Quote….of….the….debacle. Jim Holden, Sunday Express…
It is obvious to me, and it should be obvious to anyone with the game’s best interests at heart, that this admirable cricketer must be at the centre of the renewal and regeneration that is now urgently required.
This admirable cricketer is one that has not scored a test ton in nearly two years, has been woefully out of form for as long as anyone can remember, is not a captain of any tactical nous that we’ve noticed, has presided over a whitewash to our most impacable foe, and lost a series at home to Sri Lanka. He’s shown himself to be tactically inept, not contributing runs, whiny in his dealings with the press, and resistant to those characters who may actually question this.
Your definition of obvious is different to mine. You do not have the monopoly on the “best interests of the game”. On the contrary, continuing with a bunch of losers will only turn more people off.
I used to rate Jim Holden. I really did. This is nonsense. Arrant nonsense. D’Arthrez did a more formal fisk, and I encourage people to read it.
History has proved beyond any doubt that Pietersen, for all his batting talent, is not a character that a suffering team can rally around. Alastair Cook is.
You really have to laugh. Losers rally around a loser, a nice loser. It’s that “good environment” that threw the World Cup hopes away, not ditching Alastair Cook.
Ho Ho Ho…. Here’s “The Analyst” who obviously doesn’t use his advertised skill when it comes to our captain…
D’arthez Fisk…
“THE most significant words of another week of trauma and torment for English cricket came not from the motor-mouth of Kevin Pietersen but the normally reserved tongue of Test captain Alastair Cook.”
Funny, I don’t remember Kevin Pietersen calling anyone a C**t on live air. That is the kind of speech I associate with motormouths. As for “normally reserved”, he has taken that to new extremes. We have been waiting for his side of the story for nearly a year now. And the confidentiality agreement expired in October 2014.
“They revealed the depth of his fury and discontent about being sacked as one-day skipper on the eve of the World Cup – and by association with the chaotic shenanigans that currently surround the England team.”
So, is Jim Holden implying that all is not well within the ECB? Funny that, people like Dmitri, Aaron and many others have been saying that for years. Cook seems a bit slow to catch up – but presumably only because the shenanigans finally affect him. He is still quite happy to be mute about the sacking of Kevin Pietersen. And he has not had much to say about the half dozen batsmen who outperformed him, and were dropped for that heinous offence.
““I think you saw the dangers of making such a big decision so close to a tournament,” said Cook of his ruthless dismissal as ODI captain.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. However, if you had the testicles, and the best interest of England cricket at heart you would have walked away from the ODI side months before, probably after that “galvanising” interview you gave after the Aussies beat England yet again in an ODI.
(LCL comment – Ruthless? Jesus. Wait until the last minute and that’s ruthless. Should have happened months before that. Everyone knows that. This sort of thing…. just despair of these people.)
“It looked like the lads were shell-shocked from the first two games. That’s when you need real leadership to steer you through. I would have loved the opportunity that was taken from me.”
Yeah, we saw that leadership in the Ashes. Were apparently you galvanised Pietersen in looking disinterested. And he was promptly sacked for not responding to your excellent leadership skills. The only one who did not act shellshocked on that tour was Stokes.
““The selectors thought it was best for English cricket, but hindsight has probably proved them wrong.”
Hindsight has not proved them wrong. Who knows what depths England would have plumbed if you had been there. Bell certainly batted better than you would have done.
(LCL comment – this is great. This is taking the getting better while not playing ethos to an absurd level. We were ranks for over a year with him as our ODI leader. Hindsight now means he was better than that? Good grief.)
““The Test team was in a good place (before this). There was a feel-good factor last August. Now a hell of a lot of confidence has gone, and we have a repair job to do.”
You mean, the players forcibly bought into the nonsense that you had defeated the greatest touring side since the West Indies of the 1980s? That is confidence inspiring.
“Cook is a sportsman who always chooses his comments carefully. From him, this is pure dynamite.”
Like when he said that Prior could play as long as he saw fit? Like when he said that Buttler was not ready for Test cricket? Like his glorious defence of Anderson in Jadejagate? Like when he hurled some expletives to Mathews after the Mankading incident? Like when he promised to give his side of the story on the sacking of Pietersen?
This is not dynamite. This is simply a foot soldier, who angry, that he has been denied his request for foie gras, decides to pout a bit about his superiors.
