Timing is everything (2002)
Dexter copy for the Cricketer magazine.
Mixing with the present generation of Test cricketers can be slightly unnerving for older players, mainly because theyounger men are almost all two or three inches taller than they look on the TV. Not Michael Atherton, who is our sort of size and approachable at normal eye level. Our stalwart opening batsman is also more at ease than some of his contemporaries when discussing the game and life in general. That is what comes with experience, being sure of who you are and what your responsibilities are.
The occasion in question was a farewell and God speed lunch to the touring team on the day of their departure to South Africa. The England Cricket Club, membership automatic to anyone who has played for his country, was invited by the England Cricket Board to provide a novel send-off - and a good turn-out by both sides ensured a happy occasion. Or so it seemed to me and a few direct contemporaries including Peter Richardson, Raman Subba Row and Alan Smith.
But I wonder how it felt for the first time tourists. It was certainly a gentle enough introduction to the social side of the game which tends to be more formal overseas.
The speaking was kept to a minimum with Lord Maclaurin as the genial host and Sir Alec Bedser finding just the right light touch in reply. There will certainly be times when patiences are more thoroughly tested by the proverbial local politician who cares more for the sound of his own voice than the sensibilities of his audience.
I had the pleasure to sit next to Yorkshire's Michael Vaughan and the conversation got off to a bright start. Yes, he toured India with the under-19 side. Yes, he opened the innings at Delhi and made runs. Yes, I had been there as Chairman of the England Committee to watch him play. So far so good. My gaffe came when I wondered whether he was a fully capped Yorkshire team member. The answer was that he was capped in 1995!
But despite having to wait four years in the county game for his first chance to play International cricket, I got the feeling that he was quietly confident and self-assured. He told me that he had played successfully in all the England junior age groups, which obviously gave him no God given right to the next step up but at least meant that the final selection came as no great surprise.
It made me think of the whole business of getting the timing right when first putting a player into the International arena. There is the celebrated case of Graham Hick who finished his lengthy qualifying period just in time to catch a home series against the West Indians with Marshall and Ambrose firing on all cylinders. It is arguable that he would have had a more productive career if he had encountered easier opposition
at the beginning.
Which leads me on to the selection of Chris Adams at the age of 29 with anything but a solid background of run scoring to give him that essential belief in himself if the time comes and he is able to force his way into the team. For the past two years his name does not appear in the list of “leading current players” which means that he is out of the top 36 headed incidentally by Graham Hick!
Adams had a highly successful season leading Sussex brilliantly in the CGU Division Two and often bringing home the bacon with his bat. But he again missed out in the leading batsmen list in the PPP Championship and failed to reach the acceptable level for a top class player of 1000 runs in the season.
I am not making these rather damning points to suggest he is not a good striker of a cricket ball or that he will necessarily fail if and when a good opportunity comes along but I do think that he will have a number of psychological obstacles to jump as he walks out to bat which will be of no concern whatsoever to the younger players. They carry very little baggage with them. Mostly unmarried and fancy free, they see the world as full of opportunity, whereas the older players trying to get a foothold tend to see a lot more of the pitfalls.
It is not long since another leading Sussex player, Alan Wells was asked to make his Test debut at the Oval in 1995 against the West Indians at the age of 33. I remember with a wince the apparent state of nervousness which produced an awful prod at his first short ball, caught at forward short-leg for a duck. 3 not out in the second innings in a drawn game was not enough to draw his name to the selectors notice again.
I remember when I was brought out of semi-retirement back into the England side in 1968 that I felt decidedly different walking out to bat without much personal conviction and this state of mind was pretty well reflected in the way I played. At the time I had a decent record behind me so it cannot be much fun when even that comfort is missing from the mental equation.
Of course there have been successful come-backs such as Cyril Washbrook against the Australians and indeed David Sheppard on the 62-63 Tour. His only hang-up was his usually safe hands mysteriously developed a severe case of butter-fingers.
There was a recent newspaper photograph of the new team manager (name?) with the young players forming the future of England cricket. Sadly Chris Adams was not included. That does not stop me wishing him all the luck in the world, even though the selectors have set him a mighty formidable task.
