Windies v England

[RedRag]

So, on KP, we will have gone from directors of cricket as follows:

Downton :    " disinterested and disengaged "

to
 
Strauss   :    " an absolute c*** " (to Aussie Fox TV viewers!)

Would rather have taken a chance on Vaughan, as I believe the necessary shake up that is required is one at the top.

[Nemo]

It does rather call into question again the competency of the England heirarchy, who thought Trotty might be up to a re-run v the Convicts.

So Adam Lyth who may or not be a Test batsmen, has missed an opportunity to gain a bit of experience.

In fairness to the hierachy (which I don't think I am all that often), Trott scored runs in County Cricket and on the Lions tour, he felt ready and various psychologists and support staff reckoned he was ready. Ultimately this is really sad, but I think it would have been a bigger negative step if they'd just written him off and said nobody with mental health issues should be considered for selection. It hasn't worked, and that's a shame, but it also didn't work with Carberry, Compton and Robson for various reasons - and the first two perhaps would suggest they were hard done by.

Lyth will play against NZ, that much seems obvious. I think a lot of selection on this tour has been odd, but I'm glad they gave Trott a chance. I would have debuted Lyth in the final test though, give one of the established batsmen a rest and blood him against an (in theory) less threatening attack.

Strauss would be a strange decision. I mean, it would be classic ECB jobs for the right kind of people, but that doesn't seem Graves' way at all, which suggests that perhaps he's not wielding complete power as it might have seemed with Downton's dismissal. The next few months are going to be very interesting with Messrs Moores and Whittaker next on the chopping block...it'll be like the 90s selection policy but for backroom staff!

[Reg Smeeton]

 Nemo you're a Somerset man....at the start of the season, I said to a fellow ciderman, I reckoned we'd be doing well to avoid relegation this season....

 I based it on Tresco needing probably to have quit the captaincy, and if he fancies becoming coach......Maynard coming in, having no discernible record of success, as coach instead. 

The unfortuate loss of Keiswetter, who'd been kept, meaning Buttler had to go, so rather than the best 2 wicket keeper batsmen in the country....none.  Barrow stepping in, to see if he can keep wicket..when his record as a bat is terrible.

The acquisition of relatively ageing journeymen like Cooper, Groenewald, Myburgh and Allenby....just seemed at odds with the policy of the last relatively successful, without winning anything, recent years of bringing through youngsters, like Buttler, Keiswetter, the Overtons, Lewis Gregory, and George Dockerell.

Now first week in May, and we've lost more games than the last couple of years combined, going to take a monumental turn around to avoid the Gloster league next season 

Maybe a hot summer might get Rehman into the wickets, but a long shot.    Perhaps the strategy is sod the Championship, let's concentrate on the one day stuff.....

[TheMajorSTFC]

If Strauss gets this director job it would be a disaster. The shake up needs to come from someone who isn't close to the dressing room and isn't afraid to rattle a few feathers, someone like Michael Vaughan would be ideal but looks like he doesn't want it.

My choice would now be Mr Stewart at Surrey.

[Nemo]

Really excellent piece on the ridiculous scheduling that has a lot to do with the retirements of Swann and perhaps Trott: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/may/05/jonathan-trott-early-retirement-england-cricket

As for Somerset Reg...can't disagree with much of what you've said. A lot of the problems are bad luck, especially Kieswetter and Compton leaving after we'd already sorted the overseas. I think Rehman will come into his own in the second half of the season, and Cooper and Allenby will be good in the one day stuff at least, but it's going to be a tough season. An innings and a 62 to Worcestershire, my word.

[Nemo]

It's a bloodbath of ineffective leaders today - rumours swirling that the greatest coach of his generation is getting sacked.

[Summerof69]

Moores officially gone.

Strauss the new DoC. Farbrace to be coach for the series against the Kiwis.

[RedRag]

So, welcome Andrew Strauss and goodbye Peter Moores.  Although Moores was not my choice the second time around, he certainly deserved to be treated with respect and not to have to read about his "sacking" in the media.

