25 June 1999
Hussain and Fletcher take England reins
Michael Henderson
After three weeks of rumour and supposition, following England's
failure to reach the second round of the World Cup, Nasser Hussain
was named captain yesterday. His appointment, which will be confirmed
at a press conference at Lord's this morning, was supplemented by the
recruitment of Duncan Fletcher as coach. Fletcher, 50, who is in his
third year with Glamorgan, will start a two-year contract on Oct 1.
So the baton has passed jointly from Alec Stewart and David Lloyd,
two straight-as-a-dye Englishmen, to Hussain, who was born in Madras
31 years ago, and Fletcher, who arrived in this country from Zimbabwe
by way of Cape Town. Hussain, who settled in north-east London as a
young boy, becomes the first England captain from the Asian community.
"I am delighted and immensely proud," said Hussain, the Essex
captain, after he accepted the selectors' invitation to succeed
Stewart. "It is a huge honour, the biggest in the game." His
predecessor endorsed him. "We made our Test debuts together in
Jamaica," said Stewart, "and have always got on well. I have already
rung him to congratulate him and to wish him all the best."
Explaining the decision to throw out Stewart less than a year after
England won their first major Test series for 13 years, when they
beat South Africa 2-1, David Graveney, the chairman of the panel,
said things had not gone so well in the intervening months. "In view
of his recent form, and the results, we felt it was time for a
change."
That change, he said, "was not a knee-jerk reaction to our
performance. By taking our time we are satisfied that we have made
the right decision. We feel that Hussain is the right candidate and
the right man to lead us into the future." The new captain, said
Graveney, had shown a "huge passion" for the job during his interview
at Lord's last Friday.
The only other man interviewed was Middlesex captain Mark Ramprakash,
who is two years younger. Like Hussain, Ramprakash is firmly
established in the Test side and, again like Hussain, has had
disciplinary problems in the past. No fixed time has been set on
Hussain's tenure.
His first task is to win the four-Test series against New Zealand,
that begins at Edgbaston on July 1. The side for that game will be
announced on Sunday morning and Hussain's influence will therefore be
seen immediately. After the appalling cricket England have played in
both forms of the game in the last six months some changes are
inevitable.
What kind of character are England getting from Hussain? It all
depends on who one asks. To some he is a touchy man who has been
guilty of sharp practice and who has an insufficient regard for the
greater good of the team. To others he is a canny tactician who
refuses to tolerate excuses and who has finally doused a volcanic
temperament.
He has served as vice-captain not only to Stewart but also to Michael
Atherton in the five years that he did the job. When Stewart
inherited the captaincy in April last year many people felt it should
have gone to Hussain. The fact that it did not suggests that the
selectors were unsure of his alleged reformation, in which case he
must have improved out of all recognition.
When Graveney spoke of him being the right candidate he also became
the only candidate the moment that Ramprakash was overlooked. Hussain
talked last night of looking forward and not reflecting too much on
what has gone on before. All captains begin like that but, in order
to make sense of their current woeful position, England have first to
look back on the mess they have made of things.
As well as winning matches again they must begin to make friends. The
current team is pretty charmless, and as Hussain has never viewed
making friends as the most important quality on a cricket field,
there could be some rough times ahead. Perhaps he should remember his
own words, apparently selected with care: "It is a huge honour, the
biggest in the game."
Fletcher, who coached Glamorgan to the championship two summers ago
in his first season with the club, was the Zimbabwe captain during
the 1983 World Cup, and later made his name at Western Province in
South Africa. "He has a proven record as a winner," said Tim Lamb,
the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board. Fletcher
outlined three attributes for the future: "discipline, determination
and hard work".
Factfiles
Duncan Fletcher
1948: Born Sept 27, Southern Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe).
1970s: Plays for Rhodesia in South Africa's Currie Cup competition.
1983: Captains Zimbabwe in their first World Cup. Scores 69 not out
and takes four for 42 in shock 13-run win over Australia at Trent
Bridge, and is named man of the match.
1993: Becomes coach of South African side Western Province.
1995-96: Guides Western Province to the Castle Cup, South Africa's
domestic competition (replaced Currie Cup).
1997: In his first season at Glamorgan, coaches the side to their
first County Championship since 1969.
1997-98: Western Province are crowned South Africa's one-day
champions, winning the Standard Bank League.
1998-99: Western Province are domestic champions again, winning the
Supersport series, the successor to the Castle Cup.
1999: Returns as coach of Glamorgan after choosing to miss 1998
season.
June 24: Appointed England coach on two-year contract, succeeding
David Lloyd.
Nasser Hussain
1968: Born Madras, India, March 28.
1976: Youngest player to represent Essex U-11 Schools, aged eight.
1980: Youngest player to represent Essex U-15 Schools, aged 12.
1987: Makes Essex debut.
1990: Controversially chosen for England tour to West Indies ahead of
another emerging young batsman, Michael Atherton. Played both innings
of fifth Test in Antigua with broken wrist and misses most of the
next season with the injury.
1993: Earns England recall for last four Tests of Ashes series.
1994: Chosen for England tour to West Indies but fails to play any
Tests.
1996: Appointed Essex vice-captain. Captains England A on successful
tour to Pakistan. Recalled to full England side and scores first Test
century.
1998: Struggles during series in West Indies, but plays all five
Tests in 3-1 series victory over South Africa.
1998-9: Is England's most successful batsman in Ashes series defeat
in Australia and ends England's disappointing World Cup as the
country's top batsman in the averages.
June 24: Appointed England captain.
Source :: The Electronic Telegraph