Read 'surprised' at England recall
Chris Read admitted that he was surprised to be given a chance to resurrect his career as England wicketkeeper after thinking rival Geraint Jones had become "part of the furniture"
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Read's inclusion in the England side for the Headingley Test ended a run of 31 consecutive Tests for Geraint Jones, who himself usurped Read for the final match of the 2003-04 series in the Caribbean.
"I was pretty surprised to be honest but delighted," Read told the media at Headingley, where England gathered to prepare for Friday's Test. "After someone's played 31 consecutive Tests they are part of the furniture a little bit. He hasn't scored the amount of runs the selectors have demanded. But they've stuck with him and supported him for a long time so I didn't necessarily see any change coming midway through a series particularly after a victory."
The irony was that Read lost his place as Jones was considered the better batsman, although few doubt that Read is the better keeper. But one fifty in Jones's last 15 Test innings led to him being left out.
Read admitted after making 150 not out for England A against the Pakistanis at Canterbury last month that he was thinking of the challenges ahead. "I had half an eye on this winter, which is a phenomenal winter to be involved in - an Ashes tour and then the World Cup.
"But now I'm not looking too far past this Test. Keeping to a high standard goes without saying, because I still believe that's my number one role, but runs are crucial."
And Read insisted that despite almost constant comparisons in the press over the last year, there was no animosity between himself and Jones. "Geraint and I have always got on exceptionally well. But at the same time there's only one of you, like a goalkeeper in football. I've been given this opportunity now and, if I'm ruthless about it, I'll hopefully tie it down for the near future."
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Asked whether he thought that his public spat with Mushtaq Ahmed at Hove earlier in the summer had helped or hindered, he admitted that it might have "changed a few opinions, because in the past people have said 'he's too mild-mannered'," before quickly adding: "But it didn't help me. I regret what I did because it was wrong."
Almost inevitably, he was asked about his dismissal on his Test debut in 1999 when he was bowled ducking a slower ball from Chris Cairns. "The general public probably remember that but I'd like to think the cricketing public see me as a talented gloveman who probably needs to prove himself with the bat."
And what of Duncan Fletcher? The England coach has been a public supporter of Jones, sticking by him even thought public pressure on the selectors to ditch him had grown by the match, and Read was asked if he still needed convincing. "For sure. My average is under 16 in Test cricket. That's not what they've picked me for."
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