Why the delay in appointing a coach?

The appointment of an Indian coach is proving to be a long drawn out affair. Why are the BCCI dragging their heels over a matter that should have been decided by now? It is only adding to speculation and rumours and the sooner the appointment is made the better for everyone. It begs the question of whether there is any sort of planning in the BCCI. Should they have not been planning well ahead of time like England and Australia, where the new coaches are in place with a minimum of fuss. Why the big media circus and speculation doing the rounds?

It is like a big drama being played out in public to ignite the interest in the game again. First there is an interim coach,Ravi Shastri, who has no intentions of taking the permanent role, stating that his media commitments cannot be broken. I think anything is possible and everyone has a price. He has done a good job in fostering team unity again and is well liked and respected within cricketing circles but clearly the role does not interest him in the long term.

Now there is a continual list of possible candidates touted for the role, with Dav Whatmore heading the list. The way Whatmore announced his intentions for the role in the middle of a World Cup, whilst coaching Bangladesh, was in bad taste. It seems that he has been waiting for the opportunity to get his hands on the big job, with the high profile and money that will no doubt accompany it. There has since been discussions with the board during the Bangladesh series, which have confirmed nothing but added to the speculation.

Now we hear that the senior players would prefer a foreign coach and have stated as much to the board, whereas those on the selection committee, like Sunil Gavasker and Kapil Dev would prefer an Indian coach. Gavasker and Dev also seem to be against Whatmore and have been quite public about it.

It would seem that there is no clear process or main criteria for selection for what is a very important post. The board will meet on June 4th and seemingly make a decision. How long will that take one wonders and why wait until then or have they got more pressing issues to deal with?The team have a tour to England next month and surely the new coach would want to be involved in the pre -tour preparations as soon as possible.

I find the whole issue perplexing and cannot understand why it is not a more clear, quick and straight forward process. You could make a bollywood movie out of it in the meantime, making it a big suspense thriller, with the coach revealed at the end, filling the already full coffers of the BCCI.

England crush sorry Windies

England beat the West Indies by a record margin to win the second Test at Headingley and go one up in the series. On a bitterly cold day with constant stop starts for rain, it was only a question of time before the Windies meekly surrendered.

It was a sad state of affairs to witness a turn around in the fortunes of a team that had once sent shivers down the spine of their opponents. England, more than often during their reign as world beaters, suffered crushing defeats by the Windies in their own back yard. This team was a shadow of that all conquering team, depleted by injuries to its star performers who have experience in these conditions. Most of the team have not experienced these conditions and were simply lambs to the slaughter. The swinging, moving bowl is not something that the batsmen would have faced in the dry, flat wickets back home. The impressive Dwayne Bravo was the only player who stood out from the rest with an entertaining half century.

Ryan Sidebottom made the difference in the bowling attack for England with his accurate line and length and swing. He used the conditions perfectly and showed the benefit of someone who has perfected his trade in the gruelling County circuit. Harmison and Plunket were still wayward and would do well to follow his lead in being more disciplined. Harmison showed signs of his old self with pace and aggression at the end but still has a way to go.

England did well with their captain Michael Vaughan returning to Tests after a long absence with a classy century and the other batters showing good form, with Pietersen, man of the match, simply outstanding. They have to keep on improving as they are likely to face much tougher oppositon, where they are likely to face a much sterner test but they did what they had to do well.

As for the Windies, they have to dig deep and try and get as much out of this tour as they can. They will wait to see if their captain Sarwan will take any part in the rest of the series and call replacements if required. There is talent in the team, it just needs to be harnessed with more disciplined and consistent performances.

Beckham and Ganguly

David Beckham has been recalled into the England Football team for the first time since the World Cup last year. I always saw a similarity between the way Beckham was treated to that of Saurav Ganguly in the Indian team. Both men were long standing successful captains in their respective teams and on arrival of a new coach were unceremoniously dropped. Both new coaches were making a statement and stamping their authority by dropping a big and influential player from the team,with the message that the new era under them will succeed without them.

