Case for Atherton's return to the fray (27 July 1999)

27 July 1999

Case for Atherton's return to the fray

Donald Trelford

An abiding image of England's abject batting in the second Test is of Chris Read ducking in terror under a beamer that never was and allowing Chris Cairns' slower ball (76 mph) to skittle through and hit his middle stump. The wicketkeeper made some amends with a grittier knock on Sunday, but the 20-year-old will always be haunted by that shot from hell.

Losing by nine wickets to New Zealand, England's first defeat by the Kiwis at Lord's this century, cannot be shrugged off. England's batting raised serious doubts about the temperament and technique of some leading performers and introduced a stiff dash of reality after the fairy-tale win at Edgbaston.

Now, with Nasser Hussain almost certainly out, the selectors have to decide on their priority: to win this series or blood some young players for the future. Hussain and Graham Thorpe are the only batsmen of world class, which means five places are uncertain.

My guess is that Michael Atherton will be restored for his home ground at Old Trafford and will open with Mark Butcher, with Alec Stewart going down to No 3. Thorpe at No 4 and Mark Ramprakash at No 5 (saved by Hussain's absence from closer scrutiny this time) will probably be followed by a new No 6, since Aftab Habib again looked out of his depth. Graeme Hick, Darren Maddy, Ben Smith and Andrew Flintoff, who was dropped too soon, will be in the frame.

Butcher gives the impression that he will be satisfied with a crisp 35, rather than bunkering down for 150. Stewart also swats with abandon early on, but usually with more success. Nick Knight is more cavalier than either.

None of them look like the opening batsmen of my youth. In fact, watching Butcher on Saturday, a friend and I remarked on how lucky he has been to get so many caps when post-war openers like Jack Robertson (Middlesex), Laurie Fishlock (Surrey), Denis Brookes (Northants) and Winston Place (Lancashire) got so few. John Langridge (Sussex) and Dickie Dodds (Essex) got none.

We have heard a great deal about the efficient new approach of 'Cricket England'. Yet there were several blips behind the scenes at Lord's that looked like old-fashioned cock-ups.

The confusion about Alex Tudor's injury, for example, Angus Fraser's panicky dash up the M4, and the fact that no thought had been given to nominating a vice-captain if Hussain had to leave the field.

Then there is the question of Duncan Fletcher, the coach in waiting. He should have been obliged to take up the job immediately. Now he will be taking a squad to South Africa who he has barely got to know and experiments will be made this summer in which he is not involved.

Meanwhile, I note that the chairman of selectors, David Graveney, and batting coach Graham Gooch are regular fixtures on the England balcony. This is surely cramping the style and reducing the authority of the new captain.

It is bad enough for Hussain to have a sulky former captain in his side who is known to disapprove of the selection of some of his colleagues - Andy Caddick and Phil Tufnell, for example - which can hardly be good for team morale. He should at least be king in his own dressing room.

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