Hussain given limited role in Australia (17 December 1998)
ENGLAND'S 16-man party for the one-day internationals against Australia and Sri Lanka after Christmas, announced yesterday, will form the nucleus of the side for next season's World Cup
17-Dec-1998
17 December 1998
Hussain given limited role in Australia
By Christopher Martin-Jenkins
ENGLAND'S 16-man party for the one-day internationals against
Australia and Sri Lanka after Christmas, announced yesterday,
will form the nucleus of the side for next season's World Cup.
There could be no bigger incentive for all concerned to do very
much better in the 50-over matches than the team currently in
Australia have managed in the three Test matches so far.
Apart from Graham Thorpe, already forced home by his bad back,
Mike Atherton, Angus Fraser, Mark Ramprakash, Mark Butcher,
Dominic Cork, Peter Such and Alex Tudor will all be going back to
England after the Sydney Test in early January. The players
concerned were told in advance of the announcement yesterday.
There were public words of consolation, too, for Fraser and
Atherton.
The chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said they were "still
very much part of our plans" and Graham Gooch confirmed that,
because the white ball is likely to move around on relatively
juicy pitches in England in May, neither has been ruled out.
Thorpe's bad luck has worked to the advantage of Nasser Hussain,
who has earned another chance as a one-day international
cricketer by the excellence of his batting and fielding on the
tour, and of Neil Fairbrother, 35, who is earmarked for the
Thorpe role as mid-innings bustler. Gooch said of this veteran of
57 internationals: "He has a lot of experience. He's someone who
can get you 30 or 40 not out to win a game." He has played in the
last two World Cups.
John Crawley's ability as a possible reserve wicketkeeper - not
to mention his now outstanding fielding - has given him a chance
to extend his international career, whatever his fate over the
next three weeks. Cork and Ramprakash are not so lucky.
Since Ramprakash has batted so well on this tour and has plenty
of knowledge of what is required when batting in the one-day
game, he is particularly unfortunate to be omitted. As for Cork,
he can be an infuriating cricketer and there are those who would
say the same about his character, but there is still some class
about his bowling and ability in his batting.
Vince Wells and Mark Alleyne, who have been preferred to Cork,
and also to Matthew Fleming and Ian Austin, have the chance now
to show what they can do. They are highly regarded in county
cricket and Australian conditions will test them to the full. Ben
Hollioake will also be facing a real trial of his undeveloped
talent. Ten internationals against Australia and Sri Lanka could
make or break him.
Fleming, Austin, Warren Hegg, Peter Martin and Dougie Brown are
the official stand-by players for the Carlton United Series
matches, which start on Jan 10 in Brisbane after five warm-up
games. The five chosen players currently in the UK - Alleyne,
Mark Ealham, Fairbrother, Ashley Giles and Nick Knight - will
leave London on Boxing Day with Graveney and the physiotherapist,
Dean Conway. Wells will join the party in Brisbane from New
Zealand and Adam Hollioake from Perth.
England Squad
ENGLAND SQUAD (one-day series v Australia and Sri Lanka): *-A J
Stewart (Surrey), M W Alleyne (Gloucestershire), J P Crawley
(Lancashire), R D B Croft (Glamorgan), M A Ealham (Kent), N H
Fairbrother (Lancashire), A F Giles (Warwickshire), D Gough
(Yorkshire), D W Headley (Kent), G A Hick (Worcestershire), A J
Hollioake (Surrey), B C Hollioake (Surrey), N Hussain (Essex), N
V Knight (Warwickshire), A D Mullally (Leicestershire), V J Wells
(Leicestershire).
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)