Cricket: Hick granted another chance to prove himself: Smith pays for limitations against spin by losing place after 46 Tests as Tufnell and Fraser are welcomed back to England fold

IF Graeme Hick, in his customary low-key way, allowed himself a half of shandy to toast another opportunity to translate his batting talents into a long-term Test career, his might not have been the only glass raised in celebration yesterday. Over in the Caribbean, the West Indian fast bowlers are probably planning an orgy of beach parties.

Thirty months ago, the TCCB established its reputation for operating less on higher principles than hire principles by neatly trimming a few years off Hick's qualification period, confident that the biggest collector of batting records since Bradman would single-handedly resurrect England's fortunes after another disastrous series against Australia.

However, instead of leaving an indelible mark on Test cricket, he immediately ran into a West Indian side who have a habit of leaving indelible marks of a nastier variety, and Hick's fallibility against high-velocity, short- pitched bowling has turned him into a more familiar kind of England selection - in and out.

Hick's recall for the sixth and final Test at The Oval ironically comes at the expense of England's best player of fast bowling, Robin Smith, but whose tortured prodding against spin (particularly Shane Warne in this series) makes his omission an act of kindness.

However, while Smith, dropped for the first time after 46 Tests, is certain to tour the West Indies this winter, the selectors have created a dilemma of their own making if Hick creams it around against Warne and Tim May at The Oval. It would certainly help England's battered morale before the winter tour, but it would then raise the question of whether they have the bottle to leave him at home on a horses for courses basis, as, belatedly, they have done here with Smith.

This potential conundrum could have been avoided by picking Mark Ramprakash, who is not only an accomplished player of spin, but would also be fancied to make more runs than Hick in the West Indies. As has clearly been the case with David Gower, there is more than a suspicion that Ramprakash gets passed over for something other than ability.

In precisely the same period that the selectors have had to do without the expected mountain of runs from Hick, they have also been hamstrung by being without a bowler who was pencilled in to lead the pace attack into the next century. However, having spent the thick end of three summers wondering whether he could get across the road even with the assistance of a lollipop lady, never mind play Test cricket again, Angus Fraser's name in The Oval squad is the best piece of news England have had for some time.

Fraser is only in as injury cover for Martin Bicknell, who has knee trouble, but he has just started to take wickets again for Middlesex after his long struggle with a hip injury that neither physio nor surgeon appeared able to get to the bottom of. England's dearth of talent in pace bowling is so acute that Fraser is a certainty for the Caribbean if he remains fit.

The squad of 13 that eventually assembled at Edgbaston after England's failure to acquaint themselves with the pitch has been trimmed back to the customary 12, with Mark Ilott losing his place after three Tests of promising more than he delivered.

The only other change is Philip Tufnell for John Emburey, which will add variety should England go in with two spinners.

It was probably regarded as too retrograde a step to retain Emburey ahead of Peter Such, even though this remains very much a one-off match. The selectors are also highly selective when it comes to justification. Ted Dexter said of Hick's selection: 'He is fresh from a major innings' (182 against Surrey) while omitting to say that Such (0 for 102 from 16 overs for Essex against the Australians) was 'fresh from a major hammering'.

England have once again gone for seven batsmen and a part-time wicketkeeper, presumably on the evidence of the overwhelming success of this policy at Edgbaston, when Australia were required to wait until after lunch on the fifth day before diving into the bubbly. Presumably, Hick will go in at No 3, although this is the position most likely to find Merv Hughes lying in wait, and which, in less muddled times, would represent the ideal slot for Stewart were he not saddled with the stumping (or in his case, non- stumping) gloves.

ENGLAND SQUAD (for Sixth Test, The Oval, starting on Thursday): M A Atherton (capt), A J Stewart (wkt), G A Gooch, G A Hick, M P Maynard, G P Thorpe, N Hussain, M P Bicknell, P M Such, D E Malcolm, S L Watkin, P C R Tufnell. Stand-by for Bicknell: A R C Fraser.

(Photograph omitted)