Ramprakash blasts 'ageist' selectors after scoring his 100th century

13 April 2012

Mark Ramprakash expressed his frustration with England’s ageist selection policy yesterday after the 38-year-old Surrey batsman became only the 25th player in history to score a hundred first-class hundreds.

Ramprakash was elevated alongside immortals such as WG Grace, Don Bradman and Denis Compton when he reached his epic milestone against Yorkshire at Headingley with a cut for four off David Wainwright on Saturday.

Nice knock mate: Yorkshire's Darren Gough congratulates Ramprakash on his 100th century.

He had become exasperated by his prolonged wait on 99 hundreds but said it was fitting to register No 100 in Leeds where he made No 1 19 years ago.

He said yesterday: ‘Being up there with the great names is something nobody can take away. The last few months have been difficult because I’ve had a few good deliveries and I’ve not managed to get close to scoring a hundred.

‘Luckily, it seemed like fate to get it at Headingley, because I got my first one there back in 1989.’

Asked about his lack of England recognition in the last two seasons, when he has averaged in excess of 100 in the County Championship, Ramprakash added: ‘I’ve constantly heard that the door is still ajar but I’m not sure it is. I had a chat last year with Geoff Miller (now national selector), who told me why I wouldn’t be selected.

‘There has been a fascination with age. You get past 30 and suddenly you are a veteran, you have had your chance.

‘But I have played my best cricket from the age of 30 to 38.’

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