 | For England, then, this is the ideal opportunity to make amends for their disappointing efforts in the Caribbean in the New Year |
Resplendent in a new royal blue strip - complete with gold flashing - Andrew Strauss spoke excitedly about the busiest summer in cricket history. He tried determinedly and deliberately to talk down the Ashes, now 63 days away in terms of the calendar but, importantly, just 10 playing days away as far as his team is concerned. For Ravi Bopara, Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan, that really is just around the corner and for Bopara in particular, it makes these two matches at number three a short-term trial. If he succeeds, he will bat at three at Cardiff in the first Test. If he fails in these early season conditions, it will all be back in the melting pot. The demands of the Indian Premier League - or at least the demand of the players to make some money in the IPL - has added to the feeling that this first Test is being played at least a week too early. There has not been enough cricket for any of the players from either team to claim that they are prepared properly, but the England and Wales Cricket Board is determined to protect the television deal which demands that seven Tests are played, as well as hosting the World Twenty20, one-day international series against West Indies and Australia and, of course, the Ashes. It is getting close to the stage where the quality and integrity of the cricket is of secondary importance to making money, and that is a seriously dangerous place to be. Traditionally, West Indians have not enjoyed playing cricket in England so early in the summer. | 606: DEBATE |
They were thoroughly miserable when they toured here two years ago - I still have vivid memories of Chris Gayle standing at Chester-le-Street, frozen to the spot at first slip with his hands thrust deep into his pockets. That is the venue for the second Test next week - a full month earlier than that game in 2007. Poor Chris! For England, then, this is the ideal opportunity to make amends for their disappointing efforts in the Caribbean in the New Year. The conditions will help their seamers, despite their inexperience and England's batsmen should be more adept at adjusting to the slow pitches they are likely to encounter. It will be interesting to see which spinner is preferred. Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar - two good friends - left Lord's together on Tuesday, but surely only one will play. On form it should be Swann, now recovered from an operation to clear floating bone from his right elbow and who enjoyed much the better winter of the two. It seems odd having two spinners here at all but, being in the County Championship Second Division, Panesar's Northants do not use the same ball as the First Division or the national team do, rather the experimental Tiflex. Therefore it was thought best that he practices with the superior Dukes ball whenever possible. Who said that Second Division does not mean second class?
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