“They came in a week in which the chairman elect of the ECB, Colin Graves, was thoroughly undermining national selector James Whitaker and England managing director Paul Downton by having direct telephone talks with the outcast Pietersen.”
Pray tell, how is it undermining Downton? After all, he is not the one who makes selection calls. Mission creep anyone? As for Whitaker, who presumably, between muttering Gary Ballance’s name every 4 seconds, professes that selection should be based on merit, I have not heard one meritocratic argument against considering Pietersen for selection, from Whitaker.
“What does Graves think he is doing? He has not yet started his new role, and he has no business talking to any player right now, never mind one in the wilderness from the England team for more than a year and who has caused such discord with vicious attacks in autobiography.”
And did not apply to Downton last year? Or is this simply a case of: “any decision I agree with must be taken, no matter how improper it is, but any decision I disagree with is improper per definition.”
(LCL – spot on D. Downton did all his undermining before he started the role and plenty of that leaked, sorry was the source of good journalism, before February. Unbelievable double standards.)
“Almost in tandem came credible reports that the outgoing current chairman Giles Clarke would refuse to sanction the dismissal of head coach Peter Moores, Whitaker or Downton.”
He only gets to make those calls until May this year. Then Giles can charm the ICC in Dubai.
“What an unholy mess.”
Unholy mess? Who could have predicted that? Who? Why, people on places like TheFullToss, and the predecessor of this blog did. How? They actually looked at how (in)competently the ECB dealt with the fall-out of the Ashes, how the press was refusing to take the ECB to account on a plethora of issues. People like us practiced more journalism than you seem to be capable of Jim.
It seems that a civil war is raging out of control in our national summer game – with an Ashes summer a few months away and the England side shortly to fly off for a Test series against the West Indies.
“In nearly 30 years of reporting on the state of English cricket I cannot recall a more troubling time.”
Probably because the troubled times in the past, led to action. As dismal as the 1990s were, the press was not supine, and the ECB at least gave the pretense of TRYING to fix what was wrong with English cricket. The ECB’s current stand is to blame those “outside of cricket”, to tell the “stakeholders” to pay up AND shut up.
“Strategic decisions appear to be made on a whim. Nobody has the wit or the authority to take the tough action that is required.”
And you were complaining that Graves was overstepping his mandate by merely hinting that all was not well. You were implying that Moores and Whitaker were doing splendidly well? You said Giles Clarke had the authority to sack Moores and Downton, the two biggest disasters off the playing field in 2014. Yet, you state he has no interest in doing so.
“There can be no wonder that Cook felt he had to speak out forcibly. He is a sane voice amid the bedlam.”
Sane voice? I have given a few examples above, why that is a questionable assessment at best.
“It is obvious to me, and it should be obvious to anyone with the game’s best interests at heart, that this admirable cricketer must be at the centre of the renewal and regeneration that is now urgently required.”
Admirable? How many players has he thrown under the bus to protect his 300k / year bonus for being the captain? How does it benefit English cricket to play a guy with a three-inch tear in his achilles? As a wicketkeeper to boot! How does it benefit English cricket when Matty Prior has to give the team talks, because “that admirable cricketer” can’t rally the troops? As for renewal and regeneration, how did that pan out in 2014? Embarrassing loss upon embarrassing loss.
“Cook is 30. He has the robust support of all the players barring a couple of inevitable malcontents and the self-serving giant ego that is Pietersen.”
The malcontents? Who would that be? The half-dozen players who were dropped for outbatting Cook? The players who could not get into the ODI side, because the square-jawed deer in the headlights had to waste a slot? The people who don’t dare to speak out, as they are aware of what happened when someone did. We’re still waiting for an explanation that sounds a bit more coherent than “He was like … uh … difficult”.
“Throw him to the wolves and English cricket will plunge even further into crisis, as the pitiful World Cup display illustrated with crystal clarity.”
Funny, the ECB just did that by keeping him on in the ODI side for far too long. Make up your mind Jim.
“As for Pietersen, what are his motives in all the politicking and talking he does? His book painted a picture of a man deeply disenchanted with playing for England, a cricketer bereft of joy.”
Pietersen does not suffer from Stockholm syndrome. What is next? Will you insist that victims of war crimes, or grave criminal offences, will be talking all lovey-dovey in their memoirs on the horrible events?
“Now he seems to think he can return and all will be sweet and rosy and smiles and laughter in the dressing room.
