Lyon tames Fortress Edgbaston leaving England in a spin.

WE HAVEN’T been here before, well not since 2005 anyway….

The 251-run mauling by a rampant Australia is the first time since that unforgettable summer that England have lost the First Ashes test of the summer.

We all know how that series ended but there can be little comfort for those seeking comparisons to the heady days of 2005.

This Australian attack is nowhere near as potent with bat or ball as their counterparts were 14 years ago. The problem is neither is the England batting line-up.

For Trescothick, Strauss, Vaughan, Pietersen and Flintoff read Burns, Roy, Root, Denly and Stokes.

In 2005 the line-up came into the series with just one change, Mr Reliable Graham Thorpe made way for Mr Saturday Night Kevin Pietersen.

Yet England came into this game still tinkering with the places and names of those being asked to do what the Three Lions have managed just once in 18 months at home, a score of more than 400.

No matter their attack, any Australian team is capable of the forensic dismantling of a team in the fourth innings and that’s what took place in four hours on the final day at Edgbaston.

Lyon bowled well, Smith resumed his net session against England with two further tons but England’s problems are all of their own making.

The batting order either contains the wrong people or is in the wrong order. Burns has earned a run at the top but Jason Roy played an awful shot which this pack of Aussie hyenas won’t hesitate to remind him of for the next six weeks.

Root simply doesn’t like batting at three, while he scored a 50 in the first innings can England really keep their skipper in a role he just doesn’t want?

Then we come to Joe Denly, an opener batting at four. I don’t see what other, more qualified, people do. It simply looks a matter of time before he is dismissed, he doesn’t have the presence at the crease which says ‘I belong’.

Buttler is too high at five, Stokes is in his ideal spot at six but I worry about YJB, young Jonny Bairstow.

The England keeper seems angry with the world, can’t buy a run with the bat and seems marooned down at seven. Yet at three and without the gloves in Sri Lanka he scored a brilliant test match hundred.

And then there’s Moeen, a player who has batted every position for his country bar 9,10 or 11 but if selected at Lords could well bat at nine behind Chris Woakes.

The time has come for England to decide what they want from one of the nicest guys you could wish to meet. Is he an all-rounder or the spin option? If he is in the team for his spin then he’s judged on that, any runs are a bonus.

It should be clear as day now though Moeen bowls best when he has a spin twin to play with, its up to England to stick or twist.

The problem is Moeen, like a few of this England side, simply can’t buy a run currently against an Australian attack which feasts on out of form batsman.

As for the bowling, I don’t believe Anderson was fit enough to play, no words from the captain will make me change my mind.

The attack is all the same, right arm over the wicket bowlers. A pace injection is needed.

So where do we go from here? To quote the great American football coach Bill Belichick ‘We’re on to Lords’.

My team for what it’s worth: Burns, Roy, Bairstow, Root, Ali, Stokes, Buttler (wk), Woakes, Archer, Broad, Leach.

Take the gloves off Bairstow not as punishment but because of what he is capable of at the top of the order, ease Moeen’s fretful performances with a mate to play with and unleash Jofra Archer.

Because if there is one glimmer of hope for England from the storming of Edgbaston, it’s the Aussie top order.

Bancroft, Smith and Khawaja contributed just 78 runs in six innings between them, Steven Smith scored 286 on his own….

Today will soon be the past, tomorrow will be the future and England return to the place where they became World Champions next Wednesday knowing a gold medal performance is needed to get their Ashes bid back on the right Root.

In praise of Michael Clarke

IN ALL THE excitement of England's Ashes triumph, the news Michael Clarke is retiring was relegated slightly if understandably.

Announced on the outfield to his mate Shane Warne, the 'Pup' who became captain of his country and almost the leader of a nation after the tragic death of Phillip Hughes revealed he would hang up his whites after the final test at the Oval next week.

Was he pushed or did he jump? It's hard to say 100 per cent either way. It's no secret his back is not the best and equally he is hardly a popular player on the dressing room or with some supporters.

