One year on, half the class of 2001 remains at home

Nearly half of the first graduates from the National Academy are taking a break from cricket this winter. It demonstrates that the Class of 2001 – the initial intake of an institution established to transform the England team – has already gone its separate ways. Some may never meet up again unless there is a reunion.

Of the 16 players who bowled up in Adelaide a year ago full of hope and ambition, four are with the England party in Australia. This is a good return by any standards, and demonstrates that the administrators meant it when they said all future national teams would consist almost wholly of Academy graduates.

Three players have returned to the Academy for further studies, and two others are playing club cricket, in Australia and New Zealand respectively. But of the seven who have opted for a winter's rest, six had moderate or appalling summers and may be as far away from England as ever. There could yet be more drop- outs than from a polytechnic.

The exception is the Middlesex captain, Andrew Strauss, who can consider himself unfortunate not to have been mentioned more often when England were casting about for a replacement opener last summer. The flow of opinion by then was with Robert Key, who played two Tests and eventually made it to the Ashes party. It was Strauss, however, who finished with a higher Championship average, 44.77, though they were Second Division runs.

"I toyed with the idea of going to Australia to play again, partly because if anything happens to the England squad you're much closer at hand should a replacement be required," said Strauss. "But ultimately I decided to stay here. I've had five years of cricket winter and summer, in England and Australia.

"Playing all the time doesn't give you much opportunity to work on flaws that might appear in your technique. The middle isn't the place to do that. The Academy was a fulfilling experience because it taught you a lot about the psychology of the game and also that you have to look after your own game.

"From a strictly coaching point of view, it wasn't perfect. There were two coaches, and that meant there wasn't time for the one-to-one coaching which gives you the attention to detail needed for honing the little things which can make a difference."

Strauss's other task this winter is to prepare for Middlesex's campaign in the First Division. "I've had a month off now and I'm already missing it, remembering how enjoyable it is. By March I'll hardly be able to wait to start. But I'm still massively desperate to play for England." He undoubtedly has a chance, although as an opener he knows that opportunity may be limited. But at least an opener can bat in the middle order; it is much more difficult to do it the other way round.

None of the 2001 intake can yet be totally excluded from future international honours but some are closer to them than others. The star of Academy 2001 was Ian Bell. He was called up as cover in New Zealand last winter, he was almost given a first Test cap against Sri Lanka and then went on to suffer a classic case of Second Season Syndrome. Instead of going away to play, Bell is returning to his roots. He will spend the winter under the vigilant eye of Neil Abberley, who has coached him from boyhood.

Derek Kenway, of Hampshire, had an average of 18.30 last summer. It was as if the Academy had been a waste, and his physical fitness and preparation for games was also called into question. But Kenway has gone to Perth for the winter to play grade cricket, much to the delight of his county's cricket director, Tim Tremlett. "We sat him down and asked him plainly what his ambitions are. Derek has got a great natural talent but he's also got to work out that he must work. I'm more optimistic now."

The only other player to have taken himself off for a winter of club cricket is Graeme Swann, Northamptonshire's off-spinning all-rounder whose attitude has also raised eyebrows in the past. He is playing in Christchurch. "There are definite signs of a maturing," said the county's chief executive, Stephen Coverdale. "He isn't necessarily there yet but he's going to be captain there and that should help him to shoulder responsibility."

A year on, this is what the Class of 2001 is up to this winter. Ashes Duty: Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Simon Jones, Robert Key. Playing overseas: Derek Kenway (Australia), Graeme Swann (New Zealand). Academy return: Chris Tremlett, Alex Tudor, Mark Wallace. At home: Ian Bell, Steve Kirby, Nicky Peng, Chris Schofield, Andrew Strauss, Mark Wagh, Matthew Wood.