Ramprakash on stand-by

By Ted Corbett

LONDON, JUNE 30. Mark Ramprakash, whose Test career appeared to be finished when he was left out of the England side last winter, is included in the squad for the first Test against Australia at Edgbaston as cover for Graham Thorpe, a serious doubt due to a strained right calf.

Ashley Giles and Craig White, who missed the two-match npower Test series against Pakistan through injury and the one- day internationals, return to the squad with captain Nasser Hussain who missed the Old Trafford Test and the one-dayers with a broken thumb.

Why return to Ramprakash, for all his many runs for Surrey his new home after 12 years with Middlesex? He made only one Test century in 10 years even though he was given 42 opportunities to prove his worth.

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors said, ``we still have injury concerns about three players, Michael Vaughan, Giles and Thorpe. Graham is the most serious concern and we need to check the fitness of all three at Edgbaston. Ramprakash is an experienced Test player with a good record against Australia and he has been in excellent form this season. We feel he represents the best option.''

England is unlikely to risk Thorpe for all his great skills, not least because he has not had a worthwhile innings for a month. If his calf heals in time there is a Surrey match against Leicestershire next week in which he could try it out. Better to leave him to get fit for the second half of the Ashes series rather than attempt to rush him back and risk him missing most of the Tests.

It is not difficult to argue with Graveney's assessment that Ramprakash is the best choice. Graeme Hick scored his 113rd first class hundred yesterday and while he has been given even more opportunities than Ramprakash to show his worth his vast experience might be a reason for his inclusion. Among the younger players Owais Shah obviously has the potential to be a fine Test batsman while Kevin Pietersen, a South African-born but English- qualified cricketer has just hit a hundred for Nottinghamshire in 85 balls to crown a wonderful start to his county career.

His mother is English; hence his reasons for coming to this country and his qualification for England. There will certainly be a cry for his inclusion by the end of the series if he continues to show his current form and there is no reason why he should not follow Allan Lamb's route to Test success. County cricket seems to be too easy for him.

England physiotherapist, Dean Conway said, ``Thorpe saw a second specialist yesterday regarding his calf injury and we are awaiting the results of tests. Vaughan had an injection in a damaged cyst in his left knee earlier this week and Ashley Giles has reported stiffness and soreness in his Achilles after a lengthy bowling spell for Warwickshire.''

Worries about Giles' fitness, a perpetual theme in his life as a top class left arm spinner, have forced the selectors to consider sending for Phil Tufnell and, as Giles is almost sure to miss at least one Test in the rest of the summer, we are bound to see this maverick bowler again.

No-one doubts his quality on his good days but they have been few and far between this summer when Middlesex has failed to display any of the qualities needed to get out of the second division even with the popular Angus Fraser as captain.

Tufnell seems to be drifting towards a tabloid media career already but if the selectors catch him on the right day he could be England's salvation.

The squad: Nasser Hussain (captain), Michael Atherton, Andrew Caddick, Dominic Cork, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, Matthew Hoggard, Mark Ramprakash, Alec Stewart, Marcus Trescothick, Graham Thorpe, Michael Vaughan, Ian Ward, Craig White.

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