Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott-Wozniak  Mark Ramprakash and John Crawley are both excellent County players who couldn't make the step up to Test Cricket |
So how do you explain Ramprakash's return in his 6 games in Australia: the toughest away Tests faced by any batsman of his generation.
Code:
Mat I NO Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50 0
filtered 6 12 2 493 72 69* 63 49.30 0 5 0
That's an average of 50 but WITHOUT the distortion introduced by a single, unrepresentative super-score. Look at the actual innings and they are even more impressive: Ramps didn't just surpass his colleagues in those games... he towered over them.
In Crawley's case... you could have argued for ditching him BEFORE his final tour of Australia... but ditching him AFTER it made no sense whatsoever: he held his head as most around him failed... and his two unbeaten innings.... though doing little for his stats.... were more impressive than many knocks that have returned far, far bigger totals. No matter what had gone before.... the series justified sticking with him:
Code:
Series Win Mat I NO Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50 0
The Ashes (Aus/Eng) in Australia, 2002/03 [Series]
Aus 3 6 2 162 69* 35* 33 40.50 0 1 1 Sure, he had spent the early part of his career looking suspect outside off stump... but not half as suspect outside off stump as young Cook. The guy was at least as worthy of sticking with as Tresco, Butcher and Hussain... and I believe the selectors / management of the time agreed as much. I can't recall my sources.. but as I understand it, Crawley made way so that the management had scope to try others in the hope of finding a latter day Bradman - not because he was any less worthy of a spot than his colleagues.