Cricket 365 are carrying an interview with Ashley Giles, in which he states that he believes Tim Ambrose did enough on debut to ensure that he is the long-term answerfor England's wicketkeeper position. With a first innings 55, two catches and only 1 bye conceeded in just over 193 overs.
He said "I can see Tim playing for England for a long time and consequently I don't think Warwickshire will be seeing him for a long time."
"I was watching Tim the other day and he looks like he has taken to the role easily. He's got very good hands and to also get a half-century on your debut is really pleasing. Hopefully he will keep on producing because it is great for England and great for Warwickshire in the sense of producing another Test cricketer."
He finished by saying, "That is the risk you take when you have good players [losing them to England] but you've got to have strength in depth and we've got a good young keeper in Richard Johnson while Tony Frost, with his experience, is coming back to the club."
It is great news for England and Ambrose that he made such an assured debut, but not so good news from the point of view of Warwickshire's forthcoming domestic campaign. It will be a big season for Ambrose in the England side, but an equally big one for Richard Johnson.
Monday, 10 March 2008
Ambrose in for the long term
Friday, 18 January 2008
Giles appointed as England Selector
In a shake up of the England selection process, David Graveney has not been given the job of full time England selector. Although not technically the same job as his previous "chairman of selectors" job, so he cannot be thought of as having been exactly sacked, the new job is roughly the equivalent, so the outcome is the same.
Geoff Miller has been appointed to the role and Ashley Giles will be one of two part-time selectors, who with Miller and Peter Moores will make up a four man panel. The BBC gets a few things regarding Giles slightly wide of the mark. Firstly reporting that his elevation was a surprise, which if they'd bother to keep an eye on the procedings and who was being interviewed, it would not have been. They also seem mildly surprised given his relative youth, and that would be true in a normal selection panel, however this is supposed to be a revised method, he is only recently out of the England fold, so has maybe more knowledge of the current climate in International cricket and what it takes to play it, but perhaps more obviously, as a director of cricket for a county side, he is going to be seeing a fair few players during the season in any case.
Although I cannot be convinced yet that he will make a sucess of such a demanding schedule, I would like to extend my sincere good luck wishes to Ashley.
Incidentally for those season's raggy bear watchers out there - the story was reported here at 16.31 and on the BBC at 16.34 - you know who's first for WCCC news.