Selectors put senior English players back in line

LONDON, AUG. 27. England's selectors on Sunday put their senior players back in line by making it clear that they would not allow anyone to pick which tour they undertook this winter. ``The selectors feel it would set a dangerous precedent to allow players to pick and choose which winter tour they are prepared to undertake,'' said David Graveney, chairman of selectors in a statement following days of speculation about the plans of Alec Stewart and Darren Gough.

Graveney's words show that a great deal of thought has been applied to the selection for the four separate elements of the winter tour plans. England is due to reach India in November for two warm-up games and three Tests. It will return to England after the third Test for the Christmas break, go back to India for five one-day internationals at the end of January, travel to New Zealand for another five one-dayers in February and play three Tests against New Zealand before flying back to England in April.

''The selectors have acted in close consultations with the England team management and the England and Wales Cricket Board operations department. Every effort has been made to look after the players' interests with regard to the demands of this winter's schedule and the itinerary has been arranged to enable the players to spend Christmas at home. It is also the selectors' intention to include a number of younger players in the Zimbabwe one-day squad to progress their development ahead of the next World Cup. Senior players not chosen for this trip will therefore have up to 10 weeks' rest before the tour of India.

The touring parties for the four parts of the winter will be announced at Lord's on Tuesday. Gough and Stewart will be left out of all sections. ``We cannot have cherry picking,'' said a senior management figure today. Nor can they send an understrength team to India and expect anything save defeat from the team which beat Australia. England has lost four Tests out of six this summer, eroding the good work of the past year, and without Stewart's experience and Gough's fire it will find Tests in the sub-continent difficult.

For the general public these political wrangles make little difference and Indian fans will regret the absence of two charismatic players; but for those close to the game in this country there is far too much evidence of lack of communication and co-operation among those who should be in daily touch. ``Shambles'' is the word that springs to mind and it will be surprising if, as a result, the winter tours go smoothly. - Ted Corbett

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