England: Maynard a fancied outsider well worth a look-in (26 Mar 1998)

26 March 1998

Maynard a fancied outsider well worth a look-in

By Mark Nicholas

THE series has gone, ignominiously in the end, and with it has gone the reign as captain of Michael Atherton. His walk to the pavilion on Monday afternoon, having fallen again to his chief executioner, Curtly Ambrose, had an eerie emotion to it, like the walk to the gallows of a king whose people have turned against him and who wait impatiently for his successor. The King is dead. Long live the King.

So, who shall inherit? Will it be Alec Stewart, senior pro and the people's choice? Nasser Hussain, vice-captain, whose Essex camp believe in him so fervently? Adam Hollioake, confirmed now as leader of all things limited overs? Mark Ramprakash, from outcast to ever-present in a day? Or is it an outsider, someone in the shires making something worthwhile of county cricket?

Indeed, there is a wild card hidden away, forgotten since England's last tour of the Caribbean four years ago, when he played his fourth and apparently final Test; the most imaginative, forthright captain in the English game. He is the captain of current county champions Glamorgan - Matthew Maynard.

It would be a mistake to conduct the search for England's next captain within the present set-up, when it is that set-up which needs refreshment and new initiatives. This is why no one has a conclusive answer, because no one from within stands out.

It could be Stewart, in a holding role until a younger buck properly makes his name, but Stewart is in danger of becoming a jack of all trades, for he must as surely keep wicket for England as he must continue to open the batting. There is nothing to stop him now that he is mentally capable of dealing with the situation and now that he is at ease with the extent of his ambition. But to ask him to captain as well would be to invite the danger of his mastering none of his trades.

Perhaps he is not, in any event, fresh enough for the challenge and perhaps his past sits in the corner of his present, emerging occasionally to reveal the flaws which have previously raised questions about his suitability for office.

It will not be Hussain, one suspects, for his tenure as vice-captain has strangely diminished his standing in the line of succession. The suspicion that he is a man angry with the world lingers and his comments last summer about English county cricket lacking toughness and about English players not being prepared to mix it, though well meant, were quoted in a way that suggested disrespect for the traditional chivalry of the game. He has become a very good player, especially when the chips are down and should bat at number three, but the inside word is of others for captain and not of Hussain.

And not Ramprakash, not just yet. If that sounds conservatively English, it is only because Ramprakash has been so tortured, so desperate for so long to be allowed to express himself as a cricketer, that to saddle him now with sport's most chaliced responsibility may disrupt the fast progress he is making to one day captaining England without a trace of his previous inner doubt.

Disappointingly, it cannot be Adam Hollioake either, because he is unable to convince the selectors that he is of Test match class. Until recently he might have been first choice, so buoyant is his personality and so natural his leadership, but for the selectors to appoint someone whose ability is in question would be to open them to ridicule were he to fail.

It is fair to assume that if the selectors were to be ridiculed for choosing Hollioake, they may be scorned for choosing Maynard. The difference with Maynard, however, is that they are backing pedigree in captaincy and the most widely respected, though ironically underachieving batsman of his time. There is nobody who speaks against his skill, only against his temperament and now with responsibility he has found discipline and consistency to accompany his gifts.

Best of all, the onceelusive ability to perform under pressure is emerging. Some innings last summer, the unbeaten 161 against Worcestershire - "the best innings I've ever seen at New Road," said Tom Graveney - the 75 not out that won the penultimate match of the season against Essex and the awesome 142 in the finale against Somerset are testament to maturity and to his comfort in the big time.

He is ripe now, at 32 years of age, while still reflecting on success and uninhibited by expectation, to justify the free spirit that is his signature. Were he to captain against South Africa in the coming summer, he would know that he has conquered their bowling before - Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Brian McMillan have all played county cricket - and be confident in the role of the counter-attacking number six batsman England crave.

If the England team are to sparkle more consistently, they need a bright personality - someone bold, original and unaffected - to galvanise them. Maynard is an uncomplicated fellow, no Brearley in the scientific way, but a man who is full of common sense, blessed by a sense of humour and no little charm. Most appealing of all on his CV is that he is untarnished by the insularity and failure of the current team.

This is the right time for English cricket to take a gamble with a man of Maynard's talent and flair. Outsider he may be, but to appoint from within is to remain in the past.

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