Date-stamped : 15 Aug94 - 22:29
GATTING BACK IN FRAME
 
    England's door could swing open again for Mike  Gatting  this
weekend.   The  37-year-old  Middlesex batsman is favourite to be
called up as cover for hamstring injury victim Graham Gooch.  And
even  a standby role against South Africa at The Oval next Thurs-
day would be enough to suggest  that  Gatting  can  start  making
plans  for international employment this winter.  Leading the 'A'
squad to India is one obvious possibility. But  a  place  on  the
Ashes trip suddenly seems within his grasp.  With England certain
to take at least seven specialist batsmen  to  Australia  in  Oc-
tober,  one  or two places are still up for grabs. The outcome of
tomorrow night's deliberations should  provide  an  insight  into
longer-term  policy.   Gooch  is  confident  of being fit for the
summer's final Test, despite pulling out of Essex's current cham-
pionship match.  But Ray Illingworth and co are virtually certain
to pick another batsman as cover in case the 41-year-old  suffers
any  reaction before Thursday.  Surrey's Darren Bicknell would be
the best bet if the selectors decide to put a reserve  opener  on
standby.  But,  in  the event of Gooch being unable to play, they
seem more likely to push Alec Stewart back up the order and bring
someone  else  in at No 5.  Neil Fairbrother, Mark Ramprakash and
Nasser Hussain are all candidates.  Gatting, though, has  greater
experience  as  well as good form to commend him for a match Eng-
land must win to share the series.  He started the season with  a
double  century  for Middlesex against England A and is averaging
nearly 70 in first-class cricket.   Even so, Gatting's  selection
would be seen in some quarters as turning back the clock a second
time.  He was rushed into the team at the first available  oppor-
tunity  two  years ago when the ban on rebel tourists ended along
with South Africa's isolation.  Gatting disappointed in India and
Sri  Lanka  and,  after two modest Test performances against Aus-
tralia last summer, it looked as though his international  career
was over.  While Middlesex's skipper now hopes for an England re-
turn, county  colleague  Angus  Fraser  is  in  danger  of  being
dropped.   Fraser  has managed only 14 wickets in five Tests this
season and could lose out to either Devon Malcolm's extra pace or
Joey Benjamin's home ground knowledge.  Possible squad: Atherton,
Gooch, Hick, Thorpe, Stewart, Crawley, Gatting,  Rhodes,  DeFrei-
tas, Gough, Tufnell, Benjamin, Malcolm.

(Summarized from a Press Association report by David Lloyd)

<END> Contributed by Vicky (vigneswa@risky.ecs.umass.edu)