Strauss stays focused

8 July 2008

Andrew Strauss is keeping up his preparation for the first npower Test

Andrew Strauss will break with recent tradition and continue playing with England during the first npower Test at Lord’s this week even if news comes through of the birth of his second child.

Strauss’ wife Ruth is due to give birth in the next week, which would cause a clash with the Middlesex left-hander’s commitments against South Africa at the home of cricket.

But despite recent precedents, Strauss intends to remain with England rather than make a dash across London to be at the birth should the news reach him of an impending arrival while he is in Test action.

“My wife is due some time during the Test match, the doctor doesn’t feel it’s going to come for a week or so but I won’t be leaving the field or anything like that,” Strauss said.

“If I’m not batting I might nip off but if I’m on the field I’m concentrating on the cricket. I just feel that if I’m going to play the game I owe it to my team-mates to be focussed on the game.

“My wife completely understands the situation and hopefully it will work out that she’ll do it after the end of play or something like that - if I’m playing I’ve got to be switched onto the cricket.”

England captain Michael Vaughan set the trend for being at the birth three years ago when he raced off the field at Headingley during the Test against West Indies to be at the birth of his first child.

Strauss followed that lead by missing the final Test against Pakistan in December 2005 and flying home to be at the birth of his son Sam.

But all-rounder Andrew Flintoff demonstrated more old-fashioned values and remained in India two years ago after being given the captaincy instead of flying home to be at the birth of his second child, Corey.