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CRICKET ROADSHOWS

Week 11 Preview - 21 Jul, Lord's Club versus country debate brews on Roadshow

Old theories and new initiatives take pride of place on this week's Channel 4 Cricket Roadshow, broadcast live from Lord's before the start of play in the second Ashes Test on Saturday morning.

With a foot in each camp Darren Gough is ideally positioned to expound on the theory of a strong Yorkshire equating to a strong England team, and the effervescent fast bowler takes no prisoners as he delivers his typically forthright opinions.

Of course, these days central contracts virtually preclude the inclusion of international players in county teams and Gough has been on the receiving end of some hostile feedback from his own supporters for his perceived lack of commitment to the Tyke cause during the past 18 months.

Buying a house in the south hardly proved a placatory move in the eyes of his detractors but England's No 1 opening bowler sets the record straight in a frank and intriguing interview.

Further ghosts of summers past are conjured up during a feature on Ben Hutton, grandson of the great Sir Len Hutton and now plying his trade at cricket's HQ with his county Middlesex.

Hutton the younger has already successfully sunk his teeth into the Aussies on this current Ashes tour – he helped Middlesex beat them in a warm-up one-day game – and on Saturday he talks about his playing aims and how he copes with one of the most famous surnames in cricketing history.

The Roadshow will also take a look at the ECB's latest coaching and playing initiative (Pride Side) which was unveiled at Lord's this week, and zoom in on the most successful Test batsman on the world stage during the last two years.

Zimbabwe's Andy Flower may have scored the most Test runs (1,742), while Inzamam-ul-Haq and Steve Waugh share the lead in terms of hundreds posted (seven), but the highest averaging batsman for the last 24 months is Australia's Damien Martyn (85.20), who only posted his maiden Test century at Edgbaston.

Tipped for stardom as a teenager, Martyn's story makes for fascinating viewing as he recalls how he came to terms with loss of form, being dropped from the national team and critical press reaction.

Lesser men may have buckled under the pressure but Martyn knuckled down, fought his way back and is now reaping his rewards in spectacular fashion.

Elsewhere on the programme there will be the usual melting pot of opinions, feedback and a round-up of the week's cricket, with obvious reference to the opening two days' play in the Lord's Test.

The Roadshow, as ever, welcomes email correspondence on any cricketing topic, but would particularly like to hear your views on the central contract system and the inevitable friction that causes in the ongoing country versus county debate.

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