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CRICKET ROADSHOWS

Week 1 Review - 11 May, Shenley Opening masterclass for Roadshow

Channel 4's Cricket Roadshow returned to our screens on Saturday with an action-packed show broadcast live from Shenley, in Hertfordshire, including features on the changing pace of Test cricket, an insider's view of the touring Sri Lankans and a batting masterclass with Michael Atherton, Barry Richards and Michael Slater.

Also on the show chairman of selectors David Graveney exclusively unveiled England's 13-man squad for the 1st npower Test against Sri Lanka, starting at Lord's on Thursday, and a behind-the-scenes look at the England Cricket Academy's winter down under in Adelaide.

The focus of the batting masterclass was the importance of stance, head position and foot movement when opening the batting.

"I tried to have a fairly orthodox set up and tried to keep things simple, just stand still and watch the ball," said former England captain Atherton. "I had a little press forward at the end but the key was to keep my head nicely balanced so I was able to move forward again if the ball was full and able to push back if the ball was short."

Slater, brought up on the bouncier and faster tracks of Sydney, said he takes an initial step backwards and across to "get the motor running".

The Aussie opener added: "I read something Don Bradman wrote many years ago that back and across gets your head in line with the ball and from there you can go further across for a cut shot and you're in a much nicer position to get inside it to roll it to the onside.

Richards, who averaged more than 70 during his abbreviated Test career, questioned the current methods of today's batting coaches.

"I think when coaches coach young boys they try and teach them to stand still and it's just not possible when there's a fast bowler bowling. There's got to be some sort of initial movement, as Michael put it, to get the motor running.

"I think in the hotter countries – Australia and South Africa particularly, where you've got more bounce – you find the players try mainly to get onto the back foot just to give themselves a bit more time. But again emphasizing the head has got to be still."

Elsewhere on the programme Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore spoke about his team's expectations ahead of the 1st npower Test at Lord's on Thursday. He admitted his players would probably go in as underdogs despite winning 10 of their last 11 Tests.

"We've had some very positive responses from middle to lower order batting and its meant the difference between 300 and 450-500, and once you've done that then it puts a lot of pressure on the opposition," said Whatmore.

"But this is a far sterner test, there's no question about that and we have an opportunity, minus Murali, to see how good we can be. People out there don't know how good our bowling can be, so we have a chance and we'll just do our best. As long as the boys say can say 'look, I've done everything I could' then I have no problem with that. We've not come over here to give it up lightly, if we're going to get beaten then we're going to give a hell of a fight."

And in an update of Muttiah Muralitharan's injury Richards, who has been working as a specialist batting coach to Sri Lanka, told the Roadshow: "Murali's got his arm in a sling and he's been having some treatment down in Melbourne with a physio called Dave Young, and as soon as the arm comes out of a sling I'm sure he'll be over in England and hopefully that'll be during the 1st Test match.

"They obviously want him to play as soon as possible so it'll be as soon as he feels fit after that. I think they are hopeful that he will play in the 2nd Test."

Another aspect of the modern game that came under scrutiny was the increasing pace of today's Test matches, as typified by the success of Australia and their destructive wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist.

Nasser Hussain, England captain, said the key was to be flexible while Richie Benaud said "attitude of mind" was all important.

The Roadshow also reflected on England's mixed fortunes over the winter and there was a personal tribute by Atherton to Ben Hollioake, who died in a car crash in Australia.

"It was the saddest moment of the winter," said Atherton. "Everybody who knew Ben, and had been associated with him and played with him, he was not only a gifted cricketer but a wonderful young man. A really easy going, affable guy and very popular with all his team-mates."

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