It's only the opening match of the County season and the England selectors already seem to be afflicted with the heebie-jeebies ahead of this summer's Ashes series against traditional rivals Australia
It's only the opening match of the County season and the England selectors already seem to be afflicted with the heebie-jeebies ahead of this summer's Ashes series against traditional rivals Australia.
With 20-year old Australian wunderkind Philip Hughes, playing for Middlesex at Lord's, hammering an imperious century against Glamorgan on Friday, the second day of the season, alarm bells are ringing loud and clear across Old Blighty.
Hughes' unbeaten 141-ball century, which included 17 fours, has reportedly incensed top English officials who have maintained that Hughes and pace bowler Stuart Clark (he will be turning out for Kent) should not have been offered short-term contracts with the counties.
They are convinced their stints with the counties will enable the two, who have spurned lucrative opportunities in the IPL to represent their country in the prestigious Ashes, to find peak form in unusual English conditions early in the season.
Geoff Miller, head of the England selection committee, has already vented his fury at the counties for signing on the Australians.
He feels the decision could boomerang against England and is on record as saying the errant counties were not "in the business of working together with the national side."
More than the fact of scoring a well-deserved century, it was the arrogant manner in which Hughes batted, with sweetly-timed off-drives off the back and front foot while punishing Garnett Kruger with three fours in one over, that has caused trepidation at Lord's.
Former Australian captain Steve Waugh has predicted that Philip Hughes will be a serious force in the Ashes.
Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting has lost no time in jumping in the fray, stating that what has happened in the case of Hughes would not have come to pass if the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) had the power to overrule the counties.