This is nonsense that belongs to Alice in Wonderland.”
Just as Cook actually leading his side well. Pity that the people in la-la-la land dominate in the press and in the ECB.
“The other day Pietersen said: “I’ll do anything to play for England.” Well, let’s take him at his word and cast a few suggestions his way.
If he’ll do anything, will he apologise sincerely in public and private for the savage and unwarranted personal attacks he made on Matt Prior and former head coach Andy Flower in his book?’”
Funny that NO such demands were made of in no particular order, Swann, Anderson, Broad, Strauss (on live television), by the press. In fact the press celebrated misogynistic abuse hurled by Strauss at him.
(LCL comment – maybe after Andy Flower and the ECB say sorry for leaking for the best part of five years prior to that dismissal)
Strauss said no less than: “”I’ve always got on very well with Kevin. I’ve tried to be honest with him, and he’s been honest with me.”
Which suggests that everybody called each other c***s and c***s in the dressing room, or that gasp players other than Kevin Pietersen are lying about matters. Take your pick.
“Will he eat humble pie and admit it was outrageous that he agitated to have team-mate James Taylor removed from the England side?”
It has been denied by Taylor himself. Taylor had all of two Tests and two ODIs before Pietersen was sacked.
(LCL presumably no-one else agreed with that assessment given he wasn’t picked for two years after that)
“Will he denounce in the strongest possible terms the despicable comments made by his great friend Piers Morgan 12 months ago describing Cook as a “repulsive little weasel”?”
Will you denounce Strauss? For offending merely 25 million people. Will you denounce Selvey, who called that utterance a highlight of the cricketing year? Or do you think it is splendid PR, if you promote the sport as a highly sexist, misogynistic and stone age affair?
(LCL – Why the hell should he?)
“Will he refuse the offer of special treatment and a personal meeting with Graves and just throw himself into the mix like any other player in county cricket?”
That is the question. As for special treatment: is it that strange to want some reassurances that selection will be based on MERIT, rather than “face-fittingness”? That is not a strange question since a bowler with a FC average of close to 50 in the past 2 seasons has been picked to tour the West Indies.
“Will he admit that his enthusiastic desire to play against England a couple of months ago for an Australian Prime Minister’s XI was nothing but a cheap publicity stunt deliberately aimed at embarrassing English cricket?”
He was in Australia. He was in good form, and there were injuries for the PM’s XI to deal with, as well as ongoing series with India and the Big Bash league. I suppose they could have asked Cook, but then they might have been just as well batting with 10 men.
“I can’t imagine Kevin Pietersen will want to do any of this.”
I can’t either, as long as you’re happily celebrating double standards.
“And it’s just as well, because a return for him could only prolong and intensify the current agony.”
Yeah, losing by playing crap cricket is to be preferred to losing by playing exciting cricket.
“History has proved beyond any doubt that Pietersen, for all his batting talent, is not a character that a suffering team can rally around. Alastair Cook is.”
Remind me how successful 2014 was? How excellently he batted? Remind me who was the batsmen that offered to help (and did) help the bowlers with their batting techniques? Who was it who had the brilliant idea to work on fitness rather than batting practice after yet another humilating Ashes loss?
Being Outside Cricket 
It is obvious Cook has one friend in high places – this story has been running a few days now and the ECB have said NOTHING – no immediate sacking for Cook for ‘mouthing off’, scking not good enough for him
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know someone who has written to the ECB about this and had no reply. It’s funny how the ECB has so many positions on so many things that even they must forget what the principles are – the duplicity is duplicitous
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Just the familiar “Oh dear it’s Sunday again and my editor wants a heavy, provocative article. I’ve got nothing interesting to say. Still Cook v KP always keeps him happy.”
Let’s hope Cook plays a blinder for MCC today ……. Oh dear
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Jim Dickwad “It is obvious to me”
Of course it is Jim, because you are an idiot. Sucking on the teat of ECB hospitality? When was the last time you paid your hard earned wonga to watch a test match?
As usual like the rest of the privileged cricket writers you prostrate yourself at the feet of the Tim, nice but dim Cook. Have you ever thought about seeing a counsellor to cure you of this bizarre man crush you have? Maybe a few cold baths will cure you of this strange obsession. Not sure anything can be done to solve your stupidly though.
