Cricket Comment: Young trio hold key for England February 25, 2014 CHANGE is in the air for the England team as they embark on their first series since the disastrous Ashes tour, and without stars such as Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook. The tour to the West Indies, comprising three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches, is being seen as a chance for England newcomers Moeen [...]
Cricket Comment: Pietersen Test career may not be history if England dressing room was a little more relaxed February 11, 2014 ONE issue lost amid the furore over Kevin Pietersen’s sacking by England chiefs is what this regrettable episode says about the dressing room. Specifically, is it all a bit too serious? From the coaching staff down to the kit men, there are a lot of very similar characters in the England set-up: ultra-professional, analytical and [...]
Cricket Comment: Kirsten is pick of candidates for Flower job February 3, 2014 COACH Andy Flower’s decision to step down from the England job following a disastrous winter caused mild surprise but it was no shock. As I’ve detailed in this column more than once, I think it is the right move – the question now is who succeeds him. In an ideal world it would be Gary [...]
England set for more power but global cricket overhaul diluted January 28, 2014 ENGLISH cricket remains on course for a larger slice of cash and greater influence at international level – but more extreme changes to the game’s future were watered down after a day of intensive bargaining yesterday. The International Cricket Council claimed “unanimous support” for plans to form a new executive committee, create a fund to [...]
Cricket Comment: Time for England to switch captain Cook for Morgan January 21, 2014 EIGHT consecutive defeats against Australia in all formats means a major debrief is essential when the players return home, but even now it is clear that certain changes will be needed. Replacing Alastair Cook as captain of the one-day side is chief among those. Friday’s second match was the final straw; there is no way [...]
Cricket Comment: Selectors cannot disregard Cook woe indefinitely January 14, 2014 ENGLAND’S problem, in Test matches and now one-day cricket too, is that they have forgotten how to get runs on the board and build a strong start. And that is why the current malaise afflicting their captain in both forms, Alastair Cook, is a concern that is increasingly difficult to ignore. Cook managed just four [...]
Cricket Comment: Ashes misery demands shake-up January 6, 2014 Flower and Cook deserve to stay, but their unconditional support is strange ENGLAND’S current coach and captain have just overseen the most disastrous tour for many a year, so I find it very strange that David Collier has thrown his resounding support behind Andy Flower and Alastair Cook. Following the 5-0 Ashes whitewash, everyone is [...]
Cricket Comment: Ashes catastrophe means this England team is finished December 17, 2013 THEY say Christmas is a time for reflection and I’ve a feeling England team director Andy Flower will be doing more soul-searching than most over the next couple of weeks. The late Bob Woolmer once told me he believed coaches had a maximum of five years with a team – by then you’ve imparted all [...]
Cricket Comment: Coaches to blame if England are unprepared December 10, 2013 MAYBE there’s an element of complacency to England’s woeful Ashes – clearly Australia are more hungry; to a man, desperate to win – but the biggest factor looks to be that they have been badly prepared. As unsettling and consistent as Mitchell Johnson has been, it was no secret he was bowling straight and fast. [...]
Cricket Comment: Time for Cook to end dismal run December 3, 2013 IF EVER there was a time for England to end their run of failing to score 400 in 18 consecutive Test innings then the second Ashes Test, which starts tonight, is certainly it. You dominate matches by getting big scores on the board and hitting 400 would send out a strong message. Now is the [...]