Mark Ramprakash has admitted he never expected an England recall despite being told the door was still open.
Surrey batsman insists age shouldn't be an issue
Mark Ramprakash has criticised the England selectors for not recalling him despite being told the door was still open.
The 39-year-old has scored heavily for Surrey in recent years but has not featured in a Test match since playing against New Zealand back in 2002.
His form this season led to him being suggested as a possible option for the recent fifth Ashes Test against Australia at his home ground of The Brit Oval.
Instead England opted for Warwickshire's Jonathan Trott to come in for Ravi Bopara, a decision that paid off handsomely as he hit a century on debut.
Performances
"If I'd have been selected it would have been fantastic," Ramprakash told
The Times. "But, in all honesty, I just didn't see the people who mattered coming back my way.
"My friends ask me, 'Mark, is the door still open for you?' And I say, 'The selectors say it is.' But it doesn't look that way, does it? I mean, look at the amount of runs I've scored in the past four or five years.
"I always hoped that my performances would do the talking for me so if I'm not being picked on those performances, I have to ask myself why I am not being selected."
Ramprakash - who will not play again this season due to a broken thumb suffered against Kent last week - insists his age (he will be 40 on September 5) should not have been an issue when it came to selection.
The right-hander admits he has now almost given up on ever playing for England again having been overlooked for so long.
"They (the selectors) throw age at me and the fact that I'm scoring runs in the (LV County Championship) second division now. I get the impression that there are certain people who will use whatever argument suits them at the time.
Enjoyment
"By definition, there is a difference in the divisions, but it certainly hasn't hurt Alastair Cook and Ravi Boparaa to be playing in Division Two with Essex.
"As for my age, I've got two years left on my Surrey contract and my fitness results are still good.
"It's frustrating. Players just want to know where they stand. They keep saying the door is open but, after all that's gone on, I wonder how far it is really open.
"It just doesn't keep me up at night any longer. I am happy within myself and will try to enjoy my cricket."