KP won’t play for England again because people like you have put happy clappy nonsense above talent. You would rather turn the England cricket team into a male version of a debutant ball. Right family, and right school trumps everything else. Never mind England are crap, as long as they are all so jolly nice to each other then that’s all that matters.
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““The selectors thought it was best for English cricket, but hindsight has probably proved them wrong.”
This comment is about the sacking of Pietersen is it
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I find Piers Morgan really annoying and generally think his comments make things worse not better for his friend, but he does have a good tabloid turn of phrase. ‘Repulsive little weasel’ was always a snappy epithet and it’s seeming more and more truthful as time goes by.
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Enjoying people picking up on SImon Hughes tweet to pick a fight! Come on now, I don’t indulge in fights on neutral venues like Twitter. He can come on here.
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Hughes: the man who banged on during live commentary about Cook being so polite, he’d always allow the batsmen to cross the boundary line first, while Cook faced 8 consecutive balls for 2 runs in the last Sri Lanka ODI. Oddly enough the Sri Lankans didn’t put politeness high up the list of Cook’s virtues last summer.
I can hardly think of a neater, more compelling microcosm of everything wrong with these snivelling, narrow-minded sycophants.
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Never to be forgotten encounter with Dobell over the book. That he’s taking the Cricketer down with him is sad. We need a monthly publication, but sadly the game’s niche status now makes it barely profitable.
Any editor that let that Pringle piece through should resign forthwith.
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It was Captain Cook who watched Anderson walk off with Dhoni and Jadeja and we know what happened next. A competent captain would have shouted “Oi Jimmy, we’re over here. Leave them alone”
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You really couldn’t make it up…but they continue to do so…
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I’ve never seen anything like this in sport — the mudslinging and lies against Pietersen and its mirror image, the fawning drivel about Cook. It’s disgusting.
I just came across this from last year, just after the Ashes whitewash: Vaughan arguing that KP should be made vice captain:
KP — “is good around young players. I speak to them all the time. They all respect Pietersen. He speaks well to them. He is very good coaching batting in the nets. I have seen him working hard with Steven Finn, Chris Tremlett and Stuart Broad. He wants more responsibility. He is at that stage of the career. The time for yes men is over. Flower and Cook need challenging from within.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/10550821/Ashes-2013-14-Kevin-Pietersen-must-be-made-England-vice-captain-to-confront-yes-men.html
I don’t especially like Vaughan but if what Holden, Selvey and all the other simpering weasels are saying is true, then Vaughan must be lying. There’s no other possibility here.
People keep saying KP is a polarising figure, but this isn’t polarisation, what we’re seeing here. It’s that one side is spouting utter propagandistic drivel that no one in their right mind should be doing anything other than puking over (or fisking, as done excellently above!).
Vaughan is no KP apologist, and I think he’s earned the right to be taken seriously (at least by English fans.). And KP doesn’t in fact seem to have much of a cheer squad, but he does have the backing of a bunch of people who want to see the team picked on merit, (including this Australian who used to loathe him). And I don’t really think he has much of a “PR machine” either, as they keep saying. It’s just that he speaks honestly and sincerely in public. It just looks slick when compared to the antics of Downton & Whitaker when they get in front of a microphone.
And as for Cook, “the chance that was taken from me”…. Yes, Pitt the Younger to KP’s Blackadder.
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mcc v yorks today
Alastair Cook lbw b Ryan Sidebottom 3runs 6balls 12mins 50.00S/R
great
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Sad to see Compton get a golden duck, though.
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“Cook is letting his bat do the talking”….the bat said..”Oh FFS!”
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Very funny. I laughed out loud. Brill.
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This 4th rate Estate
Clamouring for a job
Not a clue to reality to relate
Awaiting the next fed-swab
They are the lizards
Hiding under their self imposed rock
Expecting a new Flowering, with Cook, empowering
Yet they espout such flaccid cock
They be no wizard
With words or sense
Shattered defence
Of their all seeing being, now blind
Scrambling in hope, increasingly shown as dopes
Yet they ignore
Once more
This, pathetique
Writing above the clouds they seek
Lambs, unaware of the slaughter to ensue
But, why would they be ought to review?
For, in their simplistic way, they, never knew…
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Obvious to the point of being oblivious
Blindingly ignorant, found out, now myopically insignificant
Cluelessly derivative, enthusing their intrinsic irrelevance
Why do they evade?, with such amusing faux elegance
Or do they really care… about – ‘what is going off’ out there?
