Ready, Able?

The one pleasing aspect of England's loss to India was that cricket pervaded all social media. Sure it was unanimously negative and a universal lambasting of our national team's display, but it is nice to know that cricket is more popular than most perceive.

But with this large audience comes a large amount of opinion; an opinion that seems to regard any loss as a prompt for change, and wholesale change at that - previous performances forgotten amidst a cavalcade of resentment and anger.

It is true to say that the 'new era' has so far been a failure. It is also true to say that the senior players whom this future was based on have underperformed - Alastair Cook averages 16.4 with the bat in Tests this summer, Ian Bell 25.5 and Stuart Broad 37 with the ball. Lastly, it is true to say that England have yet to replace Graeme Swann as their spinner, and with Cook's form becoming more of an issue and Matt Prior stepping aside, they also have a wicketkeeper and maybe an opener to find.

It is easy to say the statement 'we need a better X', but the reality of finding that player is much more difficult.

'The answer is obvious! Look to County Cricket!' - fine. Chris Jordan took all the column inches in the early season, averaging 19.27 with the ball and looking head and shoulders above every other name. Yet In Test cricket he did not seem ready, too often spraying the ball down the leg side; going wicket-less at Headingly. Chris Woakes is also a stand-out with 34 wickets at 18.62, but was made to look like a club cricketer on his Début last year.
The batting tells the same tale of a lack of depth - Ian Bell romped to 500 runs in just 4 games, Sam Robson averaged 51.4 and Matt Prior smashed a 100. All those selected gained their place on the back of dominance at Domestic level, and now the public cries for lesser players?

Knowledge can also be feigned. Former players-turned-pundits pick names out of a hat, then call for their inclusion with no evidence on which to base their opinion. How many overs has Andrew Strauss seen Adam Riley bowl? How many sessions has Piers Morgan seen Jos Buttler keep through? And how many times has anyone seen Adam Lyth bat?

Apparently accepted arbiter of cricket Piers Morgan made a name for himself in the world of sport through commenting on football. Yet cricket is not like football. In football, players can make a multitude of mistakes yet be judged on one moment of brilliance. Conditions are also fairly uniform, and opposition fairly similar - a goal is a goal. Yet in cricket, one ball on a green deck may end your day, much the same as a hundred on a flat deck may not reflect true quality. People would do well to remember this during his next uninformed 140-character rant.

I do believe in a meritocracy. Players should not simply be selected because of who they are, or how well they get on with the captain. Yet at the same time, it has to be considered if the grass truly is greener elsewhere.

People rarely leave their current job unless they have an obvious replacement lined up. So is the same with England. Is their an obviously replacement for Matt Prior? Is there an obviously pick for the role of sole spinner? And is their an absolute, 100% guaranteed opener out there that justifies dropping one of England's most successful ever players?

The answer to all these is no. And until there is, I want less knee-jerk reactions, and more thoughtful, rational analysis... Maybe Twitter isn't the right place for me.

Bigmouth Strikes Again

There can be many grievances taken from tonight's T20 game of Surrey vs Middlesex, not least the fact that the North London team are making their third appearance on TV in as many weeks - despite being bottom of the table.

But the moment that made me literally shout out with anger came in the form of commentator Michael Vaughan. In his new role as SkySports pundit, he heaped superlatives on the 'back in form' Steven Finn, exclaiming after one ball which rose off a length 'that's what I like to see from Finn, pace and bounce!'. Fair comment, yet the ball was 85.8mph. In the winter, Vaughan denigrated the performance of James Anderson, claiming he had 'lost some pace' despite bowling at speeds upwards of 91mph in Perth.

This is just the latest in a string of contradictions and criticisms from the former Test Captain.

Recently he has become some what of a multi-media presence, commentating on the radio for Test Match Special, writing for the Daily Telegraph, and working as a studio voice for ITV during the IPL. He has crafted a style that combines the flippant and laconic ramblings of David 'Bumble' Lloyd, whilst at the same time parodying the Yorkshire born-and-bred nature of Geoffrey Boycott, setting himself up as a sort of man of the people - a lovable everyman.

