Lancashire: Riddle over Austin fitness! (6 Aug 1998)

6 August 1998

Riddle over Austin fitness!

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

England physio Dean Riddle today allayed Ian Austin's fears that he would have to go on a crash diet to earn selection for next year's World Cup.

Austin was delighted by his recent call-up into England's 37-man squad for the forthcoming one-day internationals against South Africa and Sri Lanka, and in Australia this winter, before the World Cup at home next summer.

But he admitted: "I've got one letter telling me I'm in the squad and now I expect there will be another one telling me to lose some weight."

But Riddle agrees with Austin's assessment that dieting would not necessarily make him a better player.

"I'm not going to wade in demanding that he loses weight," said Riddle, a New Zealander who previously worked with Leeds rugby league club and was recruited to the England set-up by David Lloyd. "The player knows best what is right for him."

Austin has always insisted that, although he may not look like everyone's idea of a professional sportsman, he is as athletic as anyone when it comes to bowling and fielding.

He has laboured in the field at times this season - while maintaining his usual consistency with the ball.

But that has been because of a knee problem sustained in the opening Championship game at Sussex in April, and nothing to do with his waistline. The knee has persuaded Austin to take a break from the recent Championship match against Gloucestershire at Old Trafford, allowing Lancashire to field two spinners in Gary Yates and Chris Schofield.

Not surprisingly, groundsman Peter Marron has prepared a dry, slow pitch to draw the sting out of Gloucester's seam trio of Courtney Walsh, Mike Smith and Jon Lewis.

It worked up to a point on the first day yesterday, as Wasim Akram won the toss and chose to bat, and Lancashire reached 269-7.

The seamers took only one wicket between them, Walsh dismissing Warren Hegg late in the day. But Lancashire should have done better as all of their batsmen got a start, then got out to loose shots.

Nathan Wood and Paddy McKeown saw off the new ball and then lobbed catches to mid-on off spinner Martyn Ball. John Crawley cruised to 43 and looked on course for an historic fourth consecutive century until he drove a catch to mid-off, Neil Fairbrother was lbw playing no shot and Graham Lloyd pulled occasional seamer Tim Hancock straight to mid-wicket in the last over before tea. Lancashire were struggling at 212-6, but then Yates, making his first Championship appearance of the season after being preferred to Mike Watkinson, linked up with Wasim in a seventh wicket stand of 50.

Watkinson was dropped to the second team game against Worcestershire at Middleton, but Richard Green and Darren Shadford shared the glory on the first day. Green took 4-38 and Shadford 3-27 as Worcester were dismissed for 219, then Shadford hit a quick 50 as Lancashire replied with 152-3. Mark Harvey also made 49.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)