Alec Stewart i nterview: The making of 'Micky's boy' (5 Jan 1998)

5 January 1998

Interview: The making of 'Micky's boy'

By Mark Nicholas

WHEN Christopher Martin-Jenkins heard I was off to Gatwick on Friday to interview Alec Stewart he telephoned and said: "Alec was supreme in Sharjah you know. He batted with skill and flair and good sense and kept wicket brilliantly, especially when standing up to the medium-pacers. He really should have been named Player of the Tournament."

Good sense, now there's a thing. Those of us who first saw Stewart strut out pigeon-toed and peacock-chested for Surrey as "Micky's boy" have known about the skill, the flair and the brilliance. But all the while, even in these glory days when Micky Stewart is finally known as "Alec's dad", we've known about the self-destruct button too.

So often we have choked at his infuriating tendency to rip opposition bowlers apart and then, when he's got them whimpering, miss a straight half-volley or slap a long hop to midwicket.

The occasional lack of discipline in his batting has been the dichotomy of the man, for in the other aspects of his play, and in his life in general, discipline is a byword, a standard levelled at him by his parents and adhered to with regimental definition and pride. At least most of the time, for just occasionally he has hinted at a brattish response to a moment of adversity. These lapses have probably been the reason why he has not shone brightly as the alternative to Michael Atherton as captain of England. Interestingly too, Stewart's weakest performances for England have coincided with England's weakest performances, full stop.

He has a poor record against Australia for example, as do England during his time. It may be that the two are inexorably linked and, if so, it makes the next three months of Stewart's life, indeed of the England cricket team's life, all the more fascinating. Make no mistake, right now Stewart is at the top of his game and, better still, at the top of his temperament.

"Call it experience if you like but basically I've learnt to count to 10 before making the next move and gradually, particularly during the last three years, I think I've become a calmer cricketer," he says. "Because I'm a boundary-hitter when I bat I've tended to get on a roller-coaster and been unable to stop myself trying to hit every ball for four. Geoff Arnold used to call it my red mist. Nowadays if I get to 20 with four or five fours, I think 'woah! hold on, a few singles won't do any harm'. "

Has the poor record against Australia been a problem, has beating the old enemy become too big an issue and are the West Indies, therefore, more straightforward opponents?

"The West Indians' bowling is less varied and certainly the pace in it is most suited to my style of play. I love playing in the Caribbean and am confident of doing as well, or hopefully even better than on the last tour there."

Though he wouldn't let me quote him he admitted that his finest performance for England came in Barbados four years ago when he made magical hundreds in both innings and England famously won and buried the horror of being bowled out for 46 in Trinidad only days before.

"I think the Australian thing is nothing more than a coincidence . . . though in 13 of the 18 Tests that I've played against them I've kept wicket." There is a twinkle in the Stewart eye here, is he telling me something?

"I know what you'll ask next so I'll tell you once and for all. In Test matches I would prefer to open the batting and not keep wicket. I think that the captain and myself are England's best opening pair and should be used as a strength of the team. I will keep if asked but I can't do it and open, not for long anyway.

"If I'm to keep, I'd prefer to bat at three where there is a touch more breathing space - an extra five minutes to compose myself mentally. I don't like batting lower because I prefer to go in when the ball comes on to the bat."

Good, that's cleared that up then. What about the captaincy? Too late or still ambitious?

"Ambition is the wrong word. Ambition is something you control yourself and can achieve. The captaincy is in someone else's control and is then given to you. It may have gone past me now though I believe that had Athers stood down for this tour I had a good chance of being appointed. It's fine, I don't lose sleep over it."

There is a matter-of-fact certainty to the way he talks. He is charming, helpful and completely uncocky. He looks terrific: fit, neat, clean-shaven and sun-tanned. He is dressed in tracksuit bottoms and polo shirt and is one of the few people who mixes easy comfort with bristling good intent in such casual gear. The powerful glint in his strong eyes is the signal that there is more to say but that he cannot say it unless a way can be found not to incriminate. Having initially suggested that he was prepared to talk about anything, he decided he would not answer questions on the Atherton/Hollioake captaincy issue. Spoilsport.

He did, however, say that he stood down as captain of Surrey because he could not mix playing for England and leading his county. That too much went on while he was away and that the team suffered from a lack of continuity. He added that he had waited until Adam Hollioake was "ready".

There was more on the Surrey subject, perhaps some personal disharmony with management (my guess not his insinuation) but there was no way of not incriminating so we left it alone. On balance he agreed that Surrey had under-performed but only a little and only in the last three years.

"We've won a trophy in each of the last two seasons and remember, regarding our position in the Championship, we lose a lot of players to Test matches." These answers are carefully considered and are diplomatic. Stewart is not a feather-ruffler, not off the field at any rate. Conversely, on the field he has, in his time, been the sharpest of competitors. "I play hard but fair," he says in clichÚ.

I suggest that his approach is spicy, that he constantly appeals when keeping wicket and that he does not "walk" when he edges the ball. "There is nothing in the laws of cricket to say you have to walk or that you can't appeal when you choose," he says in smart defence.

What about the general chatter on the field and the dividing line between banter and sledging? His face turns very stern here: "Sledging must not be personal, that's all. There's nothing wrong with reminding someone they are playing badly if they are. Be honest, a bit of chat on the field has been part of the game forever. TV cameras and the presence of match referees has cleaned up the deteriorating situation of a few years back - now I would honestly say that Test matches are played in good spirit.

"Having said that it annoys me when England are always supposed to be whiter than white. When we are and we lose we're told that English cricket isn't tough enough and that we're not like the Aussies. Then on the occasions when we're not, when our emotions overspill, we're told that we're out of order. I think that's wrong."

But you wouldn't argue that England have been immature? Pause . . . "Yes and no. Insecure certainly. The players worry about the way the press portray them so they go into their shells. The key for the England team is to play more consistently, win more matches and get critics off our backs."

Good plan, but how? "By playing as a team more often and not relying on a few key men to win a match. Consistent selections are helping with this, as is good communication from David Graveney. The other thing is to win more of the 50/50 situations - one thing I do respect the Australians for.

"I think we're on the right road. David Lloyd may be eccentric but he ensures an upbeat dressing room, which is important and has not always been the case. There is no 'them and us' any more and Sharjah proved how united England cricketers have become. Training is taken for granted now, not scoffed at as it was a few years back."

Stewart will be 35 on April 8, the final day of this demanding Caribbean tour. "I enjoy the game more now than ever because I've more time to step back and appreciate it. As you get older you stop looking over your shoulder. Stop trying to impress and focus instead on making the best of your ability."

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)