Pride of place for Gallian

Cricket

Jason Gallian was born and bred in Sydney, Australia, but yesterday spoke out about the pride he feels at being selected to play Test cricket for England. At a time when the Greg Rusedski affair and a contentious magazine article have reopened the issue of when an Englishman really is English, 24-year-old Gallian made it clear where he stands.

The son of Lancastrian parents joined Mike Atherton's England squad at Edgbaston yesterday to begin preparation for tomorrow's third Cornhill Test against the West Indies.

And despite once captaining Australia in an Under-19 Test against England, Gallian said: "I would like everyone to know that I'm playing for England, and I'm just as proud as any other of the players. I identify 100 per cent with the team.

"Of course I'm proud of both my backgrounds. I'm still classed more as an Aussie because I grew up there, but my life is in England now and I've made my commitment."

Gallian's nickname in Australia was "Pom", and he said: "I suppose I sounded like a Pom to them and my father, Ray, has a broad Manchester accent. I always used to want England to do well, which was difficult for me because all my mates were supporting Australia. I was torn, but at the back of my mind I was always for England."

Gallian spent four years, up to the end of 1993, qualifying for England by residence, but admits he expects to be ribbed about his choice to leave Australia. "That's all part of the decision I have made," he said.

Gallian will bat at No 6 against the West Indies unless required to open - as he does for Lancashire - because of Alec Stewart's wicketkeeping duties.

He is the sort of player that Robert Henderson felt might not have total commitment for England when he wrote an article on the "sensitive matter of racism and national identity" in the latest Wisden Monthly.

Canadian-bred Rusedski, who has an English mother, might have angered some fellow tennis players by "becoming" British, but England's county cricketers are certainly backing Gallian. On Monday, the ers' Association - the players' union - issued a statement condemning Henderson's article.

"All players chosen to represent England do so with the same commitment and pride, regardless of their race, country of birth, or country of upbringing," the statement said.

Gallian has already played for England at A team level on last winter's highly successful tour of India. "That was a great side to be in - we all desperately wanted to perform for each other and for England," he said.

"It also gave me good experience of the demands of five-day cricket, because we played three Tests against India A, and won them all. Obviously the jump from A team cricket to full Test cricket is a big one, but I'm just looking forward to getting out there. I feel so elated by my call- up, but I don't think it will actually hit home until I walk out on to the field."

Gallian believes his Australian upbringing gave him a head start when he arrived in England as a 19-year-old to play for Lancashire seconds and later for Oxford University, where he took a two-year social science diploma.

"I had played weekend league cricket in Australia which was a very good standard, and I think I benefited from the general way you are brought up cricket-wise," he explained.

n Alec Stewart will today undergo a fitness test on his right index finger, which he again injured on Saturday when he was struck by a ball from Middlesex's Richard Johnson. It is the same finger that Stewart broke twice in Australia last winter, causing him to miss three Ashes Tests.