England spring Such surprise (11 December 1998)

11 December 1998

England spring Such surprise

By Christopher Martin-Jenkins

INDEPENDENCE of mind is a great thing in cricket and the England selectors showed plenty of it last night. They sprang a complete surprise by bringing Peter Such into the side for the third Test, which started in stifling heat at the Adelaide Oval this morning.

Their logic was irrefutable, though there had been a case for applying it a month earlier when Such bowled far better in the second match of the tour, against South Australia in Adelaide, than Robert Croft had in the first against West Australia in Perth. "Croft," said the manager, Graham Gooch, "has had his chance."

It was brutally expressed, but true. The implication was that Croft has not made sufficient of it to justify his inclusion in a match which England need to win and simply cannot afford to lose. He has worked hard on his batting and has by no means bowled badly, but there has been the feeling all along that he does not spin the ball sufficiently, nor beat enough batsmen through the air, to make it likely that he will bowl a side out.

A specialist spinner was essential here given the worn patches on a pitch which looks as though it has been played on since last season, whatever the ground authorities may say. The beauty of Such is that he is an experienced and thoroughly reliable professional with a cool temperament, far more likely than most to do a good job despite minimal match practice. Ideally, if he was going to play here he should have been in for the four-day match against Victoria in Melbourne last week which separated this match from the second Test in Perth.

Such admitted that he thought his chance of taking any serious part in the tour had gone when he was not selected at Melbourne but added: "You never give up hope. There have been excellent facilities to practise all through the tour. It's a wonderful chance to play for England again."

He last did so at Old Trafford against New Zealand four years ago, bowling only 15 overs in the match. In eight Tests for England before today he has taken 22 wickets at 36.

For all his professionalism he was a surprise choice for the tour in the first place. But having taken six for 67 in the first innings of his first Test at Old Trafford in 1993, the Australians know that on a helpful pitch he can be relied upon to give the best of batsmen serious trouble.

The preference for Dean Headley over Fraser was less of a surprise on Melbourne form. Both were given a fair chance there and Headley emerged as the man in form. Nevertheless, it is hard on Fraser because he did not bowl badly, merely without much spark or venom, at Brisbane and he has had a wonderful 1998.

Once it was decided to settle for seven batsmen, Alex Tudor also became a casualty. The fact that the Australian batsmen will be relieved that he is temporarily out of the side makes this a questionable decision but it gives John Crawley, who will bat at six, a chance to resuscitate a faltering tour.

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