Graham Ford reacts to England squad (30 August 1999)
New South African cricket coach Graham Ford yesterday expressed surprise at the England selectors' decision to omit Mark Ramprakash, one of the captaincy candidates earlier this year, for their tour to this country starting in October
30-Aug-1999
30 August 1999
Graham Ford reacts to England squad
Ken Borland
New South African cricket coach Graham Ford yesterday expressed
surprise at the England selectors' decision to omit Mark Ramprakash,
one of the captaincy candidates earlier this year, for their tour to
this country starting in October.
The tour comes after a disastrous home season for England in which
they were knocked out of the World Cup at the first stage and then
lost the Test series with lightly-regarded New Zealand.
Ramprakash, who topped the batting averages in England's last tour, to
Australia last summer, lost his place in the 17-man squad announced
yesterday, chairman of selectors David Graveney saying "it came down
to a choice between him and Alec Stewart".
Ford believed Ramprakash could well have joined veteran
wicketkeeper/batsman Stewart on the five-Test tour though. "It is a
big surprise that they have left Ramprakash out. He did pretty well in
Australia and certainly didn't disgrace himself against New Zealand."
The former Natal coach added that he knew why the selectors had made
the controversial decision. "They're trying to increase the number of
all-rounders in their squad because they're worried about their tail.
We saw in the New Zealand series that their long tail cost them
dearly.
"But their problem now is that if they include all their quality
bowlers, then they'll still have quite a long tail and you're going to
have one or two very inexperienced Test players batting around the
likes of Atherton, Stewart, Hussain and Butcher," Ford said.
"Atherton, Stewart and Hussain are all quality players, while Butcher
has done well at Test level. But people like Darren Maddy and Chris
Adams haven't been around long and we'll have to see how they go with
a lot of pressure on them."
England's strength will be their bowling attack. "They were their
strength against New Zealand," Ford said, "and they now have Darren
Gough back." Injury robbed England of the combative Yorkshireman's
brisk seam bowling for the entire New Zealand series and Ford accepts
that an attack featuring Gough and other quality pacemen such as Andy
Caddick, Alan Mullaly and Dean Headley would have South Africa under
pressure on pitches that offer assistance to the seamers.
Gavin Hamilton, who starred with both bat and ball for Scotland in the
World Cup, gets a belated England call-up, but Graham Thorpe's
decision to miss the tour and the omission of Graeme Hick will leave
the senior batsmen under pressure.
Graveney said: "Mark Ramprakash's future with England is not finished.
It came down to a choice between him and Alec Stewart - and we
believe Alec to be a world-class all-rounder in terms of batting and
wicketkeeping. He will go as the wicketkeeper/batsman - it gives us
more options."
Stewart was not chosen, however, in the 15-man party for the
limited-overs series, which begins in South Africa and concludes in
Zimbabwe.
There is no Test squad place for Warwickshire fast bowler Ed Giddins,
who made his debut in the final Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
Ramprakash's county colleague Phil Tufnell is retained in a 17-strong
squad, which includes four uncapped players - Sussex captain Adams,
Northamptonshire's Graeme Swann, Yorkshire all-rounder Hamilton and
his teammate Michael Vaughan, the opening batsman and off-spinner who
captained England A to South Africa last winter.
Adams said: "I feel I've got up to six of my best years ahead of me.
I'm really enjoying my cricket and being Sussex captain, and getting
selected in both squads is fantastic for me and the club."
The side has a fair sprinkling of youth, with seven players 25 or
under. Surrey batsman-wicketkeeper Stewart had been one of the senior
players whose Test place was under pressure following England's dismal
summer.
Stewart's Surrey team-mate Thorpe, who asked not to be considered for
the Test tour but was available for the one-day squad, will not be
required by England this winter.
His name is a notable absentee from the one-day side, which includes
Worcestershire's Indian-born Vikram Solanki.
The Test squad will leave for South Africa on October 26 for the
five-Test series, while the triangular limited-overs series against
South Africa and Zimbabwe starts on January 23 in South Africa, then
moves on to Zimbabwe for four one-day internationals against the host
country.
Test squad:
Nasser Hussain (Essex, capt, age 31/42 caps),
Chris Adams (Sussex, 29/0),
Mike Atherton (Lancashire, 31/89),
Mark Butcher (Surrey, 27/22),
Andy Caddick (Somerset, 30/25),
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire, 21/2), Darren Gough (Yorkshire, 28/31),
Gavin Hamilton (Yorkshire, 24/0),
Dean Headley (Kent, 29/15),
Darren Maddy (Leicestershire, 25/1),
Alan Mullally (Leicestershire, 30/16),
Chris Read (Nottinghamshire, 21/3),
Alec Stewart (Surrey, 36/90),
Graham Swann (Northamptonshire, 22/0),
Alec Tudor (Surrey, 21/3),
Phil Tufnell (Middlesex, 33/38),
Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, 24/0).
Chris Adams (Sussex, 29/0),
Mike Atherton (Lancashire, 31/89),
Mark Butcher (Surrey, 27/22),
Andy Caddick (Somerset, 30/25),
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire, 21/2), Darren Gough (Yorkshire, 28/31),
Gavin Hamilton (Yorkshire, 24/0),
Dean Headley (Kent, 29/15),
Darren Maddy (Leicestershire, 25/1),
Alan Mullally (Leicestershire, 30/16),
Chris Read (Nottinghamshire, 21/3),
Alec Stewart (Surrey, 36/90),
Graham Swann (Northamptonshire, 22/0),
Alec Tudor (Surrey, 21/3),
Phil Tufnell (Middlesex, 33/38),
Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, 24/0).
Limited-overs squad:
Nasser Hussain (capt, 31/33),
Chris Adams (Sussex, 29/2),
Mark Alleyne (Gloucestershire, 31/4),
Andy Caddick (Somerset, 30/9),
Mark Ealham (Kent, 30/39),
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire, 21/9),
Ashley Giles (Warwickshire, 26/5),
Darren Gough (Yorkshire, 28/65),
Gavin Hamilton (Yorkshire, 24/0),
Graeme Hick (Worcestershire, 33/96),
Nick Knight (Warwickshire, 29/44),
Darren Maddy (Leicestershire, 25/2),
Alan Mullally (Leicestershire, 30/29),
Chris Read (Nottinghamshire, 21/0),
Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire, 23/0).
Chris Adams (Sussex, 29/2),
Mark Alleyne (Gloucestershire, 31/4),
Andy Caddick (Somerset, 30/9),
Mark Ealham (Kent, 30/39),
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire, 21/9),
Ashley Giles (Warwickshire, 26/5),
Darren Gough (Yorkshire, 28/65),
Gavin Hamilton (Yorkshire, 24/0),
Graeme Hick (Worcestershire, 33/96),
Nick Knight (Warwickshire, 29/44),
Darren Maddy (Leicestershire, 25/2),
Alan Mullally (Leicestershire, 30/29),
Chris Read (Nottinghamshire, 21/0),
Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire, 23/0).
Source :: Ken Borland