But in paying tribute you can never say Michael Clarke didn't give 100 per cent everytime he donned the Baggy Green. Century after century including an incredible 329 not out against India. 

While the 'get ready for a broken f****** arm' comment during the last Ashes Down Under was hardly his finest hour, his statesmanlike approach following the death of Phil Hughes should never bee forgotten.

Australian cricket was in mourning and looked to Clarke to lead them through the darkest moments, a job he did manfully.

It's rather ironic following his return from injury and inconsistent form that Australia seemingly wasn't there for him.

A great player will be taking his leave next week, cricket lovers everywhere ought to stand and applaud.

Your nickname might have been Pup, Michael but you were one big dog in Australian cricket and will be missed 

What shall we do about Kevin - Part 158

JUST when you thought it was safe to take a peek at English cricket again we have part 158 of 'What shall we do about Kevin'.

You may remember parts 1 to 157 - the story of a talented but very arrogant batsman who could delight and frustrate in equal measure.

Our story appeared to have ended when Pietersen was sacked for not being a jolly good boy and...this will shock you....he was caught....whistling!

Banished, he sought a new career in foreign climbs where he could whack te ball as far as he liked. But then in part 156 the new king of English cricket proclaimed Kevin should be given a second chance.

And in part 157, our hero smashed 326 not out before his big meeting with Prince Andrew Strauss and Tom Harrison (who ?)

But that is where the tale now ends for Pietersen who was summoned to a meeting to be sacked again! 

Strauss weirdly blamed 'trust issues' like Pietersen had been adulterous or something and in the same breath offered him a role as an advisor?

The new head of English cricket doesn't trust Pietersen enough to play him but is happy for him to talk to cricketers picked for the team, go figure!

Quite simply the ECB, Strauss and Harrison look even bigger fools than already were. Quite an achievement when you consider the faux pas of recent weeks and months!

The bosses of English cricket know the way they disposed of Pietersen was wrong. It's just no one has enough guts to admit it.

So now we have this farce of Pietersen calling their bluff and doing everything asked of him only for the ECB to move the goal posts.

Meanwhile in Australia, 11 very competitive souls are looking on and laughing at English cricket, ready to beat it into oblivion this summer.

This is no longer a fairy story, more a case of a horrible history.

RIP Phil Hughes

CRICKET is mourning the loss of a player, no not a legend from yesteryear but a current player who went out with his bat on Tuesday morning.

Sadly Phil Hughes never returned to the pavilion but will always be 63 not out in the hearts and minds of all who knew him and those who had the pleasure of watching him.

The left hander was struck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott during the game, fell to the ground and never regained conciousness.

At this time the only blessing the cricket world can take is the fact he was apparently in no pain when he passed.

As well as the pleasure of watching him bat, I grabbed an interview with him following a man of the match performance for Worcestershire against Essex in 2012.

He'd already done an interview with Sky Sports but I approached him and after a 'sure mate' he spoke for five minutes, humble, honest and a guy who loved to play cricket.

The tributes show what a great guy he clearly was and my sympathies to the Australian team and especially to the lads in the Worcestershire dressing room.

Our thoughts should go to Sean Abbott as well, he was doing his job as a fast bowler, trying to unsettle Hughes and get him out.

The bouncer isn't designed to kill, a few inches in the other direction and all Hughes would have suffered is a 

headache.

As well as showing love and support for Phil Hughes family and friends, I hope we all remember Sean Abbott.

Heaven already had a damn good cricket team, sadly it now has a talented left hander to add to its ranks.

RIP Phil, sleep well

'Spirit of Cricket' is the real villain, not Sri Lanka

There has been plenty of debate about the 'run-out' of Jos Buttler in yesterday's ODI at Edgbaston with everyone from former England captains to Piers Morgan having their say.

But England are victims of their own stupidity and both teams are the victim of the airy-fairy 'Spirit of Cricket' which leaves the potential for conflict like we saw yesterday evening.

In no other sport are the laws of the game left open to interpretation like cricket.

Sri Lanka gave a batsman two warnings, he did it again and rightfully they appealed, as per the laws of the game.

