The minister's question appeared a trifle misplaced. There are plenty of minority players in the county circuit and many have progressed into the national side. But several resident cricket pundits acknowledge this is in spite of the subtle racism. ``In an informal, unspoken, very English way, cricketing apartheid has become an accepted practice,'' Matthew Engel, editor of the cricketing bible Wisden, wrote recently.

Despite this, minorities are beginning to stamp their influence on English cricket. Infact, the frontrunners for the captaincy of the English team after what seems to be the imminent sacking of Alec Stewart, are Nasser Hussain and Mark Ramprakash, both of Indian origin.

Hussain, who captains his county Essex, and is highly regarded as a good thinker of the game, is strongly tipped. But he is said to be hot-headed and confrontational, and there are many in the English cricket establishment who have a problem with his attitude. The level-headed Mark Ramprakash captains Middlesex. But his problem is he does not have an assured place in England's one-day side although he holds a Test place.

England play New Zealand in a Test series starting July 1 at the conclusion of the World Cup. The other names being considered for the job are Warwickshire's Nick Knight and Hampshire's Robin Smith. There seems little chance that Alec Stewart can save his job though he has indicated clearly that he would like to retain it.

England's ousted one-day team meanwhile has returned to the county circuit toresume their half-yearly grind. There are at least a dozen Asian players playing county cricket. In fact, one could easily have formed an Anglo-Asian team but for the lack of a wicket-keeper. Some of the more prominent players are Nasser Hussain (Essex), Mark Ramprakash (Middlesex), A Habib (Leicestershire), A Singh (Warwickshire), OA Shah (Middlesex), Ronnie Irani (Warwickshire), A Sheriyar (Derbyshire) and Min Patel (Kent).

Hussain, Ramprakash, Irani and Patel have played Test cricket for England. There are also many Afro-Carribbean cricketers who have made a mark on the county circuit and gone on to play Tests for England. Among them are Roland Butcher, Gladstone Small, Philip Defreitas, Chris Lewis, Devon Malcolm and Dean Headley.

There is plenty of heartburn though about the lack of home support in the World Cup for its national team. Several English writers have pointed out that in its game against India, Englishmen were heavily outnumbered by the Indians on the first day. When play spilled over tothe second day on Sunday, there were even fewer Englishmen.

``The atmosphere for the game was awesome... (but) we would have liked a few more English fans in the ground,'' England opener Nick Knight, who captains Warwickshire at its home ground Edgbaston, wrote in his column. The Indians are not complaining. Many Indian players say it has been like playing before home crowds, although that brings its own pressures.

Meanwhile, all the ten World Cup teams go to Buckingham Palace today for an audience with the Queen. The English team will be hoping she will not say ``Off with their heads.''