ECB Tantrums

Well it's been a fairly busy week down at the ECB, and I haven't decided yet whether I'm surprised or not. Finding out exactly what had happened after I received a 'KP has resigned' text, with the sender not answering their phone for me to get the gossip, was hard, even if you did have internet access. The rumour mill went into overdrive, but so far it unfortunately seems that all the rumours were true.

KP was always a controversial choice for captain; the question hanging over his appointment was always, can he separate his love of himself from his love of the team? I have held my hands up over the last four years and admitted that maybe I was wrong to shout loudly for Graham Thorpe's inclusion in the 2005 Ashes Squad, but I feel like my concerns about KP's appointment were justified. To write (I say 'write'...) in the News of the World about the rift with Peter Moores went beyond what you expect from anyone in a team unit, let alone the captain.

To then go to the ECB and (allegedly) offer a 'him or me' ultimatum was about as badly misjudged as Monty's catch attempt in Mumbai a few years ago, and the ECB were absolutely right to tell him where to go - they shouldn't be bowing to anyone. It just made them look a bit silly when they then sacked Moores as well! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot, and just as the Aussies hit their weakest form in over a decade too! It certainly makes you shake your head in wonder.

Moving ahead, I can declare that I am 100% behind Straussy as the new captain. He has always been a favourite of mine, as I was at Lord's for his first test match and I really like the fact that he looks and sounds like an old fashioned cricketer. He even plays like one with those solid innings, and (forgive me for living in the past) that superman catch to remove Gilchrist at Trent Bridge will live forever. I'm not sure about his ODI form, but I don't think Collingwood could handle the pressure of captaincy and I can't see anyone else in the side whose place is guaranteed that could do it either. At least if it doesn't work out with Straussy in there, they can get rid of him from the ODI side without ruining his confidence and career, which I reckon is what would happen if they gave it to anyone else.

We all have to keep our fingers crossed now that England have a successful tour to the West Indies and can build up enough momentum and unity to have a real shot at the Ashes. After witnessing pretty much every ball of the last Ashes Down Under, I could do with some victories to wipe away the memories!