Having had two warnings, Jos Buttler ought to have boxed clever and ensured it didn't happen again.

But we then had the farcical situation of umpire Michael Gough having to speak to Angelo Matthews asking

him if he wanted to uphold an appeal despite the dismissal being within the laws of the game!.

Matthews made a choice to uphold it, just as Stuart Broad chose to stand there when he was clearly caught at first slip in the first Ashes Test last Summer.

Broad had to live with the choice as will Matthews who can probably expect a lot of angry English fast bowlers in the two test matches which follow.

But the fact the teams are in this position is a farce, the Spirit of Cricket needs to be radically altered and spelt out to teams – my suggestion would be play hard, play fair and play within the laws of the game.

Broad doesn't walk 'It's against the Spirit of Cricket', Sri Lanka 'Mankad' Buttler 'It's against the Spirit of Cricket'...

The MCC and ICC need to man up and decide just what is and is not in the laws of the game and not continue with this farcical 'oh it is in the laws but dear boy it's not cricket' rubbish.

Otherwise it won't be too long before all this crops up again!

The Moores has not made me merry

UNLIKE some of the media and certainly the ECB, I am not embracing Peter Moores and Alastair Cook ‘future of English cricket’ mantra.

Never before has a coach who was removed first time round been given the job for ‘a second go’, but then never before has a player been declared ‘unavailable for selection’ and not be injured, retired or banned.

This ‘future of English cricket’ mantra being spouted by Paul Downton, the new managing director of the ECB, is complete fallacy.

The new coach is someone sacked five years ago while the captain is still in position despite leading the team to a 5-0 whitewash in Australia.

Yet both have been paired together? It’s frankly bizarre and the ECB have effectively said Cook should be absolved of any blame when truth be told the buck should stop with him.

Moores also talked about being ‘open’ and ‘connecting’ with people, yet the moment KP came up it was clear there was no way back for England’s outcast.

My question is what has made ‘the outstanding coach of his generation’ suddenly attractive to an employer who jettisoned him five years ago?

The answer? He doesn’t like KP and fits the ECB anti KP mantra being spouted from every orifice, leaving facts behind.

So as a result we have a coach and captain who have blocked the route for KP to come back and already sent a message out that opinions and challenges to authority will not be welcome.

It’s a dangerous combination as in any team sport, not every member of a team will say yes, sir no,sir three bags full sir.

Is Wayne Rooney someone who comes in, does his job and goes home again? No he’ll speak out if things are going badly.

Look at cricket, were Gower, Boycott, Botham ‘easy to manage’? Of course not, but they were integrated into the overall set up to help win test matches.

This winter was not down to KP, it was done to a complete failure of the English cricket set up. From no one spotting how Trott was feeling, to the leadership on the field and to the atmosphere off it.

England didn’t lose 5-0 because they are a bad cricket team, they lost because  everything off the field was in near chaos.

Moores and Cook are the future? Don’t make me laugh!

KP KO is nuts!

The decision to effectively end Kevin Pietersen’s international career by the ECB is shambolic, pathetic, demeaning and embarrassing.

The actions of members of the ECB board and Paul Downton, a man in the job for THREE DAYS, ridicule the whole nature of sport.

Unless convicted of a heinous sporting or non sporting crime or banned for legitimate reasons, coaches should have the right to pick whoever they want for a team.

England’s new team director, whoever it may be, won’t get that luxury. It’s like Manchester United sacking Wayne Rooney a few weeks before David Moyes took over.

The Ashes was a shambles yes, but was the fact KP had an opinion on matters the sole reason we lost 5-0? Of course not!

Cricket seems to breed ‘difficult to manage’ icons like Boycott, Gower, Botham, Flintoff and now KP but all of whom delivered time and time again for their country.

But no sporting team gets on 100 per cent of the time, there will be rows and there will be people who don’t get on with each other. When they cross the white line though they ought to be united and on the whole you have to say England have been.

I have not been KP’s biggest fan for a while now because I didn’t think he was applying his
considerable talents well enough for his country.

