Oh dear. It seems that Michael Vaughan has battuus interruptus, otherwise known as premature dismissal syndrome, that often embarrassing condition to which stylish batsmen are peculiarly vulnerable. It is very easy to spot the afflicted: they walk confidently out to bat and begin with a few sweetly-timed boundaries but then get out for not very many, and the onlookers who were contentedly setting themselves down to savour some delectable batting haute cuisine get no more than a mouthful before an over-zealous waiter whips their plates away.
Even though today’s innings was probably cut short by an over-zealous umpire, Vaughan’s chances of appearing in the Tests this summer are receding daily. Which means that those of us who were hoping that Headingley would resound in July to the Barmy Army’s version of “Kumbaya” while the former captain’s cover drive simultaneously completes his hundred and clinches the Ashes are liable to become very boring as we intone sentences beginning “If only …” at every conceivable opportunity, so be warned.
On the other hand, we have this week heard the welcome news that, barring unforeseen disasters, he intends to play cricket next summer (at least) whether or not he gets picked for England along the way.
That declaration of intent presumably contains a bit of selector-nudging, since he would understand that the Strauss-Flower regime might prefer to go with the batsman who certainly has a future rather than an imminent retiree if it comes down to a toss-up between two plausible candidates, but since he said it to the Yorkshire club magazine, it really amounts to a promise to play on in first-class cricket after his international career is over.
It’s not that he needs the money. As a senior professional of considerable stature he could expect a pretty decent wage for playing county cricket, but he would probably get a similar amount from the former-England-captain pension scheme run by Sky TV, which involves a great deal less effort even after taking into account the bother of having to share the occasional commentary stint with Sir Ian Botham.
There are plenty of reasons to decry the English system as bloated, but in its favour is the opportunity that young players get of playing with and against players whose exploits they marvelled at when they were kids and learning from their experience. There is probably a lad in the Hampshire dressing room whose earliest cricket memory is of Dominic Cork laying waste to West Indians in 1994, and now there is the man himself just across the dressing room. Not so much a dream coming true as fantasy made real.
The truth of “class is permanent” is nowhere better demonstrated than on the county grounds of England. The reactions may have slowed a little, the eyes may be less sharp, but most of the veterans are capable of stepping up to something near their former best for at least the odd innings or bowling spell; even when they are in cruise mode you can usually see that they were once a cut above the rest.
So, since I’ve lost faith that he will return and win us the Ashes, here’s hoping that Michael Vaughan gets over the battuus interruptus, his zest for the game remains undimmed and the knee holds up for several years. Unless, that is, the likes of Joe Sayers, Adam Lyth and Andrew Gale improve enough to insist on being picked for Yorkshire ahead of him.
Indeed, it's a useless and boring campaign that Vaughan is executing to get back into the england side. Get a life, mate! You bored us long enough now with your presence. You're like a plaster sticking to the fingers.
Posted by: John Mcfarlane at April 25, 2009 5:04 AM
If just the thought of Michael Vaughan being picked ahead of him for the Ashes kicks Ian Bell into connecting with straight'uns-it will be a good thing.Mitchell Johnson excluded, I believe Vaughny may take to the current Aussie attack.
Posted by: Arnab Gupta at May 3, 2009 11:14 PM
I for one like watching Vaughan bat. He's one of that dying breed of classy, technically correct batsmen, who know how to play their strokes nonetheless.
He's much better than technique-less muscular brutes who can muscle a ball away, and better than the show off who first wants to show his technique off and then find time to score some runs.
(Having said that, the best top order batsmen in world cricket, at present, are still arguably the Sehwag-Gambhir pair. Oh, what a duo!)
Posted by: Tejas Raj at May 10, 2009 4:39 PM
I agree with the earlier comments,Vaughan is ideal candidate for the crucial Ashes campaign just for pure past excellence.It would be foolish to discount him on his last few years poor display because Andrew Starusss will surely miss his valuable Ashes experience.I frankly feel that Vaughan should be given a lucky and deserving Ashes run to wind-off a very satisfied if not illustrious career.
Posted by: syd at May 11, 2009 8:00 PM
Michael Vaughn is one of the classier batsmen the has seen for a few years, if England want to regain the ashes it would be good for a mentally tough batsman to be in at the vital number 3 spot. He has taken a liking to the australian quicks, and with brett lee coming off injury, and johnson running rampage, and a host of good quicks as support, his calm destructive batting might be even more needed. and his skipper can always use anybit of help against the most ruthless team in the world
Samir Chopra lives in Brooklyn and teaches Computer Science and Philosophy at the City University of New York; his academic interests include the philosophical foundations of artificial intelligence and the politics of technology. In his third undergraduate year, he captained Mathematics in the departmental cricket competition (and lost to Chemistry in the first round). Samir played C-grade cricket in Sydney and makes guest appearances for his old club when possible (and desirable). Samir runs the blog Eye on Cricket and the cricket page at The Faster Times.
Paul Ford is a co-founder of the New Zealand cricket supporters' cult, the Beige Brigade. He was once described by a current New Zealand cricketer as "looking spastic" even mucking about with an Excalibur and a tennis ball in the backyard. Paul bowls right-armed Nathan Astlesque "nudes", his batting would make Ewen Chatfield look elegant, and he is a committed fielder. He sometimes grows a beard to hide his double chin and inhabits a periphery of cricket that Cricinfo is proud to be glimpsing through this blog.
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Mike Holmans, a database consultant by profession, has spent thirty summers (and a few winters) going to the cricket. Brought up in one and working in the other, his dearest wish is for a season to end with Yorkshire winning the county championship by beating runners-up Middlesex by one wicket with five minutes to go. If it’s also a summer when England win the Ashes, so much the better.
Born in Colombo, educated at Oxford and now living in Brisbane - Michael Jeh (Fox) is a cricket lover with a global perspective on the game. An Oxford Blue who played first-class cricket, he is a Playing Member of the MCC and still plays grade cricket. His views on cricket might best be described as those of a "modern traditionalist". Michael now works closely with elite athletes in his job as a manager at Griffith University in Queensland.
Saad Shafqat takes special pride that his cricket-watching life began during the three-month interval between Javed Miandad's debut Test in Lahore and Imran Khan's 12-wicket haul at Sydney. Although a practicing neurologist based in Karachi, cricket has never been far from his activities. He has co-authored Javed Miandad’s autobiography Cutting Edge and has been a contributor to Cricinfo since 2005. His regular column Reverse Swing appears fortnightly in Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English daily.
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