New England recruits need more time in county game, writes Gareth Batty

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Gareth Batty28 July 2017

When players step up to the England team and struggle, people immediately question the strength of the County Championship. I believe this is far too simplistic an answer to a complex question.

Our first-class competition remains strong. Just ask the overseas players, who always speak very highly of it. Sometimes, though, there are players knocking down the door to get into the England team — and other periods are not quite so fruitful.

I think back to the middle of the last decade when Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott worked their way into the England Test squad. If you played against them regularly in county cricket, you just knew they were ready, and the performances backed them up, too.

Sidebottom made his Test debut in 2001 but then had to wait six years for another chance. Swann was taken on a tour of South Africa in 1999-2000 but did not play Test cricket until 2008. Trott had played Twenty20 cricket in 2007, before stepping into the Test side two years later.

It was no surprise to see them perform as well as they did. They were years into their first-class careers and understood their own games.

When you compare that to some of the players who have come into the England team in the past couple of years, they don’t have the same volume of first-class experience.

I like the way the Australians used to do it. When they found a batsman in first-class cricket they rated, they would bring him into the side but not expose him straightaway. Ricky Ponting had three Tests at No3 early in his career, but then spent four years mainly batting at No6. When the time came to move back up to No3, he was ready for the extra responsibility.

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Right now we have a number of talented young players at Surrey who I am convinced will eventually play regular international cricket — but it is vital that when they do so, they are introduced in the right way.

Ahead of our T20 Blast match against Glamorgan in Cardiff tonight, it is great to learn that Rikki Clarke will be returning to the club from next summer. He is an excellent all-round cricketer and will be vital for the balance of the team.

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