But I do believe in fair play, you are dropped from a team by the coach, not by the suits who talk cricket one minute and sponsorship deals the next.

The ECB need to remember that often towards the end of the car crash we called England’s batting innings, it was Pietersen left stranded and having to hit out.

They also need to look at the comments of Graeme Swann on Radio 5 Live, re Pietersen’s absence from England’s Christmas Day lunch.

Swann and Pietersen were never bosom buddies but Swann launched into staggering defence of KP and pointed out yes KP was at dinner, in fact he was at the next table!

Not the actions of someone who wants to see KP booted out the back door in the dead of night???

What this bland, monotonous statement from the ECB does is insult the fans yes but also creates multiple timebombs for the England cricket team going forward.

For example, England’s batting woes continue, meanwhile Kevin Pietersen fires off hundred after hundred in Division Two of the County Championship.......

Alastair Cook continues to struggle as captain and opening the batting, questions will surely be asked as to why he has been spared?

Incredibly the ECB have managed to extend England’s Ashes debacle into the post-mortem.

It is now something which must claim Cook’s scalp otherwise KP’s KO has been nothing more than a witchhunt.

Flower should not be the only fall guy

SO England have said goodbye to team director Andy Flower following the Ashes catastrophe.

And to read some of the comments online and in the press today you'd think he'd presided over six years of struggle.

Three Ashes wins, a first series win in India for 27 years and a spell as the number one cricket team in the world are just some of the landmarks reached under Flower's tenure.

Oh and they also won the ICC World T20 in the West Indies during that spell as well.

Truth be told Flower has given English cricket some of it's best days, maybe he went on for one series too many.

But I sincerely hope the entire blame for this winter's debacle isn't laid at his door alone. After all,
Flower didn't bowl a ball, take guard or field in the hot Australian sun.

Did Flower hook a ball down fine leg's throat nine balls into a two day effort to save the Adelaide test?

Did Flower flick the ball in the air to one of two mid wickets in Adelaide?

Did Flower retire halfway through a test series?

Did Flower lose form badly behind the stumps as well as with the bat?

No, Cook, Pietersen, Swann and Prior are guilty of those crimes.

Cook has been out captained, no leadership on the field nor with the bat.

Nine balls into a two day effort to save Adelaide he hooked down fine leg's throat. Not a shot of a captain?

England had a problem with the short ball from Johnson, but instead of putting it away and deny Johnson an easy wicket option they kept feeding it.

Pietersen yes was often left high and dry and had to hit out or get out but his judgement in some
situations such as Adelaide left a lot to be desired.

Prior hasn't been right for a while, yet England seemed to leave him be. One place you don't travel to get back into form is Australia...

Swann retiring is fine, admitted he wasn't good enough and walked so the rebuilding could begin immediately.

However, he had thoughts of doing the same at the end of the home series, did Flower know this?

I grudgingly accept Flower should go but for me Cook should also step down as captain and Gooch also must be axed as batting coach.

Only then will a new era truly begin

Congratulations Australia, shame you couldn't win any respect

THE ASHES are over, the ODI’s are also pretty much finished, England are in disarray but yet I cannot appreciate Australia, particularly Michael Clarke.

This is not sour grapes, Australia deserved to win 5-0 as England were awful and to be honest a 5-0 spanking ought to be handed out in these one day internationals.

Mitchell Johnson is reborn, Ryan Harris defied his knees and produced bowling spell after bowling spell to kill England and in Chris Rogers, Australia had their own fairytale for everyone who thinks they will never reach the top.

But the manner they have gone about this series has left a lot to be desired, play hard yes, but downright bullying is plain stupid.

In the first test, Clarke threatens to break Anderson’s arm, great! Why? Australia were one wicket away from winning the match with plenty to spare, why not remind Anderson how much his team-mates have let him down?

Verbals continued in the second test, ignoring the fact Johnson was ripping through England like knife through butter.

And in the third test match, David Warner (a particularly odious individual) runs to the umpires when England dished out some verbals. Again fine, except Mr Warner has made it his life’s work to be as unpleasant as possible.

