Date-stamped : 06 Jul94 - 14:26
STEWART AIMS TO DITCH LOSER TAG

Alec Stewart may be popularly known as being a winner -  but  his
aim  in the near future is to actually become one.  Stewart today
plays his 40th Test, and his 28th in succession. If England  beat
New Zealand at Old Trafford they will clinch the series 2-0 - yet
victories over the Kiwis is all Stewart has to show for a lengthy
Test  career.  New Zealand have been beaten in 1990, at home, and
in 1992 away. But during the last four years Stewart has also had
to  endure  series  defeats  by  West  Indies  (twice), Australia
(twice), Pakistan and India.  He says: "I've experienced losing a
World  Cup  final,  and  with Surrey I have also not succeeded in
winning anything yet.  "With England and with Surrey  I  want  to
start picking up trophies. Hopefully that can start soon, because
so far I feel I've never actually  won  anything  in  the  game."
Stewart,  in  fact, began his Test career with the sweet taste of
victory - against the West Indies in Jamaica in early 1990.   And
his  run  of 28 consecutive appearances, putting him ahead of any
other current England team-mate,  started  with  four  successive
wins  in  1991-92.   Those  successes, against West Indies at The
Oval, Sri Lanka at Lord's, and New Zealand  at  Christchurch  and
Auckland,  promised  to  be  just the beginning of lengthier good
times for England.  As Graham Gooch's vice-captain, Stewart  also
stood to inherit the top job - but the disasters of the 1993 tour
of India and Sri Lanka, during which he captained the side in two
of  their four Test defeats, led not only to Gooch's downfall but
also to a switch of opinion that elevated Michael Atherton to the
captaincy. But Stewart has now settled impressively into the role
of Atherton's right hand man, and the Surrey captain admits he is
happier  than  ever  as an England Test cricketer.  Stewart feels
established as an opening batsman, and as a  key  member  of  the
team.  He  hit  his  seventh Test hundred to help England draw at
Lord's 10 days ago and says: "I feel more relaxed as  an  England
player these days. The more you play the more you get used to the
pressures of Test cricket - although my  attitude  to  each  game
remains the same. You must not take anything for granted."

(Extracted from a Press Association report)
<END> Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)