Test careers at an end?

Press, 5 August 1980, Page 30

Test careers at an end?

NZPA London The English cricket veterans, Bob Willis and Alan Knott have been dropped from the England side for the fifth test against the West Indies at Leeds, on Thursday. The tourists lead the series with one win and three draws. Willis may have reached the end of his international career after being mauled by the visiting batsmen in the last three tests. He took nine wickets in the first. Knott surrendered his place by saying before the selection meeting that he was not available for the coming tour to the West Indies. Two Yorkshiremen, Graham Stevenson, who replaces Willis, and David Bairstow, in for Knott as wicket-keeper, are the new faces, and the only changes in the England 12. They have each played one test previously and their inclusion means that Yorkshire contribute four men out of the 12.

Stevenson is a fast bowler who hurried to Australia last summer to replace the injured Mike Hendrick and made his debut in the Golden Jubilee match in India in February. However, he is likely to be twelfth man on the Headingley pitch, watching Chris Old share the new ball on his home ground with Graham Dilley. Old was twelfth man in the last two tests. The team (showing the players’ counties in brackets followed by tests played and the players’ ages) is: I. T. Botham (Somerset, captain) tests played 29, aged 24 years; G. Boycott (Yorkshire) 92, 39; G. A. Gooch (Essex) 24, 27; B. C. Rose (Somerset) 7, 30; W. Larkins (Northamptonshire) 4, 26; M. W. Gatting (Middlesex) 5, 23; P. Willey (Northamptonshire) 10, 30; D. L. Bairstow (Yorkshire) 1, 28; J. E. Emburey (Middlesex) 8, 27; G. R. Dilley (Kent) 4, "21; C. M. Old (Yorkshire) 41, 31; G. D. Stevenson (York* shire) 1, 24.