Spinwash '93: English cricket keeps making the same mistakes

HUW TURBERVILL: Here we are 28 years later, debating if England were right to overlook Jack Leach and play no specialist spinner against New Zealand at Lord's. Those who forget the errors of the past are condemned to repeat them, and all that

To watch the excellent new Sky documentary, Spinwash '93, is to remember that English cricket keeps making the same mistakes. On the tour to India in 1992/93, England played only one spinner in the first Test at Calcutta, Ian Salisbury, and omitted Phil Tufnell and John Emburey, while the hosts played three.

And here we are 28 years later, debating if England were right to overlook Jack Leach and play no specialist spinner against New Zealand at Lord’s. Those who forget the errors of the past are condemned to repeat them, and all that.

Spinwash '93 incorporates Sky coverage of that tour with wonderful home footage by Dermot Reeve using his cine camera, all knitted together with commentary by Mike Atherton. There's also a lovely soundtrack with pop hits of the day, including from Crowded House and the Pet Shop Boys; and a reminder that with his boyish good looks, Tufnell looked like the lead singer of E17.

It's amazing that it’s taken this long for the footage to come to light, although Reeve has had a rollercoaster few decades, of course.

The hour-long show taught me lots, including the part his mum played on that trip. Extraordinary.

Spoilers ahead.

^{Phil Tufnell, along with John Emburey, was omitted from the first Test XI against India in 1993}

Selection had been controversial. England left out David Gower, who had seemingly justified his selection that summer. Captain Graham Gooch wanted to drag English cricket into the late 20th century, though. The golden generation of the 1980s had underachieved woefully, two Ashes wins and a triumph in India excepted. Gower was a fine player of spin, and on batting terms really should have gone; as should Jack Russell, who was overlooked for… Richard Blakey. Alec Stewart calls that a massive error. "I'm not discussing who has not been selected," said chairman of selectors Ted Dexter at the time.

Even though MCC had stopped picking England touring sides in 1968/69, members called a special general meeting to debate the selections, which ultimately amounted to nothing.

Part of the new way of doing things was trying to prepare properly. So before they went to the subcontinent, they took to a sports hall at Lilleshall, with frost outside on the ground. The thought was there.

Spirits are high at the start. There’s debate about how many 'corn beef in naan bread' snacks Mike Gatting polishes off on a 17-hour train journey - some say seven, others 17. Again, jokes about Gatt’s dining habits - plus ca change. They then have to play the next day. Ridiculous/hilarious really

The 'new boy' cabaret show is a lot of fun, with coach Keith Fletcher doing a Gatting impression (yep, it’s pillow down the jumper time), and the players have a Creme caramel-eating contest. Blakey appears to manage more than he made runs on the trip (cruel I know, sorry).

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Poor old John Emburey had a chastening start to the tour - he was Sidhu’d - belligerent India opener Navjot feasting on his bowling like Gatt and his naans. Emburey looks genuinely ashen-faced.

We see some gruesome first aid to Paul Jarvis’ toe involving a pen knife, and then there’s the Mrs Reeve revelation. Scorer Clem Driver had a heart attack and Dermot's mum became the official tour scorer. Brilliant!

England opt for the seamers in the first Test, saying that if the cracks on the pitch open up and they bowl straight, they can exploit them. We then see a medley of England not bowling straight. It’s the first of three Test hammerings.

The Indian crowds are riveted by Test cricket in the same way that the IPL floats their boat now, which is a bit sad.

I'd completely forgotten that England made Stewart open after two days of keeping - predictably he made a duck; and Gooch’s extraordinary stumping, after an uncharacteristic lapse of concentration.

There’s also the 'famous prawn incident', when they rejected dietary advice. Gooch couldn’t see straight afterwards, and missed the second Test at Madras.

^{Graeme Hick on his way to scoring a century at the Wankhede Stadium}

Henry Blofeld is commentating on Sky. He asks stand-in skipper Stewart: "Are you confident old thing?"

Tuffers talks about hiding in his cupboard to avoid a telling off after he explodes when Blakey spurns the chance to stump Sachin Tendulkar for the first time in his career; and we see Gatting’s drop off Salisbury which defies belief.

Geoffrey Boycott is also on Sky. He lectures Blakey. "He can be cutting, he can be blunt, but he’s usually right," reflects the rookie. Which is fair enough.

Chris Lewis explains how an evening dancing in a nightclub paved the way for his only Test century the next day on his birthday, and then farcically at the end of the match the chastened tourists are presented with mountain bikes.

The third Test at Mumbai opens with the infamous Stewart/Atherton run-out, and there’s great footage of Graeme Hick scoring his brilliant maiden Test century - in vain, of course. Boycott sums up what England lacked: tech-neek.

Sachin Tendulkar - who had an epic career - and Vinod Kambli - who didn't, despite having the talent - also make fascinating cameos.

For anyone wondering why Reeve was on that trip, now we know. And thank goodness his mum was there too. A must-watch.

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