Was this player fundamentally ignored because of pace?

[Jumno]

In the 90s, a player called Bicknell was ignored by English selectors, despite doing extremely well at county level, they ignored him again and again because of his pace.

So they think at international test level, pace is everything.

I could be wrong, however I heard this during a chat show etc.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Didn’t they had a ton of medium pacers in that era playing for them?

 

[Dendarii]

I assume you're talking about Martin Bicknell as the only other Bicknell I could find on Cricinfo was Martin's brother Darren, who was a batsman.

Martin Bicknell Profile - Cricket Player England | Stats, Records, Video

Read about Martin Bicknell cricket player from England profile, stats, rankings, records, videos, photos at ESPNcricinfo

www.espncricinfo.com

He didn't do particularly well in his first two tests (4 wickets at 65.75), so that may have been why he was overlooked rather than because of his pace.

 

[Aidan11]

There was a lot of chopping and changing in that era. The mainstays would have been Gough, Caddick, Malcolm and Cork.

Many bowlers were given a go but discarded almost immediately. The selectors were a joke.

 

[Archer6K]

In the 90s, a player called Bicknall was ignored by English selectors, despite doing extremely well at county level, they ignored him again and again because of his pace.

So they think at international test level, pace is everything.

I could be wrong, however I heard this during a chat show etc.

There are lots of good County bowlers right now as well who don’t get selected, presumably because they aren’t quick enough.

 

[Yeoman]

He was a very effective performer throughout the 90s for Surrey and it is odd that he did not get more of a chance given all of the chopping and changing in that decade. His career was unusual in that it consisted of two tests early on and two tests right at the end with ten years in between.

 

[Yeoman]

The obsession with pace really began in the early 2000s when Duncan Fletcher was coach. It was a downside of what was otherwise a much more successful era than the preceding 15 years.

 

[Starfighter]

The obsession with pace really began in the early 2000s when Duncan Fletcher was coach. It was a downside of what was otherwise a much more successful era than the preceding 15 years.

Hey, on the upside it did result in Sajid Mahmood playing in the 06/07 Ashes

 

[shortpitched713]

There was a lot of chopping and changing in that era. The mainstays would have been Gough, Caddick, Malcolm and Cork.

Many bowlers were given a go but discarded almost immediately. The selectors were a joke.

Why not Mark Ealham?

/Richard

 

[fredfertang]

Hey, on the upside it did result in Sajid Mahmood playing in the 06/07 Ashes

Not quite sure where Saj went wrong, he had everything a top class pace bowler needs, but never looked likely to fulfil his promise

 

[fredfertang]

Why not Mark Ealham?

/Richard

England's answer to Jacques Kallis

Ealham that is, not Richard

 

[Starfighter]

Not quite sure where Saj went wrong, he had everything a top class pace bowler needs, but never looked likely to fulfil his promise

Well akschually, he didn't have one extremely important thing - accuracy. And with that action, probably never was going to.

 

[fredfertang]

Well akschually, he didn't have one extremely important thing - accuracy. And with that action, probably never was going to.

Not at Test level for sure, but he was generally OK for Lancs - perhaps he was just striving for extra pace

 

[Starfighter]

Not at Test level for sure, but he was generally OK for Lancs - perhaps he was just striving for extra pace

Not that I saw him bowling for Lancashire, but a first class economy of 3.76 is a good indicator he wasn't that accurate

 

[fredfertang]

No, but shutting up one end wasn't his job

 

[Starfighter]

Chadd Sayers

 

[Jumno]

Ealham, McGrath, the former Surrey all rounder I forgot his name, he is running his own academy. Irani. Tudor who I felt had genuine pace. Fleming, Headly, Croft.

Bicknell played no test for 10 years in between tests! Despite doing well for Surrey. I heard from a video chat he was largely ignored due to his pace.

Very unlucky.

 

[Aidan11]

This was the match in which Bicknell made his debut.

ENG vs AUS Cricket Scorecard, , 4th Test at Leeds, July 22 - 26, 1993

Get cricket scorecard of 4th Test, ENG vs AUS, Australia tour of England and Ireland 1993 at Headingley, Leeds dated July 22 - 26, 1993.

www.espncricinfo.com

When you look at our bowlers in that match it's easy to see why Australia were constantly hammering us back then.

If it wasn't bad enough opening with McCague and Illott, we had Gooch and Thorpe as 5th and 6th bowlers.

Look at how many overs the main bowlers bowled. Bicknell bowled 50 in his sole innings on debut.

Extraordinary looking back now.

 

[morgieb]

He didn't do particularly well in his first two tests (4 wickets at 65.75), so that may have been why he was overlooked rather than because of his pace.

Yeah he got destroyed by a Top 6 of Slater, Taylor, Boon, Waughs and Border. Sold up a river despite being one of the best bowlers in county cricket and being able to bat.

 

[Kirkut]

There was a lot of chopping and changing in that era. The mainstays would have been Gough, Caddick, Malcolm and Cork.

Many bowlers were given a go but discarded almost immediately. The selectors were a joke.

Is it true that English cricket in the 90s was very county-centric and international games were not treated equally important?