Letter: Nationality haunts the village cricket green

From Mr Matthew Engel

Sir: The accuracy of Derek Hodgson's piece about Wisden (4 July) can be gauged by the fact that the name of my publication is given wrongly five times in four paragraphs. Likewise, he attributes to me supposedly controversial changes in the format I have not even made.

This might not matter much. The innuendo that I endorse any kind of racial discrimination certainly does matter. His selective quotation from Wisden is misleading, omitting my clear statement that race has nothing to do with the issue.

Like many people in cricket, I am concerned that it is too easy for players to choose which Test team they will represent, even if their connection with the country is marginal. I most certainly do not believe that black Britons should be excluded from English teams.

Yours faithfully,

Matthew Engel

Editor

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

Newton St Margarets, Herefordshire

6 July