In spite of changes at the top, it is gratifying that the ECB can still maintain its grand tradition of leaks dissing its employees.

[Reg Smeeton]

So, welcome Andrew Strauss and goodbye Peter Moores.  Although Moores was not my choice the second time around, he certainly deserved to be treated with respect and not to have to read about his "sacking" in the media.

In spite of changes at the top, it is gratifying that the ECB can still maintain its grand tradition of leaks dissing its employees.

Great planning isn't it?  Have a caretaker in charge, then the new man has an Ashes series as his first day at the office....good luck with that.

TBF to Moores, when he was appointed there's wasn't exactly a queue for the job.  It's a tough job, involving many, many hours of work, I'm sure it pays well enough, but a couple of months in the IPL, won't be bad money for much less work.

I'd like to think they've got someone lined up, who's just not quite ready yet commitment wise.....wouldn't bank on it though.  Moores should have gone for the WC....

[Nemo]

ECB PR Masterclass is back in session today. Regardless of whether or not you like Pietersen, this is a reasonable summary of the last few months:

- ECB Chairman says door is open if he scores runs
- Pietersen scores 355* for Surrey in one innings, in a game in which nobody else got past 40 (one Kumar Sangakarra got 36...)
- Literally the next day, the new Director of Cricket (KP's old friend Straussy) says that he can't possibly play for England due to "serious trust issues"
- But offers his an ODI advisory role. Where presumably trust will be less important?

It's genuinely funny how out of touch the ECB are. It really, really shouldn't be hard to win a PR battle against someone whose main spokesperson appears to be Piers effing Morgan.

[StfcRusty]

ECB PR Masterclass is back in session today. Regardless of whether or not you like Pietersen, this is a reasonable summary of the last few months:

- ECB Chairman says door is open if he scores runs
- Pietersen scores 355* for Surrey in one innings, in a game in which nobody else got past 40 (one Kumar Sangakarra got 36...)
- Literally the next day, the new Director of Cricket (KP's old friend Straussy) says that he can't possibly play for England due to "serious trust issues"
- But offers his an ODI advisory role. Where presumably trust will be less important?

It's genuinely funny how out of touch the ECB are. It really, really shouldn't be hard to win a PR battle against someone whose main spokesperson appears to be Piers effing Morgan.

Totally agree with you on that summary - PR disaster. 

I'd find it easier to support KP without Piers Morgan's incessant whining.  I don't think Morgan gets the link between the "trust issues" and the fact that he often reveals details of private discussions between KP and ECB via his tweets!

[Summerof69]

Graves should never have hinted that KP can come back, especially after burning all his bridges in the tell-all book.

I know KP scored over 300, but it was his first ton for nearly 2 years against a county side that has not won a Championship game since 2013.

[Nemo]

Graves should never have hinted that KP can come back, especially after burning all his bridges in the tell-all book.

Perhaps, but if the bridges are burned then why offer him an advisory role?

I know KP scored over 300, but it was his first ton for nearly 2 years against a county side that has not won a Championship game since 2013.

Nobody else in the Surrey side got past 36, and that was Kumar Sangakarra. I get that there's an argument to be had about his attitude, but in terms of ability there surely isn't any doubt that he should at least be in the ODI/T20 teams and probably the test one?

[jonny72]

Graves should never have hinted that KP can come back, especially after burning all his bridges in the tell-all book.

It wasn't just one way traffic, the ECB and other England players burnt their fair share of bridges as well.

Take the KP Genius twitter account. KP suspected other players were involved, turns out it was Stuart Broads best mate behind it. Broad says he had nothing to do with it and the ECB took him at his word. I'd have been pissed over that and still find it very hard to believe Broad wasn't involved in some form.

The big issue though is the complete mismanagement by the ECB, it could and should have all been avoided.

[Honkytonk]

Whatever's happened, you can't have someone like that back in the dressing room. Not unless the whole setup changes. Too many cross words have been said and bridges burnt. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.

And scoring a 326 is fantastic and all, but could he do that for England? Could he do it regularly enough to warrant a place in the team?