Players Raj has coached

Some of these players were children when Raj first worked with them. That is the point of this page.

Raj has coached across county pathways, schools and clubs since 1998 — including eleven years as spin bowling coach for the Hampshire Cricket Board, from under-10s to the first team, and sixteen years as Director of Cricket at Lancing College.

This matters to a parent for a simple reason. It is a record of working with children over years, safely and successfully, and of judging what a young player needs at each stage rather than coaching everybody the same way.

Liam Dawson

Hampshire · England · Slow left-arm spin and right-hand bat

An all-rounder who has spent his whole county career at Hampshire, joining in 2007. He first played for England in 2016 and went on to play all three formats, was part of the squad that won the 2019 World Cup, and became a regular in the England T20 side. For Hampshire he passed 10,000 first-class runs and took 361 wickets in 211 first-class matches, and helped the county win six white-ball trophies. He retired from first-class cricket in May 2026 and continues to play limited-overs cricket for Hampshire and for England.

With Raj: Raj coached him from fourteen on the Hampshire academy, through to his first professional contract at seventeen and on through his career. He remains his technical spin bowling coach.

“I worked with Raj from the age of 14 on the Hampshire academy right up until I became a professional cricketer at 17 and throughout my career. He helped me massively in understanding my technique and tactics of the game.”

— Liam Dawson

Photo: David Molloy, CC BY 2.0, cropped

Mason Crane

Glamorgan · formerly Hampshire · England · Leg spin

A leg spinner from Shoreham-by-Sea who joined the Hampshire academy at fourteen and made his county debut at eighteen, becoming the youngest Hampshire player to take five wickets in a County Championship match. The following winter, Australian state side New South Wales picked him out of Sydney grade cricket — their first overseas player since Imran Khan in 1984-85. He played two T20 internationals for England in 2017 and a Test against Australia at Sydney in January 2018, where his first Test wicket was Usman Khawaja. He was part of the Hampshire side that won the One-Day Cup in 2018, moved to Glamorgan in 2024, took 6 for 19 against Lancashire in 2025 and was awarded his Glamorgan cap in 2026.

With Raj: Crane arrived at Lancing College on Raj's first day there, and Raj has been his technical spin bowling coach ever since — including through his England career.

Danny Briggs

Hampshire, Sussex and Warwickshire · England · Slow left-arm spin

Born in Newport on the Isle of Wight, and the first player from the island to represent England. He made his Hampshire debut at eighteen and in 2011 became the youngest English spinner to reach 100 first-class wickets since Derek Underwood. He played for England from 2012, and has since won white-ball silverware at Hampshire, Sussex and Warwickshire.

With Raj: Raj worked with him from a young age, through his development at Hampshire, and remains his technical spin bowling coach.

“Working with Raj from a young age was so beneficial for me. His knowledge on spin bowling is second to none and he has a wealth of coaching experience that is brilliant to tap into. There's no doubt that without Raj I wouldn't be where I am today. I always found sessions challenging but fun. There's always an aim to continually improve which is so important.”

— Danny Briggs

Photo: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Alice Capsey

Surrey · England · Right-hand bat and off spin

An all-rounder from Redhill who made her Surrey debut in 2019 at fourteen and was named the first PCA Women's Young Player of the Year in 2021 — the same summer she helped Oval Invincibles win the first Women's Hundred. She played for England from 2022, aged seventeen, was England's leading run-scorer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and has since played in the Women's Premier League in India and the Women's Big Bash in Australia.

With Raj: Raj has coached her since she was eleven, on batting and bowling, through the county pathway and into the England women's academy at thirteen. He remains her technical spin bowling coach.

“I have trained with Raj since I was 11 years old and cannot remember a time when he didn't believe in me. Sessions were varied and fun but at the same time he always instilled a keen work ethic – success comes from hard work not luck!

“I worked with Raj on batting and bowling, his expertise technically and cricket knowledge alongside his passion for the game helped me initially get into the county pathway setup at 11 and to then progress to the England women's academy by 13.

“I am incredibly grateful to Raj, he was not just a coach but a mentor, helping me to understand and cope with the mental pressures that come with cricket and it has been a privilege to have the benefit of his wisdom.”

— Alice Capsey

Eve O'Neill

Sussex · formerly Hampshire · England Under-19 · Leg spin

A leg spinner who came through at Calmore Sports and the Southern Vipers academy in Hampshire. In 2024 she took 20 wickets in 14 matches for Hampshire Women and 22 in 15 for the Vipers academy, and was named the Cricket Society's Outstanding Under-16 Schoolgirl Cricketer. She played for England at the Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup in Malaysia in January 2025, and was picked in the England Under-19 training squad the following winter. She now plays her domestic cricket for Sussex and is in the Birmingham Phoenix squad in The Hundred.