Even when the Ashes were done, Johnson sought to have a strop when Kevin Pietersen backed away while he was running in. This is pretty much common place the world over but you wouldn’t have thought so give Mitchell’s verbals in the aftermath.

And finally on Sunday in the third ODI, Eoin Morgan stood his ground when caught and made the umpires check whether the catch was clean. Again, rightly or wrongly, it’s a tactic employed the world over but again Clarke weighed in with a verbal volley.

Australia have won convincingly this winter but Clarke has gone down in my estimation and crossed the line a few times.

In 2006/7 Ponting and his team played hard but let their cricket do all the talking and steam-rolled England. They go down as one of the greats, I doubt this team will.

Aussies take the lead but lose the moral high ground

Congratulations to the Australia, a deserved pasting of England was duly completed yesterday morning with a performance which should ensure this series will now be a real hum dinger.

However, if the next four tests are approached in the manner this one has been in terms of verbal sledging then it will be the worst series for many a year.

Australia's behaviour in this test match has been utterly deplorable, it's very difficult to celebrate 

Mitchell Johnson's return to form when every delivery was finished with a foul mouthed outburst at the batsmen.

Siddle, Watson and Bailey also need to look at their roles in creating a nasty atmosphere as do Anderson, Prior and Swann on the England side.

But those with the most to think about before Adelaide are Michael Clarke and David Warner.

Clarke's behaviour this week has been deplorable, firstly 'naming' England's team was the epitome of arrogance.

Call it what you will, great Aussie skippers never had to 'name' the opposition, they talked up how good their team would be.

Can you imagine Waugh or Ponting doing it? Nope, they settled for saying how McGrath was looking fired up in the nets, how Warney had a new 'secret' delivery and how the batsmen were looking forward to taking the English on.

I'd have had much more respect for Clarke if he stood there saying how much he was looking forward to seeing Johnson cause some problems, remind Cook how Harris had his number et al.

As for the Anderson altercation, I've no doubt Anderson is a gobby so and so but telling him to prepare for a broken arm, really?

Firstly Anderson is the number 11 batsman so having a dig is a bit pointless. Secondly, why dish out such threat when you one wicket away from massive victory? Surely more long term damage can be done by reminding Jimmy how much on top they were and how his batsmen let him down...

As for Warner, well his whole attitude is appalling. Someone needs to remind him he's won nothing yet.

He is a brilliantly destructive batsman, I'd rather him keep his mouth shut, score a barrow load of runs, win a few Ashes series then if he wants to give it then fine.

I don't oppose sledging, it's called TEST cricket for a reason but it needs to be an examination of technique and ability not personal stuff.

Warner is like Hayden in his temperament and approach, difference is Hayden won everything there was to win.
 

It could be a classic series to remember, both sides have a duty to remember that. Play hard but play fair and have a few beers afterwards!

Ashes Preview

The greatest show in cricket kicks off on Wednesday evening only months after England nearly won a test match in the dark at the Oval in what we call Summer.

Well now, in what our comrades Down Under call Summer, the old rivals prepare to square up yet again.

Many have had their say on these back to back series, being done to rejig the timetable to ensure England never finish an Ashes tour to Australia and go straight into preparations for the Cricket World Cup.

But like it or not, this is the pinnacle of cricketing entertainment outside of India v Pakistan as both teams want to win and win well.

All of the talk from the Australians is designed to throw England off their game and crumble under pressure.

Michael Clarke knows his best 11 cannot beat England’s best 11 without the aid of some tricks of the trade.

Thing is Pup, it might have worked with previous England teams but this one knows how to win and win very well indeed.

All of the batting collapses in recent battles between the two sides have come from the men in green and gold. Yes England struggled to make many runs this summer but on true Aussie wickets expect England’s batsmen to sell their wickets for very high prices indeed.

The Aussies have won one test in 2013, they need to win at least two and pray for rain in the next six or seven weeks to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes.

It’s why the psychology began early, but England seem to be meeting it head on especially Pietersen who hilariously accepted that yes he did have an ego so what?

