Stewart faces up to opening for business (30 June 1999)

30 June 1999

Stewart faces up to opening for business

Charles Randall

Alec Stewart spoke for the first time yesterday about his double sacking as England's captain and as wicketkeeper, saying that this week's first Test against New Zealand would be like making "a new start".

There was a poignant coincidence that this new start was to be launched at the same ground, Edgbaston, where his term as captain was effectively guillotined by India, whose victory here a month ago ended England's interest in the World Cup.

Stewart, 36, was speaking after England's fielding practice under the supervision of Graham Gooch, England's stand-in coach for the series. The ground was almost deserted and the green carpet of an outfield was bathed in sunshine, the silence broken by groundsmen pulling the plastic sheeting over the square in case of overnight rain.

That was some contrast to the bedlam among the crowd that greeted India's success at Edgbaston on May 29 as a torrent of blue and gold surged on to the outfield for the presentation ceremony. Looking back, it was a noisy way for Stewart to go.

The man known as the sergeant-major was reduced to the ranks and replaced by Nasser Hussain, of Essex. It hardly seemed fair of the selectors to end his term as captain of the Test team because of England's poor one-day record, especially as he had won a five-Test series against South Africa less than a year previously.

For all his tendency towards blandness, Stewart's comments could not disguise a feeling of injustice. His Test record was a good one, he felt, and England "fought back pretty well" in the lost series in Australia, and his run-making in Tests over the past year was as respectable as anybody's in the world.

During his term of 11 Tests he led England to three wins, which bore comparison with the man he replaced, Michael Atherton, whose reign lasted 52 matches. Stewart made no reference to this, but the point might have been worth adding.

Stewart learned of his fate when David Graveney, chairman of selectors, telephoned him at Edinburgh Airport last Thursday, the day before the public announcement. Was he relieved to lose some of the burden? "No, not at all, though the relief was that they'd finally made a decision," he said.

"As always, I accept the decision. There was a lot of press coverage and headlines about Nasser taking over, and so on. I was disappointed. I enjoyed captaining England and did the things I thought were right.

"After the World Cup the selectors wanted to be seen to make a change, and that's what they've done. Some people might use the word scapegoat, that's up to them. The decision for change was made, you accept it and go along with it."

He was entering the Test against New Zealand as the newest slip fielder, having handed the wicketkeeping gloves to Chris Read, a player in his second season of first-class cricket whom he had never seen on the field before.

Stewart said: "I'm looking forward to the Test against New Zealand - it's almost like starting again. I've been given the chance to open the batting and I want to get back into Test cricket again. I've only had three first-class innings in the last six months, but that's the way it is."

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph