Peter Deeley: England tell Tufnell for a third time to go home (2 July 1997)

Wednesday 2 July 1997

England tell Tufnell for a third time to go home

By Peter Deeley

PHIL TUFNELL registered a hat-trick record yesterday - the kind no bowler wants. For the third successive Test he was the unlucky man to be sent home as surplus to requirements from the England party preparing for tomorrow`s Ashes Test.

But with rain falling intermittently and more forecast for the first two days the selectors have taken the precaution of retaining two extra bowlers until the morning of the game.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney said that given the weather conditions "we can leave our options open until the last minute".

Tufnell will play for Middlesex against Lancashire at Uxbridge and Graveney recognises the importance of returning unwanted players to their counties in time for Wednesday champi- onship starts. "It`s difficult for the player to keep turning up and going away again but we`re attempting to be sensitive to counties` needs," Graveney said.

David Lloyd, whose intimate knowledge of Manchester conditions suggests to him it will be a normally firm Old Trafford pitch, indicated its pace would be a factor in deciding whether Devon Malcolm plays.

The other two players who will not know their fate un- til tomorrow are the Test debutants, Gloucestershire`s Mike Smith - the country`s leading wicket-taker with 45 at around 15 runs apiece - and Kent`s Dean Headley.

If Headley is chosen it would be the first time in the history of the game that three generations of one family have appeared at this level, albeit that two played for the West Indies.

Headley gave his father Ron a birthday present on Sunday when he rang to say he had been picked in the England 14-man party. He remembers, as an 11-year-old, meeting his grandfather George, then 71. "We went into the back garden and hit a few balls around. It was more like meeting a great cricketer than a grand-dad."

The Old Trafford groundsman Peter Marron has been lim- ited in his preparation by the record June rainfall. The square is fully covered and both sides practised in barely acceptable conditions, with puddles on the outdoor nets and the ball wet through. The indoor nets are unavailable because they have been turned into hospitality suites.

The first three days are a sell-out and if the prediction of improving weather at the weekend proves correct Sunday could see yet another full house.

The Australians ran into more rain as soon as they arrived at the ground yesterday morning. But going into this Test on the strength of such an emphatic innings victory over Hampshire, Mark Taylor feels his side are now reaching the level he wanted from the beginning of the tour.

"We`re just starting to play to the best of our ability. The weather and the programming of the tour have been against us," he commented. "But I`m not making excuses and, anyway, that hopefully is all history now. We`ve now got people in form in all areas and 17 players ready and fit to go."

Taylor, who feels he too is beginning to regain his form, admitted that as each Test passes "you get a little more jittery about the series outcome". But he added: "We`re still only one Test from retaining the Ashes so we`re not too far behind at this stage."

Australia`s key fast bowlers, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, have minor bruising to the feet. Gillespie did not bowl in practice yesterday but both are certain to be fit for Thursday.

Taylor, not surprisingly, is expecting a slowish pitch but believes his spinners could play as big a part in the game as the seamers.

Four years ago Old Trafford was the setting for Shane Warne`s much-acclaimed first-ball leg-break which bowled Mike Gatting. Taylor said: "The weather conditions were similar and Warne and England`s Peter Such both got a bagful of wickets."

Today`s cricket

11am start

BRITANNIC COUNTY CH`SHIP

(1st day of 4)

Chester-le-Street: Durham v Hants. Chelmsford: Essex v Somerset. Swansea: Glamorgan v Gloucs. Maidstone: Kent v Northants. Leicester: Leics v Yorks. Uxbridge: Middlesex v Lancs. Arundel: Sussex v Worcs. Edgbaston: Warwicks v Surrey.

TOUR MATCH

(1st day of 3)

Trent Bridge: Notts v Pakistan A.

OTHER MATCH.- (1st day of 3): Lord`s: Oxford Univ v Cambridge Univ.

2ND XI CH`SHIP.- (1st day of 3): Bristol: Gloucs v Sur- rey. Uxbridge (RAF Vine Lane): Middlesex v Sussex. Wardown Park: Northants v Kent. Worksop CC: Notts v Essex. Taunton: Somerset v Glamorgan. Worcester: Worcs v Warwicks. Todmorden: Yorks v Durham. (2nd day of 4): Chesterfield: Derbys v Leics.

MINOR CO CH`SHIP.- (2nd day of 2): Toft: Cheshire v De- von. Jesmond: Northumberland v Suffolk. (1st day of 2): Cannock: Staffs v Cambs.

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