England in the 1990s... again

[Aislabie]

England Squad for the Home Series against New Zealand

Graham Gooch

Michael Atherton
Rob Bailey
Neil Fairbrother
David Gower
Nasser Hussain
Allan Lamb
Robin Smith
Alec Stewart

Chris Lewis
Derek Pringle

David Ripley (uncapped)
Jack Russell

Phil DeFreitas
Devon Malcolm
Gladstone Small
Neil Williams (uncapped)

Keith Medlycott

Gus Fraser misses out due to a severe hip injury and Medlycott is the only specialist spinner selected in the squad.

 

[Aislabie]

England vs New Zealand, 1st Test at Trent Bridge


A few changes here from the West Indies Tests: Atherton comes back in as an opener and bit-part spinner, while his county teammate Fairbrother makes a comeback at Test level after smashing a triple-hundred.



We start the season with a moderately comfortable win, but more than that a real team win. Atherton starred with his 76 and a rogue spell of cheeky leggies, but almost every player in the team chipped in at least once. Meanwhile Hadlee buried himself getting 10-for, but not a win.

 

[Aislabie]

England (1) vs (0) New Zealand, 2nd Test at Lord's



Just one change then - it's a little bit of deckchair shuffling: Derek Pringle comes back into the side after Phil DeFreitas struggled for impact with the ball in the first Test.



Okay, so we won't be hitting the button marked "Pringle" ever again. And it looks as if Neil Fairbrother has also cooked his goose - four innings back in the side and he's not passed 30 yet.

 

[Aislabie]

England (1) vs (1) New Zealand, 3rd Test at Edgbaston


Desperate times mean that David Gower comes back into the side for the first time all year. He's a symbol of the Old England we were trying to move away from, but push has come to shove and we've gone back to the well.



Battered. Bracewelled. The man's just taken 25 wickets @ 22.48 against us this series. That's even better than Hadlee's 20 @ 20.40.