Ban your Test stars from county games

Allan Donald last night backed England's Test flops and insisted: Blame the system, not the players.

South Africa's Ace of Pace is convinced that massive changes in the structure of the English game are the only way to improve our Test performances - and results.

Donald, who coached Warwickshire last season and is due to play for them again later this year, has outlined his own five-point plan to halt England's disastrous Test slide:

1. All England players to opt out of county cricket.

2. Split the County Championship.

3. Reduce the number of first-class matches.

4. Scrap the NatWest Trophy.

5. Set up an Aussie-style academy.

Donald, who has taken 138 wickets in just 29 Tests, says: "It's all too easy to lay the blame on the players and Mike Atherton, but I believe the English system is the real culprit.

"The constant slog of county cricket is enough to burn out any player, and that's why I'm sure that we South Africans and the Aussies have got it right - and England have got it wrong.

"In South Africa and Australia it's very rare for internationals to turn out in a great deal of state cricket. I only appear for my province, Orange Free State, if I feel I need a run-out after a minor injury.

"The rest of the time I concentrate on playing for South Africa. I've got enough on my plate doing that, without worrying about provincial cricket.

"In South Africa the provincial cricket administration put national interests first, and it has paid off with a lot of success for us both in one-day and five-day cricket.

"England should follow our example. Once the selectors are settled on their squad, they should take them out of domestic cricket."

Donald, who will lead South Africa's attack as they chase a 3-0 whitewash over India in Johannesburg next week, argues that younger players would also get far more opportunities if England made that bold move.

He adds: "Obviously if you took the best 15 or 16 players out of the county game, a lot more youngsters would get their chance much sooner.

"But, of course, that would be pointless if you forced them to play too much cricket. That's why I would want to divisionalise the Championship.

"Some sides are a lot stronger than others, so it would make sense to split into two leagues of nine sides each.

"That would also increase interest, because many more teams would have something to play for at the end of the season.

"There is far too much meaningless cricket played in England at the moment. Players are forced to go through the motions.

"I would also scrap the NatWest Trophy in its current form. A 60- over contest is desperately hard work. The most any limited-overs game should last is 50 overs a side."

Donald would also like to see a carbon copy of the Australian academy, where young English players could be taken away from their counties and groomed for international cricket.

He insists: "England has lagged behind countries like Australia and South Africa."

But Donald, who grabbed five wickets in last week's 272-run second Test win over India in Cape Town, adds: "People shouldn't be too pessimistic. I can understand the stick that's being handed out to the English side, but all those guys are good players.

"There's a wealth of talent in England - but plenty of things have to change if you want to make the most out of it.

"England should act now to give their players a real chance in the future."

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