ASHLEY Giles has told Jade Dernbach to put playing for England this summer to the back of his mind and concentrate on taking wickets first for Surrey now the new season is underway.
The 27-year-old began the year by featuring in four of England's five one-day matches in India in January and then the three Twenty20 internationals with New Zealand a month later.
However, Dernbach was not part of the one-day squad in New Zealand, with James Harris favoured instead, although the Middlesex seamer wasn't to make his England bow.
Dernbach isn't out of England's one-day picture though, according to limited-overs coach Giles, with eight 50-over matches scheduled for this summer as well as the ICC Champions Trophy on home soil in June.
But what Giles wants to see foremost is Dernbach hit the ground running with Surrey, like he did last week with a five wicket haul in Somerset's first innings.
"Jade was involved with us in India and he came to New Zealand for the Twenty20s and he has good skills in the limited-overs format and will be discussed," said Giles.
"He will want to go back to Surrey and fill his boots with lots of wickets. County cricket for all the guys in contention is important.
"What you want from all of the players is for them to take their eye off selection and just do their jobs with their county. If your job is to get runs and keep wicket or bowl and get wickets just do it because the rest will take care of itself."
Dernbach has made 43 appearances across the one-day and Twenty20 formats for England with 56 wickets in total, although his 50-over average is just under 40.
However Giles, who was appointed England's limited-overs coach in November, believes Dernbach's variation and continued desire to bowl at the death is unparalleled.
"The variations he has are very impressive. The slower ball he has and the yorkers he can bowl are great. He bowls a lot of overs at the death and just takes it on."
See the best eight teams in one-day international cricket in the ICC Champions Trophy from 6-23 June at The Oval, Cardiff and Edgbaston – tickets are available now at icc-cricket.com or call 0844 249 2013.
