I read a lot of sports blogs. I’m a below the line addict. I’ve seen fans polarised before – most notably footballs fans arguing over the merits of certain managers – but I’ve never, ever, seen English cricket supporters at each others’ throats like this. It’s a war. Over the last few days I’ve tried to stand back from the cacophony and understand events from a detached perspective. Obviously, one’s position on the Strauss / KP doos-gate depends entirely on whether you think KP is a...
Every little helps
The England players and management have been very busy recently. Not in preparing for today’s ODI against Scotland, but trying to flog us groceries and bottled water. You will no doubt have heard yesterday’s exciting news from the ECB: Harrogate Spring has been unveiled as “The Official Water of England Cricket”. A jubilant Lord’s press release trumpeted this landmark event in uncompromising style, with chief executive David Collier affirming that “Harrogate...
Muddied oafs and flannelled fools
Our brave new world will be egg-shaped, at least if our lords and masters are able to bring their aspirations to fruition. According to Alastair Cook, the England cricket team will look to their counterparts in rugby union for inspiration – and as a template – as they look to rebuild after the disasters of the last six months. Last week the skipper said he’s been impressed by the manner in which England rugby coach Stuart Lancaster has revived his side’s fortunes from a...
ECB’s choice of selectors sticks two fingers up at the counties
I don’t like being this cynical and exasperated. I really don’t. But over the last few weeks Paul Downton and the ECB have got every major decision utterly, utterly, hopelessly wrong. First they alienated the vast majority of fans by sacking Kevin Pietersen (yes, he’s a big head, but it’s clear from the testimony of Tremlett, Carberry, Swann and others that KP was not the reason why England lost the Ashes). Then they astounded the world with the ridiculous appointment of Peter Moores on the...
Moores is a symptom, Cook is the cause
First of all I want to make both a promise and an apology. Here’s the promise: I will not mention Kevin Pietersen’s name in this piece. I do not think the appointment of Moores has anything to do with sticking two fingers up at KP. If you believe the appointment of Moores was a final act of revenge, you assume the ECB are prepared to put a grudge before their own ambitions – which presumably includes creating a successful team, enhancing their personal reputations, and getting more people...
The wrong man at the wrong time
The fallout from Saturday’s fiasco will run and run. We’ve already described how the second coming of Moores is akin to a comeback for Steve McLaren, and suggested a theory behind the darker reasons for this bizarre re-appointment. Later we need to scrutinise exactly what Paul Downton told us – and didn’t tell us – about why he fired Kevin Pietersen. But for now we’re looking at the new Moores reign from a purely cricketing perspective. Earlier, Neil Harris...
