Tudor in the last chance saloon

13 April 2012

Another week of speculation in the press, another Sunday selection announcement, and another no-Tufnell show on Teletext.

Oh well, as I have told the radio and TV guys who have called me to hear my views possibly expecting a negative Tufnell reaction, all I can do is remain positive and continue to perform for Middlesex and wait my turn.

I'm sorry to disappoint those guys but the negative Tufnell was the Tufnell of old.

As it turns out, Sunday was a very good day, both for Middlesex as a team and me personally. We put ourselves back on the top of Division Two with our victory over Durham and I took five for 40 odd, which included my 1,000th first-class wicket.

I believe it is just me and Daffy DeFreitas, who have achieved this feat and are still playing.

It just shows what happens when you keep to such a well-balanced training regime like we do. Isn't that right Daffy?

I still remember me and Daffy bumping into each other at the main gates on our first day at Lord's, both clutching our Sainsburys bags with our worldly cricket belongings in them. Well, as the stats show, this hasn't held us back too much.

Anyway, there seems to have been far too much written about me over the past few days, so let's get on to the real issue of identifying a way for England to beat Australia.

It seems we have perhaps learnt from things not going right by the fact that we are looking at playing five bowlers as opposed to seven batsmen.

I am particularly pleased to see that in support of Andy Caddick and Darren Gough will be either Chris Silverwood or Alex Tudor, or even both.

Mind you if it is Tudor who gets the nod, we might as well just field the whole Surrey team!

I reckon Ben and Adam Hollioake, Martin Bicknell, Ed Giddins and Ian Salisbury ( all international cricketers) could join up with the other guys and do very well against the Aussies.

As was evident in the Second Test, we really needed some more strength in depth with our support bowling.

These two recruits won't lack enthusiasm and, who knows, perhaps they might undo the Australians in some shape or form.

Again the pressure will be on the batsmen to post a respectable score for the bowlers to have a crack at because, even with the best bowlers in the world, unless they have something to aim for it is almost impossible to make an impact.

It just needs one of the guys to score our first hundred of the series, which has been threatening to happen through Mark Butcher, Mike Atherton and Marcus Trescothick, and someone else to support him. It can be done, as my old mate Robin 'Judgey' Smith showed at the weekend.

The big man had a great knock for Hampshire against the Aussies and I am sure he loved every moment of that.

Hang on, the Judge has just scored a hundred against the Aussies and Devon Malcolm and me are the two leading wicket-takers in the country. That's amazing. Bring on the oldies!

So to the Aussies and all their weaknesses.

Well where do I start? God knows but I am fed up about hearing how great they are.

A lot has been made of their bowling, Glenn McGrath in particular, and how constantly accurate it is, whereas our guys apparently look like they are trying something new each ball.

I know from my experiences that my good spells come from frustrating players into making mistakes.

One thing I did read over the weekend was some ex-pro's suggestions on countering McGrath's accuracy.

The person concerned suggested the England top order should look how Caddick played McGrath at Edgbaston by stepping away to leg and "giving himself room". Hang on a minute. Haven't I been playing-just like this for the past 15 years?

Okay, Caddick may manage to hit a few more of them than me but I don't remember having anybody offer support for my technique over the years.

Anyway, despite not being with the guys in person on Thursday, I will certainly be following every move on the box with my cup of tea and digestive biscuit at the ready.

This is the real last chance saloon. We must win this Test match or another Ashes is gone.

So come on lads. Let's step it up a gear and show these Aussies the England team that has competed and won so well over the past 18 months.

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