He may have been underrated in his original state, and sufficiently
underendowed with raw pace to be considered a fearsome fast bowler, but
Queensland's Adam Dale was far from a substandard cricketer. A lightly built
swing and seam bowler, nuggety lower-order batsman and keen fielder, Dale
originally plied his trade in Victoria but a lack of opportunities and a
work transfer encouraged him to head to Queensland in his mid-twenties. It
was a move which paid handsome dividends; he was promoted to his adopted
state's one-day team in 1995-96 and immediately impressed with the control of his line and length and the extent to which he was able to move his deliveries both in the air and off the pitch. So striking were these qualities that he was able to join a select band of players who have made their first-class and international debuts within a year of their first state appearance.
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