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Ramprakash urges England selectors to pick best batsmen

17/04/2008

Surrey batsman Mark Ramprakash has urged the England selectors to forget his age and pick him on the basis of his remarkable performances.

The 38-year-old has been in magical form in county cricket over the last two seasons, scoring over 2,000 runs in each season averaging over a 100 in both campaigns as well. He started this season by hitting a century in the match against Lancashire yesterday.

But despite his Bradman-like performances coinciding with England's middle-order struggling for form in the recent Test series' against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, Ramprakash still can't seem to catch the eyes of the selectors.

"There are lots of talented players out there without doubt and they've all got to keep working very hard - it's very important that England selectors don't give the impression that the England team is a closed shop," said Ramprakash.

"[The selectors] have got to make sure that people understand that if you perform well in county cricket then you have a chance of playing for England. Maybe in recent times that's not always been the case.

"You pick your best six batsmen, if one gets injured you pick the next best batsman, it's as simple as that.

"If England wanted me to play tomorrow, I'm available. Given the last two years where things have gone very well and yet still I haven't been selected, I'm not holding my breath," added Ramprakash, who played his last Test in 2002.

Ramprakash admitted that age played a part in him not being selected but insisted that his "fitness results stack up with most people".