GRAHAM Gooch is preparing himself for one last big effort as an
England Test captain on a foreign field. Seldom before have England
needed him so badly as they go into tomorrow's Bombay Test already
beaten 2-0 in the series by India.
Beset by illness -- with Gooch himself the most damaging victim of the
last few weeks -- and bemused by Indian spin, England must pull
themselves together if a bitterly disappointing tour is not to become a
total disaster.
Gooch, typically, tried to play down the huge blow to England his own
illness has been. And the 39-year-old, on what he insists is his last
tour, reasserted his intention to return home at the end of the India
leg on March 6 -- rather than go, after all, to Sri Lanka for the final
fortnight in an effort to help restore confidence and belief to his
side.
Gooch said: ''Teams have to cope with injury and illness. We have 16
other good players here and you just have to get on with things if
someone is ruled out.
''I just hope we are a bit more successful in this Test than the last
two we have played in.
''Bombay has been a good ground for me in the past, but we need to put
in a better performance than we have been doing. I don't want this match
to end up like the last two Tests.''
England's players have been left in no doubt about their need to
improve -- and both Gooch and team manager Keith Fletcher said that
England were not approaching the Bombay Test with just a draw in mind.
The England team will be announced this afternoon. Neil Fairbrother
missed practice yesterday because of a flu type virus, which is
worryingly familiar. But, at the moment, England's management do not
regard him as being doubtful. Chris Lewis bowled in the nets without
suffering a reaction to a thigh injury he picked up in Calcutta, while
fellow paceman Phil DeFreitas is also back in strong contention for a
place. Gooch himself will return, with Richard Blakey dropping out.
* PETER Such bowled himself into contention for an England call-up
against Australia this summer with a match-winning performance for
England against the Australian Cricket Academy in Melbourne. The Essex
spinner had match figures of eleven for 144 as England A swept to their
first tour victory, by 81 runs. Scores:
England A 220 (P J Prichard 77) and 286 (G D Lloyd 124, A R Caddick
39); Australian CA 231 and 194 (M Bevan 53, M Slater 41; A R Caddick
4-46, P M Such 4-62).
New Zealand Board XI 264 for nine, dec (M Crowe 163; P Reiffel 5-78)
and 2 for one; Australians 348 (J Langer 89, I. Healy 87 n.o.). Tour
match at New Plymouth.
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