This does bring up yet another question about Flintoff’s captaincy; can he really act against his nice guy image to make the difficult choices?

Very interesting and perplexing. Does Freddie not rate Monty? Or was it a pitch thing?

I think the “yes men” tag is a bit bitchy. I would say Jones is in the inner circle because of his age, his experience with the team and his knowledge, being the wicketkeeper, of how pitches and bowlers are performing.

Did Fletcher back Fred for the captaincy? The choice has made me uncomfortable all along and I don’t just say that in hindsight. Christ, if only Vaughan had had his bloody operation a couple of months earlier. If only. And I don’t mean for his batting.

Blame Freddie…

After copping it for the past few days, coach Duncan Fletcher is now saying that it was Freddie Flintoff’s decision to play Ashley Giles instead of Monty Panesar:
“The Courier-Mail has learned that at team selection meetings in Adelaide, Fl…

I appreciate your arguments, Irim, but I do find it hard to believe that Fletcher is this dour, negative, conservative, controlling character, who was only kept in check by Vaughan’s strong and positive personality. Despite his facial expression, he hasn’t come across to me as you describe. And if he’s been such a crappy coach, why has England developed so well under him and why did Buchanan give Fletcher’s book to his players as required reading in their preparation for this series?

My feeling is this: that FLetcher and Vaughan together built a positive, successful, tightly-bonded team whose achievements culminated in last year’s Ashes victory. However since then Fletcher has had a bastard of a job trying to hold things together under very trying circumstances. Instead of moving onwards and upwards with the same tightly bonded unit who believed in their own abilities and those of their team-mates, he’s had one crisis after another. Vaughan, Trescothick, Jones, Giles, Flintoff, the injury list was appalling. The captaincy changed at least three times and is still not settled. The team has never become settled or bonded since. They have a rookie, barely fit captain on the most trying and stressful tour imaginable. Their senior opening batsmen departs abruptly with depression. Selection issues are tricky and terribly divisive. Suddenly it’s all Fletcher’s fault. I don’t buy that. All things considered, I’m amazed they played as well as they did on the first four days at Adelaide.

All the signs of yet another team smashing to pieces on the rock of an Australian Test tour.
Always a delightful sight!

Here’s to Perth bringing the final nail in the coffin….

This just in: Martyn retired, effective immediately.

Hodge has just got injured. Bad timing.

Of course there have been a lot of problems beyond Fletcher’s control - I’m not denying that. And I’m taking issues with his actions, not his facial expression. For example, why pass the blame off onto Flintoff a week before the team have to play in a crucial Test to ease the pressure on himself? As you pointed out, Flintoff’s already struggling. You just don’t do that, no matter how much heat you have to take, if the team is your top priority. A real leader shoulders the blame, says “I’m sorry, I was wrong,” and moves on - if he had done that, people might have said, “Stubborn old goat,” but they would have respected him.

As I’ve said before, Duncan Fletcher did a great job rebuilding - but his apparent stubbornness is undoing all his good work, and I think it’s fair for people to criticise that.

And most of my post took issue with the form of selection. Geraint Jones, in particular, has NO business being on a selection committee when his place is one in question. I suggested a setup more like the Australian one b/c it seems fairer and it seems to work.

This is not altogether a surprise, and makes some sense to me, but not exactly a useful thing to be public knowledge. Geez, imagine how the boys must be feeling now! Unless they’ve got more sense than to listen to the media misrepresentations. But they can’t ditch Freddie now, unless Vaughan has a really strong claim to a place, which is not yet the case. Since taking over the Captaincy Vaughan appears to have learnt to use his calm nature to bring out the best in his players by demonstrating his confidence in their ability and professionalism - a very difficult thing to do in current circumstances, but I reckon he would still do it. Dear old Fred is playing by instinct, and not really planning his responses in a measured way.
On Geraint Jones, I confess I know little about Read, but I think Jones is a great team man - he has kept well on this tour (admit one mistake on the last day, but that’s not that big deal for me) and I haven’t seen or heard anything about Read’s batting which inspired me so far. The main thing I remember about Read (correct me if I’m wrong here) was an altercation on the boundary in a county match a while ago, where he lost his temper. Jones seems to be a team player through and through, and in the absence of any significant difference in form, I would agree with Dunc and pick him time and time again over some twerp who spits the dummy under pressure and seems more interested in his own prospects than the team’s. OK - I may have the wrong guyin mind, but I’m sure you will tell me toot sweet if that’s the case . . .

May I lighten the thread a wee bit by plumping for Alec Stewart’s return to the team, since there isn’t a Lilac Hill entry yet? I wasn’t only convinced by his performance, but also (perhaps especially!) by this picture:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6220158.stm

Cheeky monkey!

Meanwhile, all the best to Damien Martyn - especially after all he went through, the hard work he put in and the pleasure of watching him bat. What a gracious exit.
Thank you, Damien - I raise my coffee mug to you now, but later it’ll be a G&T!

Kathy, when I say ‘destroy the tour’ perhaps I might have better said ‘destroy the team’. The so-and-sos will seize upon any internal rift and ‘run with it’ (as they say). DF has gifted them the opportunity of the tour - at a time when the team should be uniting the press will niggle away at this wound….and if Geordie Steve does nt exdigitate and give Freddy his gonads in the next Test then that could become another sorry tale that has legs.

In defence of the English sport supporter I dont know any who would not support their team to the (usually) bitter end as long as they demonstrate some professionalism and a TOTAL and uncompromising commitment to the cause…..on Tuesday England went down without a ripple. One way and another English sports fans put shed-loads of money the way of our best sportsman and we are entitled to comment harshly on their failings(and that includes the press who are fans like the rest of us). Too often and too long have Englismen had to witness our best sides being outplayed by countries who dont have half our potential - and yes I include Australian cricket in that!

Having said all that this English side have shown that they can bounce back so Im not yet ready to write them off. Come on you whites (and Monty)!!!!