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Back row K.Lake; M.Broad;J.Weizel:G.WELTON NOTTINGHAMSHIRE C.C.C.(Humberside);J.WEBSTER (Warwickshire); A.TUDOR SURREY C.C.C.( London);I.Steen;G.Lord; D.Linford
Front Row D.SALES NORTHANTS C.C.C.(Surrey); D.KIRKLAND ( Surrey); M.BYRNE( Hertfordshire); B.HOLLIOAKE SURREY C.C.C.( Somerset); G.BATTY SURREY C.C.C.( Yorkshire); M.SNELL ( Bedfordshire);D.NASH MIDDLESEX C.C.C.( Middlesex)J.FULTON ( Devon); S.WIDDUP ( Yorkshire); A.FLINTOFF LANCASHIRE C.C.C. ( Lancashire)
In Blue - England A / England     In red School boy County
Thursday 28th December 2000 The England A side leave Gatwick for the West Indies with coach Peter Moores, Sussex CCC. The 16 strong party includes 2 of the England Under 14 1992 squad - Alex Tudor and David Sales.
In life, in school and in cricket there are good years and not so good years. 1992 - one knew at the time was a good year. We assembled at Rendcombe College , Gloucestershire to play Wales Under 15 with a well balanced squad. On the senior square behind the pavilion a left handed batsman ( MARCUS TRESCOTHICK) was thrashing the ball to all parts of the ground including straight through the toliet window.
Our side was well led by Snell and ably supported by the spin bowling of Kirkland; the batting of Fulton and Byrne; and the quick bowling of Webster. It was to be an enjoyable season as , in addition to the normal programme, the South African Under 15 side had been invited to tour England for their first ever tour of the Country.

The England Under 14 side played against South Africa Under 15 side on a turning wicket and the visitors were unable to handle the spin and guile of  D. Kirkland. D.Sales had a fine match with the bat and the losing South Africans left London for Sussex and a three day Test Match v England. I had arranged the match to be played at Arundel Castle Cricket Ground. The local press got wind of the name Botham in the England line up and the presence of Liam Botham as an Under 15 cricketer ensured the success of the match. There had never been - nor has there been since - such strong support for a School boy game of cricket. The boundary at Arundel was swarming with visitors and crowds in excess of 500 people watched the 3 day game.

As to the Under 14 side they went back into their County matches. The adults in charge of the squad waited with eager anticipation knowing that some of the 1992 squad would get to the top of the England tree.
The first to come out of the pack - some say prematurely - was Ben Hollioake. Ben was a good choice as he could bat and bowl and possibly fill the vacancy left by Ian Botham - some years earlier. With tremendous early success Ben looked the part and , if he had been playing in today's squad, may well have been given a longer run. But his failures were highlighted and the press seemed to dismiss him from true greatness.

Alex Tudor and Andrew Flintoff appeared to join the England squad at the same time.

Alex was a natural player with terrifying pace for a school boy player. At the age of 11 years several County batsmen froze when facing him in the indoor nets. He was simply - very quick and accurate. His batting was good enough to hold down a number 3 or 4 position. He was nurtured by his father and by London Schools C.A. - a County in schoolboy terms but not now recognised by the ECB. He had therefore to join Surrey in order to follow a professional career. Fitness was not a problem as a young player but Alex was to suffer several setbacks in playing full time cricket. So far he has played several games for England and it is with the bat -99 not out versus New Zealand- as a night watchman that he is noted. In the West Indies this winter he has the ideal opportunity to prove that he is a natural England opening bowler. It will be hard with Gough, Caddick, White, Cork, Headley but if he can retain his fitness he could be the first England fast bowler to pass through from the age of 11 in living memory. Most young quick bowlers fall by the way side - those who are at the top at present were either born in another Country or did not play representative County cricket until the later teenage years.

Andrew as a 14 year old school boy played for the North of England. He had been nominated by Lancashire to play under the guidance of a strong Yorkshireman - Ian Steen. Although Andrew flourished he was played at number 9 in one game. One suspected at the time that his demotion was brought about by a moment of indiscipline. Andrew entered the professional ranks with Lancashire CCC and had the obvious support of David Lloyd. He was put forward - in similar terms as Ben Hollioake - as the natural successor to Ian Botham. As with Alex, Andrew was also to suffer from injuries and the press, whilst celebrating his batting successes, hammered him for his somewhat lax training sessions.

Professional cricket appears to have passed from the days of Gower and Botham when natural ability flourished to the somewhat over bearing presence of peripheral sciences. Andrew is being given every support by the England management to believe in himself and his ability.

On to the scene from the 1992 squad now comes David Sales. David, a Surrey school boy ,was a thorn in the side of all Sussex sides. He hammered the ball from the start of his innings and was often in 3 figures as Surrey declared their innings. We called him for a South trial at Under 13 and I advised all the batsman that if they were out first ball they could bat on. David came to the wicket missed the first ball and was rapidly stumped by DAVID NASH - now of Middlesex CCC. So began his Regional and National career. He was a prolific batsman. Some wise boundary watchers were often heard to say that David would be found out in pro cricket and dismissed early playing on the up. The Northants scout, who attended all Regional festivals, recognised the early talent and David signed for the County instead of his schoolboy side of Surrey. Those in the know have been waiting for him to achieve a consistency with the bat to enable him to catch the eye of the England selectors. The trip to the West Indies is of vital importance to him. There are batting vacancies in the full England squad and they will probably be filled by Crawley- he has had several chances; or Habib - he has been tried but does not seem to be the part; or Solanki - probably favourite at present; and/ or David - a good outside bet as a number 6 England bat next summer.

Not all the players of the 1992 squad of 13 players could make the full England side. Four out of 13 to reach the England A side and above is excellent. For a further 3 to be playing professional County cricket is highly commendable.

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