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Neil Harvey
Helping Australia again
By Richard Seeckts last year, mid-March, 10 Comments »
Not long ago it was possible to dream of a close fought Ashes series this coming summer. Since the turn of the year, however, the gap between Australia and England has grown like a crevasse in the melting ice caps; Australia’s young pups comfortably filling the boots of their retired predecessors while England have tried all manner of bowling options without finding a winning combination.
Philip Hughes is right up there with Archie Jackson and Neil Harvey for precocious talent, so will have a big part to play in the Ashes despite his lack of experience in English conditions. The problem is that Middlesex have signed him for the first six weeks of the season. At Lord’s in April and May he will learn how best to play English bowlers in English conditions. Come July, he will return to HQ in his baggy green and, quite probably, tonk England’s finest to all parts.
It’s happened before, but that does not make it clever. English cricket continues shoot itself in the foot. The chances of an Australian State employing, say, Stuart Broad for six weeks prior to the next Ashes series down under are, I suspect, nil.
Would Middlesex consider politely changing their minds about employing young Hughes? It would be uncharacteristically magnanimous for any county to make such a gesture, and be warmly applauded here.
10 Comments »