decided to opine:
Quote:
>Hello,
>Can somebody please give me a backgrounder on a player I saw during the AXA
>league game at Lords on 7/6/98.
>He is a Durham player by the name of M Foster. Scored 70 and was a decent
>bowler. Hit one of the biggest sixes I have seen (Hit the pavillion roof at
>Lords).
Former Yorks (and several other places) player. Spent a few years
hawking himself round on trials and not doing very well, although he
was obviously capable of hitting the ball hard and high, until he
finally got a contract with Durham.
Quote:
>Also I was impressed with Shah in the field but he did not look good with
>the bat.
That's unusual. He's getting better and better with the bat, and will
undoubtedly play for England, although I doubt that will happen for
about five years.
Quote:
>Others that impressed
>D Nash -- Msex
>Langer -- Of course
>A Fraser -- 4 wickets M sex
>M Betts -- Durham 3 wickets.
>Are any of these players amongst the next crop or not? (obviously Langer is
>Australian and can not be included in that question)
David Nash is having a very good season. He's supposed to be the
reserve wicket-keeper, but he's done so well in the IIs the last
couple of years that he's been put in the first team solely as a
batsman.
I'm not sure this is a good idea. Nash has the batting ability to be
another Healy or Knott at Test level, but he won't get there if he
doesn't spend time behind the stumps actually keeping. And the
continual rumpus over Stewart's role in the England side shows that we
can ill afford not to have all-rounders, such as wicket-keepers who
get 50s and more, available for selection.
Betts has started this season very well, and has reached the attention
of the selectors and pundits. I haven't seen him yet, but he is
supposed to be in the Cowan/Giddins league, ie just behind Headley and
Caddick as reserves for Gus, Goughie, and Toady.
The other Fraser is Gus's elder brother, who had an unsuccessful
period playing for Middx before going and spending a few seasons being
unsuccessful for Essex. He's playing for Middx this season on a match
by match basis, because apart from Gus and the odd spell from Johnson,
the Middx seam attack is pretty thin.
So, I'd say you saw three possible England players of the future:
Betts, if he keeps his form, is likely to play within the next two
years given the perpetual shortage of English pace bowlers who are
both good and fit. Owais Shah is in my mind a definite, but not before
about 2002 at the earliest. Whether Nash will get to play for England
is most likely to be dependent on him keeping, but he is also young,
and could develop into a major batsman instead. Look for him around
2003-5, I'd say.
Cheers,
Mike
--
Non sine Rampo Britannia victoriam habebit
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