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Prod 5411/66. LIB FILM GV Cowdrey Scores Boundary (use silent)
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GV Cowdrey caught in slips
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SCU Brian Close interviewed: Sof In "Brian you've just captained"......... Sof out ............ to think about
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SCU Doug Insole (silent)
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SCU Doug Insole interviewed Sof In "I think a lot of people think ........... Sof out .......... than he had previously"
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REPORTER; Brian, you've just captained England seven times. You've won six of the Tests and drawn one. Do you feel this decision by the MCC is justified.?"



CLOSE: "Well, it is not up to me to feel that anything is justified or not. They have the choice and their job is to choose whoever they feel is best equipped to do the job. I can't grumble on that score. I'm very pleased and honoured to have been allowed to captain England over this last season. I've been very thrilled and fortunately, of course, I might have been lucky with the results. I don't know. But anyway, all I can do, of course, is wish Colin the very best of luck over there. I only hope the boys do it."



REPORTER: "But what are your thoughts today? It must be a very sad day for you.?"



CLOSE: "Well, obviously I'm disappointed, of course, I think anybody would be. But I think of anybody in sport. I think probably I've had more disappointments than most, and I shall get over it. And, of course, at the moment we've got to think very seriously about seeing Yorkshire home in the Championship if we can, and so therefore I've got lots of things to think about."



REPORTER: "I think a lot of people feel that Colin Cowdrey really hasn't quite the killer instinct enough to be a good Test captain. What would you say to that?"



DOUG INSOLE: "Well, yes, a lot of people do say this and I suppose there might be something in it. But I would say this year with Kent, for example, he's done a very fine job indeed with a youngish side and has taken them up to the top of the championship and I would think he's got a little bit more iron in his soul than he had previously."




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Brian Close, the man who has led England to victory six times in seven Tests, with the odd match drawn, has been dropped as captain Colin Cowdrey, of Kent, will lead the side in the West Indies next winter.

Close, 36 years old and now at the very peak of his career, is to go in spite of having a four-to-two majority of the England selectors' votes. The selectors were overruled by an 18-man MCC committee which met at Lord's last Thursday.

The decision to drop the controversial Yorkshire skipper follows incidents during the county's championship game with Warwickshire at Edgebaston 12 days ago, when Close was said to have used time-wasting tactics. Yorkshire gained two valuable points in their efforts to retain the Championship title, but Close was severely censured by the Counties Advisory Executive Committee for the ploys he used.

The Chairman of the England selectors, Doug Insole, today named himself as one of the men who had supported Close.