Why I will never be the England captain again (1 August 1999)

1 August 1999

Why I will never be the England captain again

The Electronic Telegraph

Michael Atherton on his reluctance to lead his country for a second time and the encouraging recovery from injury which has helped him rediscover his appetite for cricket

Since the cruel finger of fate sidelined Nasser Hussain there has been much speculation about the destiny of the England captaincy. Some of it has centred on me and much of the speculation, I suspect, has been wide of the mark. However, even if an offer were to appear on the table for one game, I'm afraid I would have to turn it down. I feel I still have much to offer in the game, but it is as a player only that I see my future.

The England captaincy was always an honour, one that I thoroughly enjoyed and found hugely challenging. I was totally committed to the job on and off the field for nearly five years, a level of commitment I could not now match. That time has passed and I am not sure it is ever a good thing to turn back the clock. And besides, there are plenty of good candidates around; Mark Butcher, for example, led Surrey extremely impressively against Lancashire last month.

Like many cricketers in this country, however, I will listen to the announcement of the team this morning with keen interest. There has been much speculation about my possible return to the team. It would be quite some turnaround considering that less than a month ago I was reporting on the first Test for this newspaper. I was still injured and one of my new-found friends in the press box had just told me I had only a one in 10 chance of playing for England again.

If the call does not come I will not, in truth, be surprised. The chairman of selectors said some time ago that he wanted to see me play a lot of cricket before I would be selected again. Considering the problems I have had that was certainly fair comment, and in the last month I have played only a couple of championship and one-day games.

The most important thing for me is that I am back playing pain free and enjoying playing, the two being undoubtedly linked. It had been a worrying time. Since last August, when I had to pull out of the Test against Sri Lanka, fitness has been a constant struggle. Once the exact problem (a damaged disc) was identified a month ago, and I underwent suitable treatment and rehabilitation, I have felt much more confident.

Of course, it has only been a month of injury-free cricket, but mentally I am more confident now, and even if I have problems in the future at least we know the exact nature of them. The medical attention I have received from many people has been excellent, in particular from the specialist Brad Williamson, and club physio Lawrie Brown.

If I can keep up with my regular diet of Pilates exercises, who knows, I might be around for a while yet.

I don't think the time away from the game has necessarily done me that much harm. Certainly I have approached the mid-point of the season with real enthusiasm and probably greater hunger than in some previous years. Also, by the end of the Australian series I was over-theorising about batting. Now I have more or less gone back to basics and, holding my head slightly more upright, concentrating on the fundamentals of staying still and watching the ball. As a result, I feel that my form is good.

It is to Old Trafford that most eyes, whether those of players or not, will turn this week. Most observers, including me, were quick to write off New Zealand after they let the first Test slip from their grasp. It was, of course, a very poor England performance at Lord's, but equally New Zealand played a committed and aggressive brand of cricket to level the series. Their obvious skill in controlling reverse swing and the improving Daniel Vettori are factors which will give them confidence going into the next match.

At Old Trafford reverse swing and spin will be the dominant factors. The Old Trafford square has changed considerably during my time on the staff. A decade ago the pitches were the quickest in the country, but with even bounce that good back-foot players could thrive on. Now the pace has largely disappeared and Lancashire's decision to employ an overseas spinner reflects the nature of the wickets there now.

When I say the groundsman has a root-growth problem I am not referring to Peter Marron's thinning locks. Rather the grass cannot grow through the layers of soil to the top and hence the wickets this year have resembled Madras more than Manchester. There is likely to be none of the extravagant seam movement we have seen so far in the series. But the bare wicket will spin, the ball will rough up and reverse and if the cracks widen in this hot weather the ball could keep low.

As Hussain said, after Lord's the selection meeting will have been a longer one than after Edgbaston. The selectors will need to include a second spinner and will no doubt be grappling with the balance of the team and how, in the absence of a top-class all-rounder you can fit 12 into 11.

Long-term continuity over short-term pressure for success, the issues never seem to change. The Lancastrian public will not tolerate another Lord's, but if England can click they can be assured of a rousing reception.

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