One-day case for Atherton strengthens (31 October 1998)

31 October 1998

One-day case for Atherton strengthens

By Christopher Martin-Jenkins in Perth

THE news that Mike Atherton would probably not risk an injured hip to play in today's opening first-class match against the Sheffield Shield champions, Western Australia, in Perth had consolations.

Even as senior professional rather than as captain, Atherton is going to be a marked man as far as the Australians are concerned and, with two more first-class matches to be played before the first Test in Brisbane, he has time to build on his brilliant start in the tour's opening match, the one-dayer at Lilac Hill.

His 88 from 108 balls did more than earn him a man-of-the-match award. It also reminded doubters about his suitability for one-day internationals. On form and on a true pitch, he can flow almost as fast and sweetly as the more obvious pinch-hitters.

That might have implications for the selection of England's one-day team for the triangular tournament with Australia and Sri Lanka, which marks the second phase of this tour in the new year. More certainly it confirms Atherton as a likely starter in England's World Cup party, which will not finalised until the end of March next year.

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, who takes over as manager of the one-day team in Australia after the Ashes series, will be in Brisbane for the first Test, and the choice of those who will be asked to stay on will be made soon after. Nick Knight is sure to be one of the opening batsmen, but Atherton will be in the running without doubt. His fitness, however, will have to be considered seriously.

The latest problem has nothing to do with the chronic back condition, spondylitis, which has plagued Atherton for so long. His genial mood on tour has partly been due to the fact that his back has been giving him no trouble, but a blow on the hip while practising earlier in the week has been aggravated by vigorous fitness training, and he felt a growing reaction during his innings on Thursday.

David Lloyd, the coach, was a little vague about the precise nature of the injury when he disclosed after another extremely thorough net session yesterday that it was Atherton, not Alec Stewart, who was more likely to miss the chance of batting on a hard WACA pitch against Western Australia.

Stewart's own stiff back had improved and he no doubt liked the look of a pitch which, though green, felt hard and true. Like other Australian pitches, it seemed quite unaffected by a winter's rugby and football.

Atherton's possible absence gave John Crawley the chance to build on his impressive start to the tour. After being so clearly the outstanding batsman of the English domestic season he was always likely to put pressure on the six batsmen pencilled in for Brisbane.

Crawley apart, England's fielding was rusty and their bowling over-eager, especially against the talented Ryan Campbell in the early stages. Though he would not have got going had Angus Fraser, as substitute, not dropped him badly at third man off Darren Gough when he had made only three, England's bowling was generally too short and often too wide.

The bowling coach, Bob Cottam, went through video recordings of their efforts with each man after England had scrambled home by a single run. The West Australian batsmen, even more than most Australians, get on to the back foot whenever they can.

"It's the old thing of pulling batsmen forward to reach for the ball and get an edge," said Cottam in his post-mortem yesterday. "Length is crucial at Perth and when the Fremantle Doctor blows up, the ones bowling into the wind have to keep control and not rush in too quickly."

A rare victory over Western Australia would be an important boost to the morale of a team whose attitude seems at this early stage to be just right.

Channel 4 confirmed yesterday that Richie Benaud had joined their cricket commentary team on a four-year contract, ending a 35-year association with the BBC.

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