Fine you may say, he had a prestigious England career and now wants an easy life as a personality in the media, what is bad about that?

Nothing. But the fact is, he has more layers to him than first meets the eye. He is like a man wearing three hats, yet only wants to be judged on his haircut.

First is his role as an ambassador for gambling company Betfair. In a time of mass corruption being unveiled, it is easy for him to write column inches on the disgraceful nature of match-fixing, but at the same time he picks up a sizeable cheque for perpetuating the very industry that forces the game into dispute.

Next there is his role as a partner at 'International Sports Management' - a talent agency. Again, on its own this is a respectable cause for a ex-player, but when you consider they manage the likes of fringe and current England players like Joe Root and Jos Buttler, the waters become muddy. His vicious articles attacking Jonathan Trott's mental breakdown, set alongside his joining with Piers Morgan against Matt Prior, show the possibility that his seeds of influence can sow doubt upon settled side members, in order for his own contracted players to take their place.

So then we come full circle, back to his journalistic platform. From an affable, facetious, 'I love Yorkshire' rent-a-quote, to a seriously invested talent agent, using his powerful cricketing voice to change the way the national side is run from the outside. Can someone so well connected and biased genuinely be allowed to occupy positions that require independence and open-minded thought?

Yes, apparently. I am surprised he has not already joined the ECB. Then he can follow their trend of putting all self-serving propositions in the open. Although, that would mean actually standing behind all your words, something Vaughan has so far struggled with...

Keeping Up Appearances

'You are always a better player out of the team than in it.'

A adage that sums up every mention of player X being ready for England, a label given to many in recent months. After arguably the worst international winter in history, only two or three Test places seem safe, with the roles of opening batsman, No.3 and spinner all up for grabs.

But it is the absence of a wicketkeeper which for me is most worrying. Matt Prior has once again succumbed to the Achilles injury that has plagued him for years, and cannot even play for Sussex as a batsman, let alone keep. Therefore a series of likely lads are once again trotted out, circa 2006. Craig Kieswetter, Steven Davies, Jos Buttler, Johnny Bairstow and even Middlesex's Jon Simpson have been talked up.

But are any of them really good enough?

Simpson's mention merely proves the confusion and unpredictability surrounding the current England team selection. Meanwhile Bairstow, 'the man in possession', has only kept for Yorkshire twice following a broken finger, and showed in the Ashes his glovework is no way near Test level. Buttler is very much seen as the heir-apparent, but he also missed some big stumpings over the winter, and needs time to develop at his new County Lancashire.

Davies and Kieswetter may be good choices. Both posses good batting records at First Class level, and both have had a taste of international cricket, without managing to cement a position. Yet they pose the same problems that picking Jos Buttler would - are they good enough behind the stumps? Why gamble on a 27 or 26 year old, when you could equally gamble on someone who is 23? The pressure either one would be under is ridiculous; always having a younger man on their heels, looking for a call-up after every good ODI knock.

Therefore, a keeper selected may well be a stop-gap. In his last stewardship, Peter Moores selected Ryan Sidebottom to take the new ball for England. It was clear that James Anderson and Stuart Broad were the future, but neither were yet ready, so Sidebottom stepped up with a wealth of County experience behind him, and lead England's attack terrifically until the young guns came to maturity.

I would suggest the same tactic with a keeper now, until Buttler is good enough. My candidate - James Foster.

Aged 34, he is still in his prime, and would be an absolute banker behind the stumps (anyone watching Essex's highlights reels will see that). He is captain of his County side and has a background in nurturing young talent, whilst at the same time creating a good environment to play in - something England desperately need. He will also be an older head in a dressing room short of experience - Bell and Anderson are the only current players over 30. If Brad Haddin taught us anything last year, it's that a keeper essentially acts as a second captain - why not choose someone who has been doing that role for years?