Stuart Broad has virtually given every Australian a licence to come and sledge him after he didn’t
walk at Trent Bridge.

Meanwhile Cook sits silently by, the epitome of cool and knows seven weeks of ‘dull, unimaginative captaincy’ (copyright SK Warne) will win England the Ashes outright on Australian soil once again.

The pace of the series will once again be set at the Gabba, England should simply aim to win as many sessions as they can on day 1, 2 and 3.

If they do that they could be in a strong position at a weekend and who knows 1-0 could be a real possibility.

Brisbane should hold happy memories for the tourists as should Melbourne and Sydney with only Perth looking like a banana skin for this team.

Prediction -  it all depends on the first test but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Captain Cook and his crew return from their voyage with another 3-0 under their belts....

An Ashes battle won on the pitch and in the mind

I suspect that when we think back to the Ashes series of 2013 it won’t be with the fondness reserved for the to and fro of 2009 or the sheer Hollywood drama that was 2005.

The Australian fightback was brave yes but when you are beaten and beaten well in the first two tests its almost academic. We should know, English cricket teams fought for 18 years when the Ashes were gone or almost gone!

But 3-0 is 3-0 and while some experts say England did not deserve 4-0 they were within a light meter
reading of notching it up.

Truth be told England have not been brilliant, neither have Australia, but when it came to it, England delivered big time, Australia didn’t.

As a veteran Ashes watcher (ok I am 31 but god England let me down a lot when I was a young pup) what has been interesting is the sentence above – England won the big moments.

Before 2005, England had Australia down but just when the final push for victory began, Warne,
Waugh, Ponting, McGrath or someone else popped up and denied England.

That does not happen now, Australia have competed hard in this series, but when the final push began, they floundered at the hands of Anderson, Broad, Swann and Bell.

At Trent Bridge, the Australians took a lead in the first innings and had England on the ropes, enter Ian Bell with a hundred. In the chase, every time Australia looked to be on the way to victory they lost wickets.

At Lords, they bowled England out for much less than the ‘experts’ said was par, but were rolled for 128 themselves. Even when they reduced England to 30 for 3 the lead was still 263, it was a target they never looked like chasing.

Rain ruined their chances at Old Trafford but in Durham the Aussies were 168 for 2 and looking comfy chasing 299 for victory.

But when the winning post beckoned them, again Australia tripped themselves up and Stuart Broad took six for 20 in 45 balls to seal a stunning win.

I suspect Michael Clarke wanted to set England 250 at the Oval but again Cook’s bowlers chipped away in what was a second innings slog meaning the Aussie skipper had no choice but to offer 227 in 44 overs, rather generous..

What will happen Down Under? I suspect England will play better on quicker pitches but if Australia can go back to the old days and win the big moments it won’t be the cake-walk many expect.

As it stands though, many English cricket fans my age had not seen England win the Ashes in their lifetime, now we are celebrating a fourth win in five series.

Keep it up lads!

Stupidity denies spectacular end to boring test

WHEN cricket breathes its last breath it will look back to events like Sunday and say ‘Ohhh yeah, we could have done better there’.

Just 21 were needed for England to win the fifth and final Ashes test when Aleem Dar and Kumar Dharmasena decided it was far too dark to carry on and took the players off.

We’ll ignore the fact their concern did not prevent them letting Mitchell Starc bowl 90mph for six balls, we’ll also ignore the fact that it seemed only Peter Siddle was struggling to pick up the ball.

Two balls before the end, mid on dashed into to field a ball, clean and one handed threw it back to the bowler, you see it was pitch black out there....

We’ll also ignore Michael Clarke’s badgering of the umpires – as Geoff Boycott said you can’t dangle a carrot and then protest when it looks like you will lose.

Instead thousands who had been roused for an unexpected finale were told it was too dark, then looked up to see four big floodlights illuminating the ground.

The ICC have to wake up and realise t20 cricket is so popular because it’s free from bureaucracy and silly regulation.

