Formula For All-rounders Is Holding England Back

Derek Pringle believes England need to start looking at blooding more specialist players if they are to become one of the great sides

- Derek Pringle

The selection of 32-yearold Joe Denly, to replace Keaton Jennings at the head of England’s batting order, will have struck a chord with tricenarian sportsmen and women everywhere. But deserving of his chance as Denly would appear to be, following a strong season for Kent, you have to wonder whether his promotion is actually a result of that modern malaise; being able to bring something else to the table.

Apart from his batting, which has been sound enough to notch just under 11,000 first-class runs over 14 years, Denly bowls useful leg-spin. I hesitate to use the term all-rounder, at least under the old definition which used to insist that players thus designated could justify their place in the side with bat or ball alone, but nobody can deny that it has been Denly’s bowling which has brought him, by bulking up his skills package, to the attention of the England selectors.

I’m not against players making their debuts after the age of 30 if they present an outstanding case, such as Michael Hussey or Ryan Harris both did for Australia. Denly, of course, may sparkle for the next five years as Hussey did, though the odds are against it. Most making their Test debut in their fourth decade play a match or two then shuffle off into obscurity.