There will be the same questions asked of his batting that have kept him down for years: Not enough runs at County level, a technique not good enough for the international game, and any runs he does get are written off under the moniker 'Second Division'. Valid arguments all.

But do England at this stage really need a keeper that will average 40? With a team that will include two if not all of Ben Stokes (Only Hundred in the Ashes), Moen Ali (1375 First Class runs last year) and Chris Jordan (Opened for Surrey), can we not for a short period return to the old way of a 'proper' wicketkeeper? And it is not as if he is a genuine number 11  - he has a First Class average of 37.33, and already has an 80 and a 90 to his name this year.

Maybe his selection would be a backwards step, a pointless short-term solution for a team looking to start a 'new era'. But in his call-up, we would know what to expect. And certainty in a massively uncertain time is a valuable commodity.

In Defence of Tim Bresnan

On a cloudy morning in early May, the Sky TV cameras rocked up at Chester-le-Street in hope of some entertaining action. What they received was mediocre bowling from the home side on a flat deck, which allowed visitors Yorkshire to rack up 589-8 Declared.

After a loose opening stint from Brooks and Sidebottom at the new Durham batsman, the familiar figure of Tim Bresnan stood at the end of his run. Unselfishly not taking the new ball, he preceded to bowl a spell of 6-2-7-0 with metronomic accuracy, and the kind of control that once made him so valuable at Test level.

It is easy to write off Bresnan. He had a poor winter, lacking penetration in the Tests against Australia, before losing his reputation in the limited overs side due to an inability to bowl yorkers.

He appeared to be carrying a few pounds, and never looked fully fit...because he wasn't. Rushed back from an operation after cries of desperation from the England management, he was allowed only one warm-up game before being thrown into a losing Ashes side, bowling on batsman-friendly pitches against a team gaining more and more momentum. He was needed so urgently that he scarified his own physiological health to try and contribute.

It is therefore harder to suggest his replacement. Chris Jordan is untested at the highest level, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes are currently injured, and James Anderson is finally showing signs that years of carrying the seam attack are getting to him. Graham Onions proved in this game against Yorkshire that he lacks the skills in unfriendly conditions that make he so usually dangerous, not to mention his frequently mentioned 'lack of nip' that Ashley Giles commented is 'never going to change. And leading Championship wicket-taker Steven Finn is by his own director of cricket Angus Fraser's words 'not ready for a return' to the top level.

With the team likely to be comprised of five bowlers, including the presence of less front-line spin options in the form of either Moen Ali or Joe Root, England will require someone to bowl long, economical spells in order to produce wickets at the other end - a job so brilliantly done by Graeme Swann and Bresnan himself in the past.

His late order batting may also be needed in the probable seam friendly conditions of early June. Whilst it has been average to say the least in recent times, his form with the bat can arguably be said to suffer from same under-practice and a lack of time to heal from injury that afflicts his pace - his bowling has being so publicly denounced by the media, that it must be hard for him to put down the ball and work on his back foot defensive.

Yes, in an ideal world England would have a young all-rounder setting the County stage alight, ready to join the 'new era' of English cricket in the way a Sam Robson may for the batting. But realistically Bresnan is still ahead of the likes of Chris Woakes in the pecking order, and given time away from the ODI set-up, he may be able to once again find the form that made him the bane of Shane Watson's front pad.

I am not his biggest fan. Yet in a side lacking experience, he could be the short term solution England need to get back to winning ways.

Smith - Return of The Pro.

As visa regulations are tightened and the push for young players becomes ever more dominant, the sight of the overseas pro has become a rarity. Yet in this game, Graeme Smith is proving they still have their place in the County game.

The argument against them found it’s voice a few years ago, when not only could Counties field two overseas players, but also the regulations for those players with an EU-passport loosened, leading to an influx in Kolpak players. It was deemed this reduced the prospects and chances of young English players, and would weaken the national side in time.

