Decline & Fall

The eternal optimism that I have long possessed for English cricket is fading fast. Long has it tortured me into believing that we will come good. And has the sun rises here with it hope is evaporating. I'm not sure where we can now change our fortunes. Bangladesh are no walk-over. Certainly SA are beatable but I'm sure our batting will be shown to be inadequate against Pollock, Ntini & Nel. Even the out-of-form West Indies look like a daunting prospect.

Yesterday was painful; yet another emotional roller coaster as we lurched from being on top of them to being well short. It is had to draw out the positives but there were a few; Bell looked good as an opener. He and KP played some excellent cricket on a slow pitch. Flintoff bowled tight as did Colly for most of his part. Apart from that all I see is failure. Failure by Vaughan & Strauss to take on Tait. Bell seemed to be playing on a different track to those two. He targeted McGrath well. The World Cup seems to be a watershed for all the main teams. Reshuffle time for coaches and captains. Virgil is the best captain we have had for many years but unless he can get his troops to raise their game to the levels we know they can play at then he is wasting every one's time. I can feel the winds of change gathering pace.