Date-stamped : 03 Apr96 - 22:16
Gooch is the pick of selector

By Christopher Martin-Jenkins

SUDDENLY the world and his  wife  are  being  proposed  to  stand
alongside  Ray  Illingworth,  David  Lloyd  and  Mike Atherton on
England`s selection committee this season.

When nominations closed at midnight last night, it  was  believed
that  no  fewer  than  seven  men had been put forward by various
counties for the ballot which will determine, by April 17,  which
two  will  actually  help to choose the team. The TCCB, who would
not rule out even more, will announce the names this afternoon.

By yesterday afternoon it was known that three who have served as
selectors  in the last two years under Illingworth`s high-profile
chairmanship will be in the running  again:  Fred  Titmus,  Brian
Bolus and the man who replaced Bolus last season, David Graveney.

Two players, Graham Gooch and Kim Barnett, are also confirmed  as
candidates along with Ian Botham, whose media commitments, fierce
criticism of Illingworth and worldwide business travels make  him
much the most controversial possibility.

Botham may be highly respected by current players  but  he  would
lose it quickly enough if he were not seen regularly at grounds

County chairmen like Surrey`s Mike Soper talk  glibly  of  Botham
being  the  man  to shake things upThey do not seem to appreciate
that what is most needed from selectors - as opposed to  adminis-
trators or coaches - is cool judgment and the time and commitment
involved in watching a great deal of county cricket.

Botham may be highly respected by current players  but  he  would
lose  it quickly enough if he were not seen regularly at grounds,
as Graveney and Bolus both were in the last two seasons.

If only for this reason Gooch seems the most sensible of the  new
candidates.  He  would  provide  southern  ballast to a northern-
weighted committee and a cool, sane head to deliber- ations,  not
to  mention a close working knowledge of those he has played with
and against.

He is, too, close to Atherton, whose  relationship  with  Illing-
worth,  briefly  harmonious at the start of the winter`s cricket,
seems to have cooled again.

There are precedents for active players like  Gooch  or  Barnett,
and either would have much to offer. The TCCB, who would not con-
firm or deny any of the names being bandied around, have  sent  a
letter to the counties reminding them that selectors are expected
to see a substantial amount of county cricket.

The TCCB`s public relations officer, Richard Little, said yester-
day  that  it was a healthy sign that the counties were giving so
much thought to this year`s committee.

Source :: Electronic  Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk)

<END> Contributed by Shash (shs2@*.cwru.edu)