So now we have a system that actively discourages Non-English involvement on the domestic scene. Trent Copeland, arguably the reason Northamptonshire were promoted last year, was unable to return this season due to a declined Visa, on the grounds that he wouldn’t offer enough to English cricket. He tangibly did offer huge amounts to England, not just in terms of revenue for his County, but in the experience he gave other teams in facing high quality bowling.

Graeme Smith is now proving that again for Surrey. In this game he has tutored the Essex attack, making England fringe players Graham Napier, Ravi Bopara and Tymal Mills bowl better in trying to get him out, and learn from their mistakes when he easily slaps them to the boundary. His 65 today served as a reminder that old and foreign players can still offer quality given the opportunity.

He has also taken on the responsibility of captaining the side. Here he is given the young cricketers around him the opportunity to learn from his knowledge and leadership, motivating them to emulate his global success. He is clearly doing work behind the scenes as well, most notably with his opening partner Rory Burns whose technique now closely resembles that of the ex-South African skipper.

Smith is also mirroring the good work done by Chris Rogers at Middlesex. Rogers also captains his side, and has had a massively positive influence on his opening partner Sam Robson, who is widely being tipped for an England Test debut this summer.

Surely it is time for the ECB to take a better look at the rules and laws surrounding outside involvement. It is one thing to not want Counties to resemble teams in the Premier League with only one or two English names in a squad, but if that means completely shutting out excellence in all its forms, is it worth it? Many at Northants, Middlesex and Surrey would argue not. 

Britain's Got (limited) Talent.

With the English Domestic season underway, all eyes are on the next coach of the England cricket team. Realistically, you would think it would go to an Englishman, given the pattern of recent years of a solid County coach (doing poorly) followed by a Left-handed African - David Lloyd to Duncan Fletcher, Peter Moores to Andy Flower. Whoever takes the job is arguably just a stop gap until the ECB can convince Gary Kirsten to take the role. So who are the candidates:

Ashley Giles. 
You would imagine his copy book is blotted with a large, Netherlands-shaped flag. Having taken Warwickshire to the title in 2011, he was rapidly moved up the leadership ladder, taking control of the Lions team first, then the Limited-overs sides. Despite leading England to the final of the Champions Trophy, I can't see him escaping the horrors of this winter - his appointment would remind me of the way Peter Moores was earmarked as the new leader despite not really having the right credentials or enough experience. Maybe it's time to put Giles back on the shelf and see if he matures with time, much like Moores has. Which neatly brings us to...

Peter Moores.
As previously stated, he was picked early as the successor to Duncan Fletcher having taken Sussex to the Championship title. Highly regarded and seen as part of the new 'modern' set of coaches, he was given the tough task of rebuilding a side decimated by the 2006/07 5-0 Ashes. In such circumstances his short stint wasn't a total failure, but is largely remembered for the KP bust-up (Deja vu) and subsequent return to County Cricket. True he won the County Championship with a unspectacular Lancashire side full of local players, but he also had that same side relegated the following year. Paying big money for two overseas stars to win the Division 2 title hardly makes his claim undeniable. It has also been widely agreed by pundits and fans alike that England require a more upbeat dressing room - I can't see Moores, with a litany of backroom staff, providing that.

Mick Newell. 
The Nottinghamshire stalwart has put together a very impressive side since taken over in 2002. It is comprised largely of players who are just on the fringe of international cricket, giving it stability along with the necessary talent. The likes of Taylor, Lumb and Patel have all dabbled with the national side, whilst names like Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann ascended to regular Test places after joining the County. Newell clearly has the pedigree, but is seen by many as an 'old school' type of coach. He may not be able adapt to the modern approach taken by England in recent years. There may also be parallels between him and former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp - able to get results when allowed the option of buying in extra talent from other clubs, something not afforded to national coaches. His time may have already past...