With Raj: Raj coaches her leg spin — the technical side, control, and reading what a match situation calls for.

“Raj has been an important influence on my development as a leg spinner, helping me improve both my technical skills and my understanding of the game. His coaching has given me greater control and confidence in my bowling, while also teaching me how to think more tactically in different match situations. He explains things clearly, always encourages me to keep learning, and has played a big part in my progress as a cricketer. I’m really grateful for his support and guidance.”

— Eve O'Neill

Photo: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

Chris Tremlett

Hampshire and Surrey · England · Fast bowling

A tall fast bowler who came through at Hampshire — the third generation of his family to play for the county, after his father and grandfather — before moving to Surrey. He played Test and one-day cricket for England, and is best remembered for the 2010–11 Ashes, when England won a series in Australia for the first time in 24 years.

Photo: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

Michael Carberry

Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Leicestershire · England · Left-hand opening bat

A left-handed opener who joined Hampshire in 2006 and made the county his own, winning the Friends Provident Trophy in 2009 and 2010 and scoring an unbeaten 300 against Yorkshire in 2011 as part of a Hampshire record partnership. He played six Tests for England, debuting against Bangladesh in 2010 and opening the batting through the 2013–14 Ashes series in Australia — having come back from a blood clot on the lung that nearly ended his career.

With Raj: Raj worked with him at Hampshire around 2008, in the years before his England call-up.

“Raj was an integral part of a successful era for Hampshire cricket, and was a well respected professional in the domestic game.

“Young aspiring cricketers have and will benefit greatly from his coaching and experience.”

— Michael Carberry

And others

Through county pathways, schools and clubs

Chris Wood — Hampshire's left-arm seamer, who came all the way through the county pathway under Raj, won the national T20 competition in his first season in 2010 and the One-Day Cup in 2018.

James Vince — Hampshire captain and England batter. Raj began coaching him at fourteen and led the Hampshire Under-17 side he played in to the 2007 Championship title.

Also Chris Wright · Adam Rouse · Bradley Taylor · Joe Weatherley · Jamie Miller · Robert Gibson · Wilfred Marriott

Endorsements

Not everyone on this page is a player Raj coached. These two are not. They are named here as what they are — one from inside the professional game, one from inside schools.

Tim Tremlett

Hampshire · Player 1976–1991 · Director of Cricket

An all-rounder who spent his whole playing career at Hampshire, taking 450 first-class wickets at 23.99 and scoring 3,864 runs in 207 matches, and playing in the sides that won the Sunday League in 1978 and 1986. He coached Hampshire from 1991 and went on to become the county's Director of Cricket. His father Maurice played three Tests for England; his son is Chris Tremlett.

“Raj is an extremely experienced cricket coach with a wealth of knowledge that covers every skillset required to play the game.

“Conscientious and an enthusiastic listener Raj will work to a clear plan at a pace to suit individuals to achieve their goals”

— Tim Tremlett

Dr Tim Hands

Head Master, Winchester College 2016–2023 · Chairman of HMC 2013–14

A headmaster for 26 years across three schools: The Portsmouth Grammar School from 1997 to 2008, Magdalen College School, Oxford from 2008 to 2016, and Winchester College from 2016 to 2023. He chaired the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference — the association of heads of leading independent schools — in 2013–14, having chaired its universities committee for the seven years before that. He is also a Thomas Hardy scholar.

“I'm delighted to write about Raj. Raj is quite simply the best. He is hugely knowledgeable, fantastically analytical and always clear. He takes no nonsense and he speaks no nonsense either. I can't recommend him highly enough. He is responsible for the enjoyment and success of so many young people.”

— Dr Tim Hands

A note on this page

Every name in the players list is someone Raj has coached. The two endorsements below it are not players he taught, and they say so. Where a quote appears, it is that person's own words, sent by them and printed unchanged. We will not write words for someone and put their name on them, so the players who have not been asked yet have no quote.

The photographs of Mason Crane, Alice Capsey, Chris Tremlett and Michael Carberry are used under Creative Commons licences and are credited beside each one. They will be replaced with pictures the players supply themselves.

The same coaching, at your stage

Most of the players Raj coaches are not going to play for England. They are juniors who want to bowl better, club players who want another good season, and parents who want someone who knows what they are doing.

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