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Steven Finn replaces injured Liam Plunkett in England Test squad Steven Finn replaces injured Liam Plunkett in England Test squad
(35 minutes later)
Liam Plunkett, the Yorkshire fast bowler, will miss this week’s fourth Test at Old Trafford because of an ankle injury. His replacement in the 13-man squad is Steve Finn, whose total loss of action and confidence during the winter led to him being regarded as unselectable, causing an early exit from the Ashes tour, but who has started to take county wickets again. Liam Plunkett, the Yorkshire fast bowler, will miss this week’s fourth Test at Old Trafford because of an ankle injury. His replacement in the 13-man squad is Steve Finn, whose total loss of action and confidence during the winter led to him being regarded as unselectable. After making an early exit from the Ashes tour he has started to take county wickets again.
Finn, who has not played a Test since the first of last season’s Ashes series, at Trent Bridge in July, will presumably compete with Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan for a single bowling place, and the possibility that the Old Trafford pitch may be the paciest of the summer could help his cause.Finn, who has not played a Test since the first of last season’s Ashes series, at Trent Bridge in July, will presumably compete with Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan for a single bowling place, and the possibility that the Old Trafford pitch may be the paciest of the summer could help his cause.
With rest, it is hoped that Plunkett will be fit to be considered for the fifth and final Test at The Oval in a fortnight’s time. It is hoped that, with rest, Plunkett will be fit to be considered for the fifth and final Test at The Oval in a fortnight.
Finn’s return to this level has come sooner than was anticipated, the intention being to leave him away from the spotlight for the summer to rediscover the joy of fast bowling. The cause of his problems have been several, although the least of them has been the much-publicised issue of his run-up about which much misinformation has been circulated. Finn’s return to this level has come sooner than was anticipated, the intention being to leave him away from the spotlight for the summer to rediscover the joy of fast bowling. The causes of his problems have been several, though the least of them has been the widely publicised issue of his run-up about which much misinformation has been circulated.
It was suggested to him several years ago that he shorten it, but only to the extent that he maximised his velocity at the crease rather than decelerate, as his longer run was causing him to do. It is worth noting his best bowling came when, eventually, he had taken this on board. It was suggested to him several years ago that he shorten it but only to the extent that he maximised his velocity at the crease rather than decelerate, as his longer run was causing him to do. It is worth noting his best bowling came when, eventually, he had taken this on board.
Such a thing is a refinement rather than a change, though, and considerably more damaging was the cynical, if legal, opportunism of Graeme Smith in invoking an arcane element of the laws of cricket, long disregarded, when Finn took his wicket at Headingley after knocking off the bails at the non-striker’s end.Such a thing is a refinement rather than a change, though, and considerably more damaging was the cynical, if legal, opportunism of Graeme Smith in invoking an arcane element of the laws of cricket, long disregarded, when Finn took his wicket at Headingley after knocking off the bails at the non-striker’s end.
That resulted not just in Finn losing his rhythm catastrophically but ultimately in a change to the law itself.That resulted not just in Finn losing his rhythm catastrophically but ultimately in a change to the law itself.
Equally unhelpful was the advice – not from England – that he should try to move the ball away from the right-hander rather than his default delivery, which slants and jags in. This summer he is said to have gone back to his basics, progressed well and has taken 44 wickets at a shade under 30 runs apiece for Middlesex, productive in terms of wickets although costly at that level, more so indeed than the 90 wickets he has taken at 29.4 in his 23 Tests. Equally unhelpful was the advice – not from England – that he should try to move the ball away from the right-hander rather than his default delivery, which slants and jags in. This summer he is said to have gone back to his basics, progressed well and has taken 44 first-class wickets at a shade under 30 runs apiece for Middlesex, productive in terms of wickets although costly at that level, more so indeed than the 90 wickets he has taken at 29.4 in his 23 Tests.
Plunkett had taken on a considerable workload in the first two Tests of the series against India, as well as in the two previous matches, on desperate surfaces, against Sri Lanka. He bowled 92.5 overs in the first and 94 in the second, taking 11 wickets against Sri Lanka (including nine at Leeds) and seven against India.Plunkett had taken on a considerable workload in the first two Tests of the series against India, as well as in the two previous matches, on desperate surfaces, against Sri Lanka. He bowled 92.5 overs in the first and 94 in the second, taking 11 wickets against Sri Lanka (including nine at Leeds) and seven against India.
He has been regarded as the quickest bowler in the squad with the potential, in the right conditions, to rough up the opposition. The anticipation of finding a quicker pitch in Manchester was in part behind his being rested and replaced by Jordan at the Ageas Bowl. According to the England and Wales Cricket Board, he hadsuffered soreness in his left ankle after the Lord’s Test and this is still troubling him. He has been regarded as the quickest bowler in the squad with the potential, in the right conditions, to rough up the opposition. The anticipation of finding a quicker pitch in Manchester was in part behind him being rested and replaced by Jordan at the Ageas Bowl. According to the England and Wales Cricket Board, he had suffered soreness in his left ankle after the Lord’s Test and this is still troubling him.
Finn had been selected to play for the Lions in their triangular series of one-day games with New Zealand A and Sri Lanka A. His place will be taken by Boyd Rankin, the Warwickshire paceman, whose England Test future has almost certainly come and gone with his meltdown in his only match in Sydney.Finn had been selected to play for the Lions in their triangular series of one-day games with New Zealand A and Sri Lanka A. His place will be taken by Boyd Rankin, the Warwickshire paceman, whose England Test future has almost certainly come and gone with his meltdown in his only match in Sydney.
Unless Rankin has a real prospect of a one-day future with England, then for the benefit of himself, Irish cricket and the overall standard of international cricket at Associate level, the International Cricket Council should, if he wishes it, allow him to return immediately to the Ireland team and, in particular, allow him to play in the World Cup. Unless Rankin has a real prospect of a one-day future with England, then for the benefit of himself, Irish cricket and the overall standard of international cricket at Associate level, the International Cricket Council should, if he wishes it, allow him to return immediately to the Ireland team and, in particular, let him play in the World Cup.