Essex vice-captain Paul Grayson today moved to quash rumours of a rift in the camp.
Grayson was responding to suggestions that experienced batting duo Darren Robinson and Aftab Habib were unhappy at being left out of recent matches.
The duo missed the weekend defeats against Surrey and Warwickshire and are not in the squad to face Hampshire away in the Twenty20 Cup tonight.
The pair have been out injured in recent weeks, but are now both fit to play.
However, youngsters Mark Pettini and Ravinder Bopara have done well in their absence and have kept their places.
And Grayson said: "Both (Robinson and Habib) are fit again but we have a strong batting line-up at present and they are not being picked.
"That's just the way it is at the moment. The young lads have done a good job and deserve to keep their places.
"But there is no ill-feeling in the dressing room and both players have taken it in a very professional manner."
Robinson, having scored 78 in his last senior outing at The Oval just under a fortnight ago, was expected to find himself in the side at the weekend having recovered from a ricked neck.
And Habib, now free of a hamstring problem, is the county's leading batsman at first-class level this summer with nearly 500 runs.
Published Wednesday, June 18, 2003
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