Headingley is history, but there are grounds for a revolution

Talk of Headingley 1981, which will envelop us in the next month, should not allay talk of Headingley 2001. The ground where England came back from the dead to beat the Aussies 20 years ago is also itself attempting to live again.

However, a winter facelift to the shabbiest Test stadium around (and Old Trafford runs it close) cannot entirely dispel the feeling that the revivification is too little, too late. The tired and weary feel to the ground is echoed by the pitch, and its Test future is under serious threat.

This, do not forget, is the place where Australia made 404 runs in 344 minutes on the last day to beat England in 1948, where Ian Botham earned immortality in 1981 as England won a palpitating game after following on. This, do not forget, is the place where a Test ended in two days last year, where batsmen now fear to tread and where a value-for-money bet is that this year's match will do well to make the fourth day.

Up the road, the Riverside in Chester-le-Street looks what it is: a stadium for the present, easily accessible, pleasant to walk round and with a pitch getting better all the time. The England and Wales Cricket Board say that Headingley's status is guaranteed only until the end of next season. After that, other grounds could be considered.

Although the Board insist that striking a ground from the Test list would be a revolutionary step which would demand a huge degree of heart-searching (Headingley staged its first Test match in 1899) they are giving no pledges. "The whole picture is being looked at by the Test match grounds allocation working party," said John Read, director of corporate affairs. "They will make recommendations later this year for what should happen for 2003 and are examining several different suggestions."

The denizens of Leeds, wallowing in nostalgia, must be praying for a full house and a decent pitch. The ECB will realise that they are responsible not only for building an England team fit for the 21st century but also stadiums fit for them to play in.

One epic moment, two balls

On the subject of Headingley 1981, its memory will never be eroded. Perhaps the ground would be best used as a permanent shrine to England's victory (that and the earlier deeds there of Don Bradman).

The astonishing feat, propelled by Botham, is now the subject of a book: 500 to 1, The Miracle of Headingley '81, the first such tome but probably not the last. It is pretty exhaustive but it does not contain the direct views of Botham himself, of Bob Willis, who refused to talk, of Dennis Lillee, who apparently wanted payment, of Rodney Marsh, who, with Lillee, had money on an England win at odds of 500-1, or of Australia's captain, Kim Hughes.

Others paint a vivid if confusing picture of an extraordinary event. And it throws up a mystery. What became of the ball with which Willis took 8 for 43 in Australia's second innings? The bowler has been terse in his replies to the book's authors, Alastair McLellan and Rob Steen, which makes it difficult to shed light.

Either Willis gave the ball to England's wicketkeeper, Bob Taylor, (which, to Taylor's embarrassment, Willis now denies) or it was bought at auction for £1,150 by Mike Smith, a cricket memorabilia collector from Tunbridge Wells.

Willis has no recollection of handing the ball to Taylor, he says, but has offered to refund Smith's money. Smith had noticed when he bought it that it was well-marked for a ball only 36.1 overs old. It will probably never be resolved satisfactorily now. Of course, if the match was to take place now both parties could lay compelling claim to having the ball, since it is bound to have been changed at least once.

Not Italian enough

Italy have walked out of the ICC Trophy over qualification rules. They are upset that players who were born outside the country but have two Italian parents will not be allowed to play. Under Italian law, such people are entitled to passports as naturalised citizens. Italy had four players coming into the category. Under International Cricket Council law, however, it was insufficient, because the players had not lived in the country for at least 240 days a year for the past five years. The latter might be difficult if you are, say, a 19-year-old who has been living abroad with your Italian parents.

These rules for associate members differ from those for Test nations. There, it is possible to play having lived in a country for 183 days of each of the past four years. There is also an exceptional circumstances clause, which allows an appeal to the ICC. Not so for Italy and the other minnows.

It is a complicated procedure, as England know only too well. Their team for the First Test will probably contain two players who were not born in England and another born here but educated elsewhere. The ICC say all qualification rules are being reviewed, but unfortunately not before Italy's arrivederci to their World Cup hopes.

Popular man

Busy place, the ECB. Lots happening. An unceasing quest for information on the great game. Andrew Walpole, one of their media men, returned from two weeks' leave on Monday to find he had 624,352 emails waiting for him. Actually, he had not been quite that much in demand. Some 600,000 were caused by a computer glitch.