CMJ: Flexibility is needed to maintain strength (14 July 1997)

Monday 14 July 1997

Flexibility is needed to maintain strength

By Christopher Martin-Jenkins

CONFLICTING messages were sent to the professional game by the decision of the chairman of selectors, David Graveney, to name England`s team for Headingley 16 days before the match. The first, much approved by the England captain, Mike Atherton, was that of continuity. Selectors, captain and coach are agreed, it seems, that the best side have been playing and the feeling is that if the ship is on the right course, it should not be altered as soon as the first ill wind comes along.

There was a need, too, to decide which players should gather for the team-building seminar a week today.

On the other hand the early announcement must have dropped like a wet blanket on any county cricketers hoping for selection for Headingley. Apart from the high-profile one-day matches since Australia outplayed England so thoroughly at Old Trafford, there is a full round of championship games this week and decisions would not normally have been taken until Sat- urday night.

Suppose the country`s top wicket-taker, Mike Smith, collects 10 more wickets in the Gloucestershire-Derbyshire match at Cheltenham, or Devon Malcolm does likewise in response; or Chris Adams makes a treble hundred to add to the single one he made in Derbyshire`s NatWest defeat of Northamptonshire? Comparing his success throughout the season in county cricket to the failure of Atherton and Nasser Hussain to make many runs for their counties, it would be understandable if he started to mutter about a closed shop.

It is a difficult balance for the selectors to strike and it would not be made easier if the England team were to be chosen only from a group of players contracted by the central authority at the start of each season, a development which the chairman of the ECB, Lord MacLaurin, has already called "inevitable".

For the time being the present policy should be given the benefit of the doubt, because it is essential that the team be given the chance to become a team and to play with a feeling of security.

That is not to say that there does not need to be a de- gree of flexibility. At Headingley in particular there is a recent history of successfully selecting the right horse for the course - Neil Mallender and Steve Watkin are examples.

Graveney has been wise enough to say that if exceptional conditions demand, a late change of heart is not out of the question. That should apply too, perhaps, if a particular batsman or bowler proves himself in the next week to be in irresistible form. Otherwise home advantage is not being properly utilised.

As it is, the chosen 12 plus the five additional play- ers invited to the seminar - Smith, Malcolm, the Hollioake brothers and Ashley Cowan - would, on current form, be not far from the likely touring party for the West Indies.

Subtract one fast bowler, replace him with a reserve opening batsman - probably one of the Glamorgan pair of Hugh Morris and Steve James - and the balance would be about right. Such is the flexibility and innovative inclination of the three Gs, indeed, encouraged at every turn by the ECB`s management committee, and of Bob Bennett`s England committee, it would be a surprise if they were to name that touring party now.

They will not and should not until the season`s twists and turns are complete. Apart from anything else England would not be sending their best team overseas, certainly for Test cricket and arguably for one-day games, too, if it did not contain Dominic Cork, bowling as he was two years ago, or batting as he began to do in New Zealand. Now having daily physio- therapy after his hernia operation, Cork is hoping to be fit to play again next month.

The Test captains had much to discuss at Lord`s on Fri- day and their opinions were reflected at the meeting of the cricket committee of the International Cricket Council under Sir Clyde Walcott`s chairmanship in London on Saturday. Former Test players such as Walcott, Ali Bacher, Doug Insole and Steve Camacho had enjoyed a convivial meal on Friday night and these meetings of great minds will have immediate effect.

Decisions affecting the playing conditions for interna- tional cricket from September onwards will be announced today, including a verdict on whether television replays should be used to decide disputed catches.

Such was the value of getting the captains involved, there will be an annual meeting from now on, probably in England in May and June, as a precursor to the main ICC meeting.

Although there are no decisions yet on the value of some sort of world championship of Test cricket, the captains were unanimous in wanting to bring greater vision to the making of international fixtures.

There were 41 Tests and 111 one-day internationals last year; there are 11 more Tests and 29 more internationals between September and December this year. The players recognise commercial reality and, of course, they benefit financially from the upward surge; but they were unanimous that every player needs a six to eight-week break to recharge their mental and physical batteries. It is the administrators` duty to see that they get it and, moreover, to ensure that the overall currency is not debased by excessive circulation.

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