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Tickerscricket has just got hold of it, and every single response to Hughes is hostile.
Good.
I wonder who will tweet his approval of Holden next…
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I think it was that so-called Guardian journalist Rob Smyth that alerted me to the underground press support for Cook when he expressed being concerned about the ‘vitriol’ (read critique) from commenters about our Alastair, 2-3 years ago. There is ‘obviously’ some rooting for Cook and some prepared to push his case – how else has his rubbish got into the press without ECB annoyance? Who is Cook’s backer?
His cricket record over 2 years is appalling and he is not worthy of a place in ANY England team. He is not even a good shepherd, it’s his in-laws who own the sheep – he doesn’t even get his hands dirty down on the farm. This entitled bore might learn something from a real shepherd:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/11475493/Could-you-handle-life-as-a-modern-day-shepherd.html
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Cook’s backer is Flower, surely. He’s the only one with enough obsessive energy to keep on and on and on pushing out the same line and bullying the press.
That shepherd article is beautiful, absolutely worth a read, thanks for the link.
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Simon Hughes is to Alastair Cook what Richard Hammond is to Jeremy Clarkson.
“please sir, please sir can I be your best friend sir? I’ll do anything, just let me your best friend.” Sickening and nauseating .
Then we come to Graves. If the story is true that Graves is telling Cook, KP won’t be in the side, while giving hope to KP and his supporters, then Graves is playing each side off against each other. Not a good start.
And why exactly does a failed captain ,and a man who hasn’t scored a test hundred for over 2 years be given assurances of who will not be picked in the team? This smacks of an indulgence too far.
This pomises to be the summer of all summers for English cricket. and they way things are going if Cook keeps acting like a dick I may even be forced to cheer every time he is out ( what an indictment of the national team) I may have to start shouting out the old Tony Greig line every time Cook nicks off to slip……..”GONE!!! GOODNIGHT CHARLIE!!!!”
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I wouldn’t go by various media reports as to what Graves – who although he is incoming ECB poohbah is still entitled to his own opinion, ha – has said to whom. We already have recent evidence that there are plenty in the ECB and in the press who will leak and report as facts things that they wish were true but aren’t.
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I agree with Pontiac.
We’re going to see a lot more of this.
There is clearly a faction within the ECB that is trying to bounce Graves into maintain the status quo. Hence a lot of stories about how Moores was safe and Downton wasn’t going to be sacked any time soon.
I can’t believe that Colin Graves would be stupid enough to give Cook any kind of assurance about selection. It’s not his job.
He’s clearly said “I expect players to be selected on merit”.
Of course, if that is the case, he needs to sack Whitakker and Downton. We shall see.
(Forget about KP – Monty’s being frozen out for reasons Mr Selvey will allude to, but not actually state)
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No surprise here.
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Hahahahahahahahaha !!!!!!
And the winner is…..
newman!
(See my previous “Who will tweet their approval next”)
This is officially the longest, ugliest circle-jerk in the history of sports journalism. It’s so transparent, offensive, abject and pitiful.
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Yes , they are not even trying to hide it now. Their man love of Cook is repulsive to watch. And they are sending a message to Graves. Pick KP at your peril. The failure of the World cup team is their salvation. They can now worship their true hero. And they want the ECB to know they are the true village elders. They must be listened to, respected, and above all indulged.
For these clowns The England cricket team is part of the social scene. Like Royal Ascot or Henley. It is an event to be seen at. To slurp free Champagne , and as you say, indulge in a giant circle jerk of stupid. They would rather lose than have a team of hard nosed winners.
They represent English middle managers of the worst type. Stultifying talent, and anything different or individual. A Chris Gayle or a Shane Warne or anything that doesn’t toe the line will never be welcomed by these shrill couriers.
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That he thinks this sort of old piffle is “brilliant” is an indictment in itself. Some people can put a withering case against Pietersen. Some can make a convincing case about Cook. I can’t say anything worse for Holden’s piece than Newman did both of those better than this nonsense from Holden. It doesn’t even acknowledge his wretched form for heaven’s sake.
Worse than Newman. It is that bad.
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I see Anny’s perfectly sensible comment below the Holden article was castigated by some sort of mad vicar. Unless it was a wind-up, hard to tell.
