Essex boys run rampant

[undyingking]

May I just quickly say how nice it was yesterday to see two Essex players batting together for England, both scoring centuries. THey've been playing together since county under-13s, and while Alastair Cook got picked up for stardom quite early, we wondered whether Ravi Bopara might be one of those players whose face isn't felt to fit the national team. I guess the presence of former Essex great Andy Flower in the coaching setup has helped him in. With Foster and Napier in the England one-day / Twenty20 squad, this may be the most represented Essex has ever been.

I was trying to think when Essex might last have had two batsmen playing Tests for England. I think it would have had to be back in the early 80s, with Keith Fletcher and Graham Gooch. And they only really played one series together -- these two could be knocking out partnerships for the next 15 years.

Sadly, it'll count against Essex's chances of promotion to the first division of the County Championship: but we are prepared to make the sacrifice!

Comments

[gbsteve.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember a mention of Gooch and Pringle putting on 146 being the last big Essex partnership for England. Fortunately for Essex Irani didn't do so well in tests.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Mm, I hadn't remembed Pringle ever getting any runs for England, but this must have been the match, his only Test 50.

There were quite a few Tests when Gooch, Pringle and Foster all played together, iirc. And a few with Fletcher, Gooch and Lever.. can't think of any other occasions of three Essex in the team, though.

[gbsteve.livejournal.com]

According to Wikipedia Essex have provided four players on three occasions:
"Graham Gooch, Derek Pringle, Neil Foster and John Childs v West Indies at The Oval in 1988 and twice against Australia in 1993 with Graham Gooch, Nasser Hussain, Mark Ilott and Peter Such."

I'd forgotten about Ilott.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Heh, how soon we (or at least I) forget.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

And this lamentable state of the captain not being from Essex needs dealing with, so we can get back to normal. Apparently Gooch and Hussain only did 5 and 4 years each, but it felt like longer. I guess Cook isn't old enough yet.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

I guess Strauss has a couple more years in him, if he doesn't have another disastrous fall-off of batting form. Cook should be good and ready by then.

[mr-malk.livejournal.com]

Cook certainly seems to be earmarked for future captaincy, in much the same way that ... er ... Trescothick was a few years back.

For now I'm just hoping Strauss settles into the role. I think he has the potential to do so, even if Boycs doesn't. He comes across as personable, level-headed and fairly intelligent, which in theory are all good characteristics for a captain. What he really needs is a settled first XI, who are comfortable in the England set-up, and playing to their potential. Continuity in a word.