of his father and has progressed through the junior ranks at Headingley.

"He wanted to make me something different," Rashid told BBC Sport.

"Everybody else had off-spin or left-arm spin but leg-spin is very rare, that's the main thing.

"The leg-spinner will bowl the odd bad ball but he's the one who is most likely to take a wicket because he's got more variation."

Rashid, just about to head to London for an England U-19 Test, also opens the batting for the Yorkshire 2nd XI and has scored two centuries in his last two matches.

I've got a couple of things to work on with my action in the winter so by next summer hopefully everything will be good Adil Rashid

Despite his tender years, news of a leg-spinning talent will conjure images for many of a partnership with Monty Panesar, the first Sikh to play for England, who has made an impressive start to his international career.

"He's a promising spinner, but probably his fielding could improve a bit!" Rashid observes.

And his own fielding?

"I think my fielding is pretty good, I took a very good catch the other day!"

With such a strong Asian community in the north of England, Rashid could find himself as a sporting icon to rival Amir Khan, and when he took his six-for in Scarborough he noticed things beginning to change.

"I had a lot of attention. As soon as I went on the field all the photographers and interviewers were there," he recalls.

Rashid will hope to learn more from spin doctor Terry Jenner

"I was a bit nervous at first but then I got used to it. Then [regional BBC programme] Look North interviewed me and I felt all right.

"There is a lot of Asian interest in Yorkshire but there are not many players coming through.

"There are a couple... they'll probably want to play for England because they were born and bred in England and probably their families would back them up."

In recent years, Rashid has been coached by leg-spin guru Terry Jenner, the mastermind Warne has turned to throughout his career.

"He has made a big difference," he enthused. "I've been to Australia twice with him and he's come many times to England, he is making me a better leg-spinner.

"I've got a couple of things to work on with my action in the winter so by next summer hopefully everything will be good."

England's quest for a match-winning leg-spinner has produced some notable disappointments.

Ian Salisbury began encouragingly with five wickets on his Test debut but faded and, though still a Surrey regular, he was discarded by England six years ago.

Around that time, 21-year-old Chris Schofield was one of the first players awarded a central contract by England.

But his international career lasted all of 18 days, bowling in one innings against Zimbabwe when he took 0-73.

Rashid, it must be hoped, has the potential to be a far brighter prospect than either of them.