Bushranger at centre of England storm
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July 23, 2008 10:03am
VICTORIAN pace bowler Darren Pattinson is at the heart of a growing storm over the England team selection for the disastrous second Test against South Africa.
England, with English-born Pattinson a surprise call-up to the match, were beaten by 10 wickets inside four days.
One English newspaper called the England team "the most controversial, shambolic choice of a national team in years".
The relatively inexperienced Pattinson, 29, who is playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire, was called into the squad and played in place of the injured Ryan Sidebottom. He took two wickets in South Africa's first innings.
Apart from his shock selection, England left out all-rounder Paul Collingwood and promoted out-of form Tim Ambrose up the batting order.
The devastating defeat prompted captain Michael Vaughan to question team selection, saying England were in disarray before the match even started.
Now selector Geoff Miller is demanding an explanation from Vaughan and the selectors were called to an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the issue.
"The selectors are not here to make Michael's job harder, which is why I'd like him to clarify his comments," Miller said.
"It's been made into a massive issue by the media and I want to hear his side of the story."
Miller said players were not selected for England without a thorough examination of their credentials.
"We garner opinion by talking to umpires, county coaches and other players and then we go and monitor the players that those chats throw up," he told the Daily Telegraph.
"Once we've got a rounded picture ... we'll consider them for selection."
Meanwhile, Pattinson expects to be left out of the team for the third Test in favour of Sidebottom.
"I've got things that I need to learn about the game and I know that my next chance might not come straightaway," Pattinson said.
"But I'd like to think that I can be involved again further down the track. It's happened a few times in my career when I've been picked out of nowhere - and at the moment I feel that anything is possible."
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Have Your Say
Latest Comments:
Well Craig, the chances of it ever being an Englishman's fault are always going to be slim - their cricket side hardly ever has any true Englishman in them! Their most dangerous player is a South African, and there's two Australian-raised players in their side......
Posted by: Joel P of Brisbane 11:19am today
Typical England, Lose a test blame the Aussie. It couldn't have been a blue blooded Englishman's fault after all we invented the game, forget the fact that we've been rubbish at it for years and recruit players from all over the globe to make up the team.
Posted by: craig of Collingwood 10:34am today
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