Back in the 1980s and 1990s, in my memory, England players would turn out for their county. Nowadays, England players don't. Sometimes there is one of the endless international fixtures; sometimes there is just a chance for them to rest.
Presumably, they rest to reduce their chances of getting injured. But in the 1980s David Gower or Ian Botham played half the Cricket County Championship season, and the full international season. I also liked the fact journeymen would play for 15 seasons for a team (and earn a benefit), giving their heart and soul to a county - without coming close to England. Nowadays, teams prefer to pick those ineligible for England - for a few matches, and bus them back home, before busing in a replacement.
Shame really. I know very few people watched it in the flesh - and very few still do - but I as a Man of Kent felt something for. Does any still follow Cricket County Championship?
For those who don't know, this is Chris Tavare, who played from Kent, Somerset and England from 1974-93. He was an aggressive batsman, except when he played England, when he was instructed by the authorities to score slowly - which he certainly did. We, at Kent, knew his true class!