Mixing with the present generation of Test cricketers can be slightly unnerving for older players, mainly because theyounger men are almost all two or three inches taller than they look on the TV. Not Michael Atherton, who is our sort of size and approachable at normal eye level. Our stalwart opening batsman is also more at ease than some of his contemporaries when discussing the game and life in general. That is what comes with experience, being sure of who you are and what your responsibilities are.
The occasion in question was a farewell and God speed lunch to the touring team on the day of their departure to South Africa. The England Cricket Club, membership automatic to anyone who has played for his country, was invited by the England Cricket Board to provide a novel send-off - and a good turn-out by both sides ensured a happy occasion. Or so it seemed to me and a few direct contemporaries including Peter Richardson, Raman Subba Row and Alan Smith.
But I wonder how it felt for the first time tourists. It was certainly a gentle enough introduction to the social side of the game which tends to be more formal overseas.
The speaking was kept to a minimum with Lord Maclaurin as the genial host and Sir Alec Bedser finding just the right light touch in reply. There will certainly be times when patiences are more thoroughly tested by the proverbial local politician who cares more for the sound of his own voice than the sensibilities of his audience.
I had the pleasure to sit next to Yorkshire's Michael Vaughan and the conversation got off to a bright start. Yes, he toured India with the under-19 side. Yes, he opened the innings at Delhi and made runs. Yes, I had been there as Chairman of the England Committee to watch him play. So far so good. My gaffe came when I wondered whether he was a fully capped Yorkshire team member. The answer was that he was capped in 1995!
But despite having to wait four years in the county game for his first chance to play International cricket, I got the feeling that he was quietly confident and self-assured. He told me that he had played successfully in all the England junior age groups, which obviously gave him no God given right to the next step up but at least meant that the final selection came as no great surprise.
It made me think of the whole business of getting the timing right when first putting a player into the International arena. There is the celebrated case of Graham Hick who finished his lengthy qualifying period just in time to catch a home series against the West Indians with Marshall and Ambrose firing on all cylinders. It is arguable that he would have had a more productive career if he had encountered easier opposition
at the beginning.
Which leads me on to the selection of Chris Adams at the age of 29 with anything but a solid background of run scoring to give him that essential belief in himself if the time comes and he is able to force his way into the team. For the past two years his name does not appear in the list of “leading current players” which means that he is out of the top 36 headed incidentally by Graham Hick!
Adams had a highly successful season leading Sussex brilliantly in the CGU Division Two and often bringing home the bacon with his bat. But he again missed out in the leading batsmen list in the PPP Championship and failed to reach the acceptable level for a top class player of 1000 runs in the season.
I am not making these rather damning points to suggest he is not a good striker of a cricket ball or that he will necessarily fail if and when a good opportunity comes along but I do think that he will have a number of psychological obstacles to jump as he walks out to bat which will be of no concern whatsoever to the younger players. They carry very little baggage with them. Mostly unmarried and fancy free, they see the world as full of opportunity, whereas the older players trying to get a foothold tend to see a lot more of the pitfalls.
It is not long since another leading Sussex player, Alan Wells was asked to make his Test debut at the Oval in 1995 against the West Indians at the age of 33. I remember with a wince the apparent state of nervousness which produced an awful prod at his first short ball, caught at forward short-leg for a duck. 3 not out in the second innings in a drawn game was not enough to draw his name to the selectors notice again.
I remember when I was brought out of semi-retirement back into the England side in 1968 that I felt decidedly different walking out to bat without much personal conviction and this state of mind was pretty well reflected in the way I played. At the time I had a decent record behind me so it cannot be much fun when even that comfort is missing from the mental equation.
Of course there have been successful come-backs such as Cyril Washbrook against the Australians and indeed David Sheppard on the 62-63 Tour. His only hang-up was his usually safe hands mysteriously developed a severe case of butter-fingers.
There was a recent newspaper photograph of the new team manager (name?) with the young players forming the future of England cricket. Sadly Chris Adams was not included. That does not stop me wishing him all the luck in the world, even though the selectors have set him a mighty formidable task.
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