25 MAY 2002, Page 30

It's not cricket

From Mr P.M. Roebuck Sir: Michael Henderson (Sport. 18 May) says that I missed the imbroglio after Michael Atherton had been filmed putting soil on a cricket ball because I had already caught the train home. This is untrue. Remarkably, I was still in situ and, indeed. pointed out the episode to various astonished colleagues. But it was a trifling matter and, not wanting to join a hysteria born of a thousand replays. I ignored it.

Rather than lecturing all and sundry, Henderson should check his facts. Michael Atherton and Derek Pringle are already better cricket writers than he has ever been because they remember the difficulties of the game and cover it with tact and humour. Henderson is an egotist, plain and simple.

Peter Roebuck

Sunday Times, London E98