May 19th, 2004. England captain (and personal hero to your humble author) Michael Vaughan has been ruled out of the opening test of the summer against New Zealand. The captaincy will pass to Marcus Trescothick, but what of Vaughan's spot alongside him opening the batting?
"Simple" says I to my good friend Mainzey. "Move Butcher up to open, Nasser to 3 and bring in Collingwood."
My decision seemed logical at the time. I was, remained and retain membership of the Paul Collingwood fan club. He had played Test cricket, albeit briefly, and Butcher had opened before. Apparently though (as I was to discover years later) Butcher was not keen to surrender his spot at 3, and so the selectors plucked Andrew Strauss to make his test debut. Some thought (and still think) that I bemoaned the pick, and didn't rate Strauss. Not true. And his debut ton, coupled with a wonderful second innings knock that ended when Hussain ran him out (the last victim of Nassers career) before Hussain rallied the side to victory (both innings I watched after calling in sick for work at the Odeon. Sorry, but its been 8 years, sue me) thrilled me.
Today, Wednesday August 29th 2012, Strauss announced his decision to stand down as England captain and retire from all forms of cricket after a test series defeat by South Africa (if this sounds familiar, its because both Nasser and Vaughan resigned in the same circumstances. Bloody Saffers....) He played exactly 100 Tests, 50 of them as captain, and scored 7037 runs at an average of just over 40, with 21 centuries. He also won 46 of the tests he played in, winning the first eight.
I cannot say that I have been a constant supporter of Strauss. In 2007, his annoying habit of driving at full balls and nicking to slip (or keeper occasionally, just to mix things up) infuriated me, and I was not upset to see him left out of a tour to Sri Lanka. His return for the next series away in New Zealand confused me, as did the call to bat him at 3. But he won me round with brilliant centuries in Napier and in a great run chase at Old Trafford in 2008. When events opened up the England captaincy on a permanent basis in 2009, I was very happy to see Strauss take up a role he seemed to have been born to perform.
I have also been a constant reminder to people that after his first day ton at Lords v the Aussies in 2009, he didn't reach three figures in a Test match again until the first test over 16 months later, and then after not until May 2012. He continued to chip in, but frequently seemed to get out when set, especially when a bowler came round the wicket to him.
However, in spite of these, I will miss him. England under Strauss were ruthlessly efficient, dominant in the field and constantly looking like 20 wickets could be taken with as little as 60 deliveries. England did not lose a series after his debut series UNTIL they had reached the summit of Test cricket, some three years later. England won with a regularity that never became boring. I will miss the late cut, the pull over midwicket, even the cover drive which seemed to desert him after 2009 will be missed. England will also miss him in in the slips. His trusty mitts snaffled 121 catches in his 100 Tests, probably none better than the wonderful one handed grab at Trent Bridge to get rid of Adam Gilchrist in 2005.
Alastair Cook has been groomed to step in to the breach ever since he skippered the "mini tour" to Bangladesh in 2010. He has played 83 tests, has only one fewer test century than Strauss and also has 73 catches. He will not REPLACE Strauss, he will succeed him. He will be a different type of captain, and it will be interesting to see if full time Test captaincy can FINALLY do something that Shane Warne, loss of form and even batting 13 hours has failed to do. Make Cook sweat.
Fare thee well Andrew. Enjoy the next stage of your life, but please remember. I never hated you, I just thought it was Collingwood's time. It was not then, and I'm glad that it was yours.
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