Graveney's Appoitment Of Chairman On Way Today (13 Mar 1997)

13 March 1997

Graveney`s appointment as chairman on way today

Christopher Martin-Jenkins

DAVID Graveney is expected to be appointed formally as chairman of England`s selection committee at Lord`s this afternoon, writes Christopher Martin-Jenkins.

Captain of Gloucestershire for eight years, and of Durham in their first two years as a first-class county, he would become the first chairman since Harry Altham in 1954 not to have played Test cricket. He was formally interviewed for the job last week.

Altham was a notable success and so, too, might be Graveney, whose appointment should guarantee continuity after a winter which, taking the England A and Under-19 tours into account, was the most encouraging for some time.

Percy Perrin is the only other example of a non Test-playing chairman since Test selection committees were officially appointed in 1899.

Graveney managed the A tour to Australia and the only serious objection to his being chosen ahead of four or five other candidates will have been his organising role in the officially outlawed tour of South Africa in 1989/90.

England were engaged in a Test series against Australia while plans for that tour were being secretly laid and although hatchets have long since been buried on that issue, it will still be asked how someone engaged in recruitment for a rebel tour could expect unswerving loyalty from present and future England teams.

Graveney is that rare combination, a talker and a listener. He would be less inclined to follow his own hunches than Ray Illingworth, the retiring chairman, who made his final decisions last September and whose relationship with the captain, Mike Atherton, was often difficult.

Graveney, by contrast, has been inclined to agree on most things with the captain and the coach, David Lloyd, and the two Lancastrians will be pleased if his is the name announced this afternoon. Graveney has been favourite since the officers of the Cricketers Association, who represent the country`s professionals, decided that he could stand.

They had hitherto been happy for him to be a selector, but not chairman, on the grounds that the disciplinary role of previous chairmen might create a conflict of interests. Discipline is now to be the responsibility of the England management committee, chaired by Bob Bennett. If Graveney is appointed as chairman of what is officially known as the selection subcommittee today, he will become the eighth member of the EMC, who have responsibility for all England affairs.

The EMC meet today and may decide who the other members of the selection committee should be. The Ackfield committee recommended last year that the captain, should remain a selector and that two others should be appointed. One of them is sure to be Graham Gooch, who is playing one more season for Essex.

The cry is for youth and Mike Gatting is another obvious candidate but one current player (or two if the captain continues on the committee, rather than merely being consulted) is surely enough. Media connections rule out many who have the chance to watch sufficient cricket and it would make sense to have someone of longer experience such as Brian Bolus, much the most conscientious member of Illingworth`s committee.

Alec Stewart, with the prospect of heavy demands in an Ashes summer, has taken the decision to stand aside as Surrey captain after five years in the role.His successor will be Adam Hollioake, the club`s vice-captain, who showed his leadership qualities with England A in the winter.

Nottinghamshire`s former England batsmen Derek Randall and Reg Simpson have been accused of living off past reputations, by Stuart Foster who has resigned as vice-chairman.

Gloucestershire have signed the Tasmanian all-rounder Shaun Young.

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