The same MUST be applied to test cricket, too much will be said tomorrow about poor Michael Clarke and what a lovely declaration.

The truth is if some fielders couldn’t see the ball, I bet Bell and Woakes were having a bit of trouble picking up 90mph deliveries – it was the same for both teams!

Surely in 2013 we can have a regulation where the light can be over-ruled if there is a realistic prospect of a result?

Especially at the end of a test match which, let’s face it, hardly provided value for the money test match fans are now being asked for.

The light was closing in, but this was not Karachi in 2000 when England and Pakistan played to a finish in the dark.

Some commentators have pointed to that as a reason for the ICC not to go back to the rule where the light was offered to the batsmen.

But the argument is false, there were no floodlights in Karachi, had there not been at the Oval there would be no debate – it was that dark.

But the field was illuminated and surely messers Dar and Dharmasena should have a ‘common sense mandate’ to say a result is possible, the light is the same for both sides, let’s finish.

The reaction of the crowd spoke volumes, cricket has not got the same mass appeal as football, it cannot afford to annoy its spectators too much.

Are you listening Mr Richardson?

Panesar pain is sad to see

THE news Monty Panesar is being released by Sussex at the end of the season and joining Essex on loan is another chapter in a desperately sad story.

His altercation with bouncers in a Hove nightclub was initially quite funny, sadly that was before the full facts emerged.

In the cold light of day it could be seen as a cry for help, something I suspect more than one cricketer needs.

Panesar’s marriage has collapsed and he is away from family and friends both living in Hove and while on the relentless schedule that is county cricket.

He turned to alcohol alongside Rory Hamilton-Brown, another cricketer who needs support after the death of his friend Tom Maynard.

Salvation has never been found in the bottle of lager and while Hamilton-Brown is rebuilding his very existence away from the pain of the Oval, Panesar is in search of answers.

It’s very easy to say he throwing his life away, that he did not perform for England in New Zealand and that his actions recently deserve an exclusion from the England team.

But unlike Hamilton-Brown who escaped London for the seclusion of Hove, Monty needs acceptance, being in the England team was his buzz and his raison d’être.

No one knows how much trouble his personal life was in when he was away in New Zealand and hopefully Andy Flower is understanding enough not to call time on Panesar’s career with England.

But a bowling average of 40 for Sussex compared to 23 last year is not going to earn him a place in the team.

And it is not Monty who should seek answers, he should be given them by those closest to him, Sussex have allowed him closer to home, important for him.

But England need to tell him the door is not closed for good but a winter at home with his loved ones will be much better than one in the pressure cooker that is the Ashes in Australia.

It’s too easy to say sportsmen shouldn’t have troubles, they are human like everyone else.

Many of us are big Monty fans, the delight he had playing for England was infectious; hopefully it may happen again one day.

 

Trott's dismissal exposes DRS Achilles heel

THIS is not being a whinging pom as I was described on Twitter last evening, but the lbw of Jonathan Trott on Thursday simply should not have stood.

For those not up to date, Trott was given not out by Aleem Dar who clearly thought Trott hit the ball.

When referred, TV pictures appeared to show some sort of deviation when the ball passed the bat – ie Trott hit it.

Yes Hawkeye said it would have been out but we are constantly told DRS is there to eliminate the awful decisions, was there conclusive proof that Dar made a howler? Not for me.

Clearly not for Dar either as he shrugged his shoulders when he overturned the decision – why overturn it? Why not say to Marius Erasmus the third umpire there was no conclusive proof and he will stick with his not out decision?

It also showed the anti DRS brigade have a point, as the side on camera was not working because it had recorded Root's dismissal the ball before.

Irony upon irony, had England referred that decision Trott may not have had to come to the wicket as he may have been reprieved.

For me the episode has created a problem still not resolved by the ICC, how can a decision be properly checked on referral if all of the technology is not available?

Surely Erasmus should have been honest with Aleem Dar and said we think it's out, certainly based on Hawkeye but we can't check the side on camera so your decision could stand?

What is clear is those who oppose the use of technology now have a bat to attack with while the ICC have a huge headache.

