Ramps tipped for recall...

[Rachael]

See Cricinfo - Ramprakash tipped for Test recall?

[Andy Mellon]

Interesting to see the author of this article (see attached)

[Maranello]

Sorry the link doesn't work for me Andy, who is it?

[Andy Mellon]

Sorry, M. It was a bad joke on my behalf....

Hopefully it now works though.

Seriously though, I didn't see that Ramps would have another chance; it was be positively Lazarus-esque for him to make such a comeback.... unless pundits like Rachael have been having a word in the shell-like of the England coach!

[greg]

Why pick him now?

He is a tried and tested failure and at 38 is only a short term measure,we should be building a side for the future not picking old men near the end of their careers.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

Hopefully it now works though.

LOL.

I think Crininfo has just made Rachael's day/week!

[Speedboy Salesman]

Ern must be happy.

For me this is pointless, a good county player, not so good at international level, nearly finished his career, maybe only a year at most? What can this achieve? For me, it's just baffling.

[greg]

So basically we restructure the batting order just to fit in an old man as it would seem Strauss will be the man dropped to let the failure in,where will Ramps bat then 3 or 6?

Vaughan
Cook
Bell/Ramps
KP
Collingwood
Bell/Ramps
Prior
Swann
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

That will probably be the line up for Sri Lanka then if this story is true.Feel for Strauss being dropped after a poor year for a bloke who had 10 of them.


There is always the other possibility,Hugh Morris said a couple of days ago that players will be rested to look after them longterm,so are we going to see KP left out and replaced by Ramps in Sri Lanka.

[Milo]

Did anyone champion bringing back Graham Gooch in 1985 after his South African ban. I seem to remember that before his ban he was pretty much tried and tested (I believe one could clearly say that his international performances were Hickesque up to then). However, when he made England captain at 37 (that's quite old isn't it?), he went on to have the best six years of his life and played for England well into his forties.

Hypothetically of course, what is to say that the tried and tested Ramprakash cold not do the same thing and play quite happily until he is 43. I agree that he is bashing county attacks around all over the place, but one must remember this is NOT something he used to do when he was playing for Middlesex to anywhere near the same level. Two back to back seasons averaging 100 is unheard of in English cricket history.

[greg]

Gooch was only 31 when he was brought back not 38 and we weren't exactly flush with quality openers back then.Now we have 4 players batting at 3-6 who all average over 40 which is way above what Ramprakash ever did,if it aint broke don't fix it.

Ok,pick him but to make it worthwhile he has to average more than the player he is replacing in the side (eg Strauss) is Ramps going to average more than 40 for the next couple of years to make it a good move? I think not as when he plays for England again the pressure will build on him and he will choke again like before.I hope he proves me wrong if selected but i doubt it.