This could have been the biggest summer of Dom Bess’s career. Instead, he has spent much of the past three months preparing for life after cricket, with the coronavirus crisis acting as a giant wake-up call.
The Somerset man recently opened up about his struggles with mental health with the off-spinner revealing that he had broken down in tears before batting in a County Championship match last season.
Just months later, though, Bess was celebrating taking his first five-wicket haul for England as he starred in his team's stunning innings defeat of South Africa in Port Elizabeth in January.
He was then picked for England’s tour to Sri Lanka, where he could reasonably have expected to have added two caps to his current tally of four.
Unfortunately, he and his England team-mates flew back before a ball had been bowled. And he has been kicking his heels ever since. The 22-year-old has, however, been putting his time to good use.
“I’ve been looking at the property side of things,” Bess says.
“I’m looking to expand my knowledge on property and where I’m going to take it.
“There are some good things to come out of lockdown. I got my own place a couple of years ago and by doing stuff with the house I’ve really developed a love for it.
“After everything that has happened, I’ve really been looking to drive at what I want to do after cricket. My biggest worry is getting my career cut short and having nothing to fall back on.”
Bess’s ability should ensure that he remains part of England’s long-term plans, with his performance at Port Elizabeth offering a glimpse of his potential.
He would have expected to play a full role for England in Sri Lanka, most probably alongside his county colleague, Jack Leach.
The pair could still prove vital for England this summer, particularly if the dry weather experienced in the first three months of what should have been the English season continues.
Both men were named in England’s 55-man training squad on Friday and the pair will be back at the start of their mark from next week as preparations for the behind-closed-doors series against the West Indies gathers pace.
And he’s ready if and when the call comes.
“It’s been crazy, hasn’t it,” he says. “It was such a strange one [in South Africa]. I wasn’t really expecting it, so I didn’t have to overthink it – I just went out and bowled.
“I was hoping I would have two more Test matches added to my name in Sri Lanka.
“I was looking forward to that tour, firstly playing with Leachy [Jack Leach] and hopefully Parky [Matt Parkinson] who are two very close friends.
“But also having the opportunity to play on turning pitches and testing myself against some of the best players in the world against spin.”
The West Indies have now been given the green light to tour the UK and Pakistan have made similarly positive noises over their own trip later in the summer.
All of which has provided fresh hope that the international season will not be a complete washout – with the sun unrelenting on already scorched but unused outfields.
The domestic season, though, is still shrouded in uncertainty. So what would Bess like to see happen in the coming months?
“I want to see us play as much cricket as we can,” he says.
“I think, the number one [priority] is getting money back into the clubs because you would hate to see a club fail.
"Domestically, T20 cricket is crucial. I think you have to take that 50 over and T20 approach into this summer and sort of push that and see what you can do with the county championship.
“But I think the big thing is international cricket and getting cricket on TV as soon as possible even if it is behind closed doors. I think, at the moment, with the nation and where we are, it is crucial to get people watching.
"If we can get sport of TV, even if it is behind closed doors, it will be a great boost more for the nation. I said before, we need to try to get as much cricket as we can, and we need it to be done safely.”
