I'm gutted at missing out on a tour place

13 April 2012

Well, it's been an interesting few days! From the elation of being picked for The Oval Test, to the pain of two unsuccessful days in the field, to defeat, and finally to the deflation of not being picked on the winter tour.

It all started promisingly enough. My second home, The Oval, has always been a good hunting ground for 'The Cat', and I think the Aussies remembered both that and more specifically 1997 when I took 11 wickets.

Judging by the way they attacked me from the start, it was obvious that they were out to not let me settle. I suppose it was a bit of a compliment that they singled me out, but it didn't feel much like one as Thursday and Friday unravelled.

Fair play to Justin Langer, despite that 'lucky' six off me, he played really well and just showed the determination that all these Aussies possess when they get the opportunity in the team.

That is not saying that I, or any English player, am ever any less determined, but it was just a little easier to express yourself as a batsman on that pitch over the first two days than a bowler.

In addition to JL, of course there were the Waugh twins.

Mark is the glamour boy, great shots all round the wicket, and Steve is the determined 'ice man'.

They produced two more great knocks, and I am sure they were delighted to bid farewell to England in such an impressive manner.

When it was our turn to respond, I thought we did well and were looking good to avoid the follow-on, but we just didn't quite have enough.

Ramps was superb, and I was well pleased for my old team-mate, who - as has been well publicised - always seems to have to prove himself, something which he was able to do brilliantly.

If one of the other guys who made a few runs had been able to convert them into a century, then we would have been okay, but it wasn't to be.

I did think me and Goughie would save the day at the end of our first innings. We were going along nicely until Goughie's strange dismissal meant that we had fallen short of the follow-on target.

Once this happened we were always going to be up against it and so it proved, even with most of Sunday washed out.

So, another Ashes series has been and gone, all too quickly.

The Australians deserved to win, but I felt England did not give as good as they could have done, and therewill be some disappointed people, both players and public alike.

Basically, when one team scores nine or 10 centuries and the opposition only manage two, there is always going to be a large gulf between the sides.

In addition, when a side has Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne in it, they are going to be at a huge advantage. At the end of the day, we weren't as good as them - it's as simple as that.

A couple of other issues that have occurred over The Oval Test have been Athers' retirement from international cricket and the opting out of the tours this winter by Goughie and Stewie.

Firstly, Athers - fair enough, if he has had enough then so be it. He deserves time to rest and reflect on what he has achieved. He has been at the front for 12 years and he has decided it is time to move on.

I am sure he won't be short of offers for work to fill his winter months, so good luck to him.

With regards to Stewie and Goughie opting out of the tour to India, and then being told they would not be part of the New Zealand trip either, well, rules are rules I suppose. For someone like me who was bursting to go, it seems strange that you would pass up a chance to play for your country.

However, I have never been picked regularly enough for my body or mind to be exhausted. Only Stewie and Goughie know how they feel.

And, unfortunately, I won't be getting exhausted playing for England this winter either.

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