When England's innings does come to a close there will be doubt about whether one of their wickets was truly out, it's like the time before DRS was introduced.

And that for me is just not cricket!

The hypocrisy over Broad not walking is as bad as the original act

England won the first test by 14 runs, it was five absorbing days of test cricket which almost saw a remarkable victory for the men from Down Under.

Yet some in the media would rather keep focusing on an event on Friday night where Stuart Broad edged it to first slip and didn't walk after being given not out.

A crime against cricket, like father like son (a disingenuous reference to Chris Broad being ushered from the wicket in 1987) and just not cricket.

RUBBISH! Broad did what every cricketer would do given half the chance, put the blame back on the umpire and carry on.

The controversy was being whipped up, sports writers were desperate for Michael Clarke to have a go at Broad during his day four interview. His response? 'I certainly don't think any less of Stuart'.

Truth be told Clarke, for all his remonstrations in the aftermath, would have done the same as Broad and did do at Adelaide in the 2010/11 series – only an England review removed him from the crease.

But what is more galling is the hypocritical attacks on Broad and England and the praise lauded on Ashton Agar.

Agar made 98 on debut and yes was wonderfully entertaining, but amid the glowing tributes from the same writers who poured scorn on Broad was merely the briefest mention he was stumped and should have been given out when he had scored just six.

What's the difference? Is it not against the spirit of cricket that Agar went on to get 98? Oh wait he is only 19, on debut, Broad should know better and isn't Ashton's story so lovely.....

Again RUBBISH!! Agar would have seen the replay at lunch, he got away with it, so did Broad – the only difference is Broad had the brass neck to stand there.

He'll get it back at him, have no doubt, Broad will be public enemy number one in Australia this winter, if he has the brass neck to not walk he will need balls of steel to cope with the immense flak he will get from a 'passionate' Aussie crowd at places like the Gabba.

That's the choice he made on Friday eveningin 'waiting for the umpire' he will have to live with it, England had been wronged over Agar, Broad thought he would get one back.

We can either focus on the actions of one man or ask the real question, why was the umpiring for such a high profile test match so bad?

And late on Sunday night, hours after England completed the win, came the news three athletes had tested positive for banned substances.....

I know what I am more concerned about today...

Warner AND the Aussie management have all had too much to drink!

QUESTION – You are a member of the Australia management in England four weeks before the Ashes.

Your opening batsman has punched an English rival in an Aussie-themed pub, he looks remorseful after you ban him for one game – what would you do next?

Would you a) pack his bags, put him on the first flight home vowing he will never play cricket for Australia again or b) accept his remorse, make him apologise, hand him a massive fine and warn him he is living on

borrowed time?

Either one is acceptable really, perhaps b) attracts less headlines and maybe gets your opening batsman to think long and hard about what he wants.

Instead the Australian management chose secret option c) completely knacker their chances in the Ashes with the weirdest punishment ever handed out.

David Warner has been banned from playing for Australia until the first test match of the Ashes on July 10, yes he has been fined but he will be a cricketer not allowed to play cricket while his mates can.

Now I understand he will probably be dropped for the first test as a result but consider this – Chris Rogers, the only other opener who could be consider as Phil Hughes is so badly out of nick, was dismissed TWICE

in one day for Middlesex against Yorkshire yesterday.

If his run continues and the Aussie selectors stick with Hughes at three you could have Warner walking out to the middle for the first ball of the Ashes having not played cricket for over a month!

In effect, this 'punishment' is the Australian selectors offering to start their innings at 0 for 1 and putting pressure on an already brittle batting line up.

Michael Clarke and coach Micky Arthur appear to be hell-bent on enforcing the law on this squad. Easy when you are respected like Waugh and Ponting were, harder when most of the dressing room don't like

you Michael.

Either way, the Aussies appear to be on the backfoot in the lead up to the Ashes series, it will be Captain Cook's job to keep them there.

Cloudy morning July 10, bit of green to the Trent Bridge pitch – win the toss and hand the ball to Anderson and Broad skipper!