Mark Robinson.
My personal choice. Robinson took over the Sussex job after Peter Moores joined the England set up. He has in recent years created a nurturing environment on the South coast, with Sussex being seen as a place of healing for wounded and mistreated County players. James Anyon, Rory Hamilton-Brown, Jon Lewis and England hopeful Chris Jordan were all battered and bruised from their previous employers, but found new life under Robinson's stewardship. It's this quality that I believe England are looking for - after the mauling they took in the winter, they need a less cold and fearful atmosphere in the dressing room, and more room for enjoyment where they can truly express themselves. Robinson may be the one to provide this, and like Flower managed to do in 2009, create a solid base from which the England 'new era' can build.

Formulaic Predictions.

It is unwise to predict future events in any form of life, least of all in sport. Thus, I will brilliantly and unequivocally say that Sri Lanka will win the World T20, based on them ticking the boxes of a set check-list, formed by past winners.
2007/8 - India
2009 - Pakistan
2010 - England
2012 - West Indies
The criteria is based on having players in the following roles:

The Rock - The batsman whose job is to stay in, score runs, and allow others to build a total around him. They will usually bat in the top 3, and end up as one of the tournaments top run-scorers. India had Gautem Gambhir in 2007 (227 runs), Pakistan had Kamran Akmal (188 runs), England had Kevin Pietersen (248 runs), and West Indies had Marlon Samuels (230 runs). Sri Lanka this year have the evergreen Mahela Jayawardene. Second highest run scorer last tournament, highest the time before, and overall leading scorer in all World Cups; he has the potential to yet again take his side to the final by providing a base for the lower order hitters to flourish.

The Gun - The big name, the hitter, the player everyone pays to watch. Normally an opener, their sole role is to get the team off to a good start, or finish strongly. India went for the late order option in Yuvraj Singh (194.73 strike rate) - everyone will remember that Stuart Broad over, Pakistan had the mercurial Shahid Afridi, England had the unorthodox Craig Keiswetter, and West Indies obviously had the behemoth figure of Chris Gayle. For Sri Lanka, they are spoilt for choice at the top of the order with both Kushal Perera and TM Dilshan. Perera is the reincarnation of Sanath Jayasuriya - still only 23 he has the exuberance of youth on his side, not to mention a first class best of 336 made off only 275 balls. And Dilshan? What more can be said about him. Possibly his last tournament, he will hope to end with a bang.

Marquee Spinner + Reliable Spinner - At it's birth in 2003, Twenty20 was seen as the death sentence for slow bowlers. Jeremy Snape instantly proved them wrong, as has every single World Cup since. The combination of a wicket-taking spinner at one end, and an economic one holding up the other is the guideline for all tournament victories - with the competition being held in Bangladesh, spinners will play even more pivotal role. India had Harbajan and Yuvraj Singh (9 wickets), Pakistan had Ajmal and Afridi (23 wickets), England had Swann and Yardy (14 wickets), and W.I had Narine and Badree (13 wickets). Sri Lanka now have a great trio in the Mystery of Ajantha Mendis, the economy of Sachithra Senanayake, and the reliability of Rangana Herath. A daunting task for any middle-order opposition.

A Death Quicky - The staple of any limited-overs side, someone who can bowl yorkers at pace and halt the late-order precession of sixes. India has RP Singh, Pakistan had the unbelievably accurate and twice leading wicket-taker Umar Gul, England had the revelation of Ryan Sidebottom plus Stuart Broad, and West Indies had Ravi Rampaul. Sri Lanka have the unmatchable, unorthodox and downright unplayable Lasith Malinga. Holder of the most wickets in World Cups, his ludicrous action has become world renowned, as has his prowess in the closing overs. Mind your toes gents.

So there you go, Sri Lanka for the cup. Many will point at Pakistan's varied, experienced and quality bowling line-up, or Australia's hard-hitting top 3, but I feel they are very weak in other areas. India are the favourites with a good balance in their team, possessing much the same side that won the Champions Trophy in the summer. But Sri Lanka have already beaten them a warm up game, and before that in the Asia Cup (albeit in a 50 over game). In favourable conditions, could this be their year? Only time will tell, but it is surely worth a cheeky fiver...