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National selector Geoff Miller today refused to rule out a sensational England recall for Surrey batsman Mark Ramprakash for the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval starting on Thursday week.
The 39-year-old has come back into contention for a place against Australia following the dreadful performance by the middle order in the crushing defeat at Headingley.
Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood made only 16 runs between them as England lost by an innings and 80 runs yesterday - and any of that trio could be vulnerable when the squad is named on Sunday.
By contrast, Ramprakash was scoring 134 not out against Derbyshire - the 108th century of his career - and has amassed 1,209 runs this season at an average of 100.75.
Crucially, the Fifth Test is on Ramprakash's home ground, The Oval, and Miller confirmed the Surrey player was in his thoughts.
"I'm not ruling anybody out," Miller said. "What we have to do as selectors is measure the quality of what they are doing in domestic cricket and whether they can do it internationally.
"There's a lot more pressure in Test cricket, it's a different game altogether.
"The players we have in the side are good enough to be internationals. It doesn't necessarily mean, all of a sudden, that they are not good enough.
"We stay loyal with the players unless we feel it's completely necessary to make those changes. We will sit down and work out the best way forward."
Former England captain Alec Stewart claimed yesterday that Ramprakash, who won the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show in 2006, should be brought back for a one-off match, even though he has not played a Test for seven years - a view echoed by Surrey cricket manager Chris Adams.
"If I was an England selector picking my best side, Mark would be in it," Adams told Radio 5Live. "He is playing the best cricket of his life.
"He has done so for three years. I believe strongly he has been the best batsman available for England for those three years.
"I know Kevin Pietersen would have something to say about that but from what I've seen from Mark this year he is an exceptional batsman, a batsman at the top of his game."
Ramprakash has played 52 Tests, scoring 2,350 runs at an average of 27.32 with 12 half-centuries and two tons.
In 12 Tests against Australia he has notched 933 runs at an average of 42.40 with one century, coming at The Oval in 2001.
He was dropped after scores of nine and two against New Zealand in March 2002 but has since moved from Middlesex to Surrey and continued to dominate opposition bowling attacks at county level.
"He's a fine player, whether it's the right time to bring him back into a Test match is a different story," said Australia captain Ricky Ponting yesterday.
"It's amazing how quickly things change either the way the media sees the team or even the way the team looks upon itself."
Ramprakash - who will be 40 on 5 September - declined the chance to discuss an England recall today but he has already made his international intentions clear this summer.
When Pietersen's Achilles injury ruled him out of the rest of the series, Ramprakash then said: "It is not entirely tongue-in-cheek when I say that I would jump at the chance of returning."
Coach Andy Flower has suggested changes could be made to England's batting personnel and Kent's Robert Key and Warwickshire's Jonathan Trott will also come into the reckoning.
They will both be in action from tomorrow in the next round of County Championship matches as will Bopara who will be playing for Essex at Middlesex.
The 24-year-old has struggled against Australia, scoring 105 runs in seven innings at an average of 15.
Reader views (7)
England just did not have the answer for the in-form Assies at Headingley. After all, England batsmen faced the most fearsome bowling attack and their bowlers bowled at the most competent batting line-up in the game today. It is acknowledged that the English team was the best that could be fielded at he time and I continue to feel that the presence of fit and in-form KP and Flinty would give England stronger ammunition to deal with the all-powerlful Aussies. But, KP and Flinty will not be possible for the Oval. So, I would keep the same team that lost the last test, except that Flinty would be replaced by the experieced and in-form Matthew Hoggard. I feel confident that England's form will be better and teir output stronger after the Headingley experience and two weeks of sobering reflection/pontification upon how to tackle Ponting & Co at the Oval.
- Henderson T. Bullen, Nassau, Bahamas, 14/08/2009 17:07
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So Mark Ramprakash is too old at 39 to play test cricket? Does that mean that OZ should bring back Adam Gilchrist aged 37 and Glenn McGrath aged 39 for the Oval test match? Stop stuffing about and bring back Freddie Flintoff, who has the ability to win test matches on one leg if need be. We (OZ) need this match to be a competitive, knife-edged drama which provides entertaining cricket, not a damp squib.
- Len, Perth Australia, 11/08/2009 01:29
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Great news. Mark will give the Aussies a rumba for their money.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 10/08/2009 18:36
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The selectors might want to ensure they pack his zimmer frame for him, or you could bring back Graeme Hick.
- Ct, London, UK, 10/08/2009 17:40
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I cannot agree with the last commentator regarding Strauss being axed. He is an excellent cricket and has the potential to develop a sharp cricketing brain. That said, he is not that tactically inept. No, I'd start with sacking the selectors and bring in people who really know the game like Sir Ian Botham, Nassar Hussein and Geoffrey Boycott.
Next, I'd axe the following:
Bell (permanently)
Bopara (a one day player only)
Collingwood (has had enough chances)
Cook (tell him unless he starts scoring tons, he's out)
Harmison (permanently)
I don't profess to have all the answers as to replacements. However, as any Aussie side would do, they'd pick their best 11 players irrespective of
central contracts, old school tie associations and loyalty. Certainly, I'd plump for Rob Key, Craig Keiswetter (when available to play for England) and ask Ramprakash or Trescothick to play one last test for England to get them out of a hole.
England are in a mess and will be found out again by the Aussies unless they are brave enough to be as ruthless as them both on and off the field.
Each bowler should bowl like Flintoff possessed and bat as agressively as Swann and broad did. Then and only then we might be able to compete with the best teams in the world.
Barry Cashin - Journalist
- Barry Cashin, london, 10/08/2009 17:35
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So desperate when England bemoan the absence of South African players like Pietersen and Trott, and gave to recall a grandad who failed the last time
- Keith Price, Luton England, 10/08/2009 16:40
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Strauss should survive one more game as captain then fall on his sword or be asked to go. He's a good batter but NOT a captain. Rob Key is the obvious replacement but not for the Oval game. For the Oval game Shah and Ramps should replace Bopara and Bell. Cook just about survives in my view. A one legged Flintoff is better than the rest at the moment. If not fit I'd bring back Sidebottom for Harminson.
- John, Kingston, 10/08/2009 13:07
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