| David Capel Interview - Part 2
Your Test debut came in the 3rd Test against Pakistan in 1987. You came in with England struggling at 31-5 and put on 50 with Ian Botham and ended up top scoring with 53 out of the team’s total of 136. What were your first thoughts of Test Cricket? I do still remember the game, I had been 12th man in the first test at Old Trafford so I had been around the dressing room but it was still surreal to be selected into what was a good, confident side, after returning from Australia in the winter having retained the Ashes. David Gower and Ian Botham, two players I had always looked up to, were batting at 5 and 6 and I can vividly remember walking past Gower to bat with Botham on my test debut. The game was a wonderful experience, although it was a poor team performance. I personally gained a lot from the game. From a team perspective it could have gone so much better though and that would have made it a better personal memory.
Did you feel the pressure of being 'the new Botham' when you broke into the test side? Yes there was pressure although I didn’t feel it personally as I always saw myself as David Capel rather than the new anybody. The press were really big on ’the new Botham’ thing at the time, but I didn’t feel that was the case. I always felt that we could have played together and I would have loved to play alongside Ian more often. I felt Beefy could have taught me a lot and I was a young cricketer who wanted to learn from him. Unfortunately the press wouldn’t have that and billed it as ‘Botham versus Capel’. I thought that was sad, the press turned around a few things I said and that frustrated Ian. Luckily we got on well together before and after this period but at the time we felt as though we were competing against each other. All in all it was a sad episode and the press didn’t do themselves, the England Cricket team, or me and Ian any favours. Do you think the Australian press would tag a young Australian leg spinner as the ’new Shane Warne?’ Never. The press should help and encourage rather than put pressure on.
What is the difference between the test selectors of today and the test selectors during your time as a test player? I think there is more communication today and the selectors are more accountable. Being a selector is a job today, in my time they were doing their best, and were respected people such as Dexter and May, but they were amateurs. In the past, players have been brought in and out of the test side, discarded and then recalled; players felt they were only 1 test away from being dropped. For example, on the winter tours in 1987/88 I played a lot of the tour matches while Ian Botham was unavailable, but always felt I would be dropped as soon as Ian returned for the test matches. When we toured the West Indies in 1990 Geoff Boycott and Mickey Stewart told me I would get 2 to 3 years opportunity with England but unfortunately I got injured and when I returned Chris Lewis had emerged as the next English all-rounder hope. If I had stayed fit, I feel I would have got an extended chance at international level.
In 1990 you started appearing for Northamptonshire as a batsman only. What was the reason for you no longer bowling? I had a bad back injury. I had taken about 25 wickets in the first quarter of the season but then picked up the injury and when I returned I injured my ankle. I did score a lot of runs that season [904 in the CountyChampionship, at 41.09.]. I did start bowling again when I fully recovered and got back into the England A side for the Australian tour in 1993.
In June 1993 you retired hurt against Hampshire in the CountyChampionship. What was the injury and how do you feel it affected the rest of your career? I was batting against Malcolm Marshall would had just been bowling medium pace deliveries all game, then suddenly he bowled a quick bouncer and it shattered my forearm. When I came back my knee went and I needed surgery. These injuries limited me to only 7 county championships games in 1993 & 1994.
Your highest first class score was 175 in June 1995 in the home CountyChampionship win against local rivals Leicestershire. Would you say that this was your favourite innings? I remember it well, it was a good innings. It was a quick bouncy pitch and they had a good attack with Alan Mullhally bowling well. I was batting well in 1995 and along with 1989 and 1990 it was my best batting season [Capel scored 1260 runs at an average of 38.47.]. I think because I had my benefit year in 1994, but was injured for most of the season, I had come back refreshed and thirsty for the game. Lamby got the best out of me that year.
During that season Northamptonshire won against Nottinghamshire and you were one of 4 batsman - Fordham 130, Lamb 115, Warren 154 & yourself 114 not out - who scored a century in your first innings total of 781-7 declared. What do you remember about the game? It was a remarkable game, Nottinghamshire were about 350-1 at the end of the first day. It was our worst day of the season and we just needed a kick up the pants. We had a positive talk in the dressing room at the end of the day and I just said, “Let’s just bowl them out for 500, get 700 and win the game.” Lamby picked up on this and we set about achieving it as a team. We were in good form and were confident and good enough to do it. It was a wonderful turnaround.
In the 16 first class years with Northamptonshire you played with many world class players. If you had to select a side - with yourself captain, batting at number 7 - who would you pick and why? My guess would be Larkins, Cook, Bailey, Lamb, Kapil Dev, Curran, Capel, Harper, Ripley (wk), Ambrose, Kumble. You are not far off there. Obviously you’ve got a lot of overseas players with Kapil Dev, Harper, Ambrose and Kumble. I would like to see Richard Williams in there and perhaps Peter Willey at number 3, probably put Bailey at 5 then Kapil Dev and Curran. I could be twelfth man and just do the drinks!
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Steven | 
27-10-2005, 08:47 PM
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