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And lazy. So lazy. Journalists are supposed to test outpourings like Cook’s against known facts – like d’Arthez did – not just ‘re-heat their totally subjective and woefully outdated consensus over and over again. I am reminded yet again of Mark Butcher’s remarks on the year end Switch Hit podcast. Thirty seconds that made the last year or so of blogging worthwhile.
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A good friend of ours has replied to newman… worth a look.
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Have we all gone utterly mad or is this bloke for real. I see Simon Hughes is trying to justify his support of Cook: he’s scored a lot of test centuries! Sometimes I seriously think I’m going round the bend when I read this garbage. I seriously do. I keep asking myself: What the hell do these people see in Cook’s captaincy let alone his batting? Hells bells.
Now let me get this straight: Cook thinks captaincy is his as of right? These ECB acolytes do not believe in a meritocracy based on current form, but on something that last happened 2 years ago? So it doesn’t matter if England continue to make fools of themselves in the Windies (not likely I keep being told) New Zealand and Australia, Cook will still be the right person? Does anyone know why Cook is the right person to be captain? You know if a score of 3 and out maybe my old man could get into this team. He’s a good bowler and sensational at 3 slip.
I need a lie down!!!
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Cook better get a shed load of runs against the WI, and he probably will seeing as their attack is pants. Then Newman and the gang can party like its 1999. And they will party. Prepare for Bradman comparisons.
Here’s a song for Newman, Selvey, Huges, Agnew, Moores, and all the others and their model for England.
for https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lkx4hpDcKI
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Don’t underestimate West Indies. Their problems are mainly in the batting department, where they are heavily reliant on Brathwaitte and Shiv. Bowling-wise they’re okay. Taylor, Roach, Gabriel / Holder, Benn are a decent enough attack. Then again, a “sub-county standard” bowling attack of Sri Lanka was good enough to see England off last year.
I would not bet on Cook scoring a boatload of runs just yet. Half the world (of the teams the ECB bothers with) have repeatedly gotten Cook out cheaply in the past two and half years. And since Cook still seems to be in denial about everything that has transpired in the past 18 months, chances are he’ll struggle to acknowledge the depth of his technical flaws.
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You’ll remember that Gooch said Cook needed to completely remodel his game as all the opposition bowlers now knew what to do with him. Curiously, that was just before Gooch got sacked.
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Good spot Zephirine.
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Sidebottom: “I’ve played against Cooky a few times and seen him play a lot,” said the former England fast-medium. “I suppose he gets across a little bit to the left-armer, so it was nice to swing a few away, get one to hold its line and it get his wicket.”
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KP obviously texted this to Sidebottom…
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I think you are probably right. I am not the least bit confident of Cook coming good or of an England walkover. Wait and see.
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There were a couple of straightforward decisions to be made after the Ashes fiasco: get rid of the coach, get rid of the captain. We are still paying the price for the ECB’s malfeasance.
I’ve been watching Test Cricket since the late 1970s and can honestly say I’ve never seen a more spiritless, defeated, ineffectual captain in all those years. He should have done the decent thing and gone back to being a foot solider. Sadly Alastair Cook doesn’t do the decent thing anymore, he looks after number one. Evidence? His pathetic resignation speech in Australia, his cloying support for an injured Prior (support that may yet have ended Prior’s career), and his contemptible betrayal of Moores and Morgan last week. He is a weak man.
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It’s disgusting that KP told Sidebottom how to get our Cookie out!
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It is disgusting that the broadcasters are broadcasting his dismissals. “Something should be done about that.”
It is disgusting that the scoreboard reads ‘3’, rather than ‘300″. “Something should be done about that.”
Is is annoying that the records read ‘Sri Lanka won by 100 runs’. “Something should be done about that.”
Journalists are suggesting that making the ladies swoon, is not the only captaincy skill that matters. “Something should be done about that.”
For as long as he remains in his job, Downton will be quite busy doing something about all this.
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As long as someone is doing something about something then I am happy!
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The likes of Holden, Newman and Hughes make me more convinced than ever that, if you are a true English cricket supporter, you need to be urging on the West Indies in the coming weeks, Anything that in any way props up Downton, Whittaker and Moores is simply piling on even more agony. It’s a hell of a situation for England fans to be in but for me it is a no-brainer. These cheerleaders will only shut up when they are forced to. Never before have I loathed sports writers the way I do people like Paul Newman.
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