It is indeed a bold move and you can see why a new coach would do this but it is a silly one if it is done to the detriment of the team. In the case of Ganguly, there was indeed a need for a change in captaincy and his form had also dipped. The treatment meted out to him was unfair and inconsistent. It was clear that the management did not want him and were looking for reasons to drop him. To his credit Ganguly used the time to play domestic cricket to improve his from and fitness. He was recalled after Team India had a run of bad results and the youngsters that were picked to replace him failed to produce. Ganguly made a heroic comeback In South Africa ending up with the most runs in the series. He was hungry for success and used the time well and looked better than ever. The coach was almost forced to do a u turn,with Ganguly having the last laugh.

It is a similar story for Beckham, who was used as a scapegoat for Englands poor form in the World Cup. He was dropped and the door was seemingly closed for him. England drafted in new younger players as the coach built his new team, but the results one year down the line have been bad with England struggling to qualify for the European Championship. Beckham, meanwhile has never lost hope of playing for his country and has remained fit and is in a rich vein of form for his club Real Madrid. The cries for his recall have been growing and the coach has had to do a u turn for the sake of his team and recall him to help them qualify.

Both these players are very passionate about playing for their teams and have never given up hope despite challenging times and circumstances with their backs to the wall and in Gangulys case all and sundry calling for his retirement from the game. Their strength,determination and belief in their abilities has seen them fight their way back in on merit. It must be such a satisfying feeling to fight against the odds and win. They both must have had a smile on their faces. I know I did.

Testing times for Harmison

The pressure will again be on Steve Harmison when the second Test match starts between England and West Indies tomorrow at Headingley. Headingley is renowned for helpful conditions for bowlers and all eyes will be on Harmy to see if he can regain the form he produced at his peak three years ago in the West Indies. His performances since then have been very inconsistent, coinciding with the departure of Troy Cooley, the bowling coach, to Australia. Harmy was particularly close to Cooley and has felt his loss more than others.

It seems to be a mental thing as he has had a great start to the season with his county Durham and all reports confirmed that he was back to his best. It seems that he has stage fright on the big occasions with his mental fragility coming to the fore, which affects his bowling action as technical flaws begin to surface, resulting in the wayward fare he seems to serve up.

He has had ample time to rest and get it right after the disastrous Ashes series, where his first delivery to third slip on the opening day remains a lasting memory. He has quit one day cricket to concentrate on Tests but all the preparation still has not helped. It is a worrying factor for England, who have showed faith in his abilities and have been supportive as they know that he can be destructive if he gets it right. Everyone is hoping that it will all just click into place once he gets a few wickets, but those wickets are not coming and with that the pressure is growing and so it is a vicious circle.

In the end you can have all the help in the world and the best practice sessions, but when you get out there, it is down to you to perform as cricket is as much an individual game as it is a team game. Each batsman and bowler is out there on their own and therefore those that are mentally tough and able to handle the pressure usually succeed. Harmy needs to overcome his demons and believe in himself as time is running out.

Quality not quantity

There is a lot of talk about the packed international schedules and the effect it is having on players and teams. It is a non stop treadmill now with cricket played all through the calendar year and that has to take its toll, with player burnout and injuries.

There are some teams like England who are on the go constantly with barely a couple of weeks break in between. They have started a home series against the West Indies two weeks after returning from the World Cup.There is a packed schedule at home for them where the number of Tests and ODI's has increased crammed form mid May to mid September which results in back to back Tests. There is no time to recover from injuries or work on aspects of your game. No sooner has the home season completed in September and they are off on an international tour in October, which goes on usually until April and then it is back home for the start of the domestic series. I am tired just thinking about it and watching it so how must the players feel?

India also seem to have a packed schedule, with the current series against Bangladesh hot on the heels of the World Cup and in the middle of the rainy season when interruptions in play are almost guaranteed from the outset. The fans are also robbed of a good contest when so much time is lost. India also are suffering with a list of injuries, particularly to key bowlers, much like England. The packed schedules has a greater impact on bowlers, with greater chance of injuries and compromising their fitness levels. A time for rest and recuperation is essential to recharge the batteries both mentally and physically.

It is interesting to note that the one team who seems to be getting long breaks and we are talking several months is Australia. They only seem to be playing for a quarter of the year at the moment with plenty of breaks in between. They have so much time that they have to organise long camps to get the players together and do team building exercises. It would be good if the other countries had such a luxury as they are struggling to catch their breath in between. Is it a coincidence that Australia are far superior from the other teams in fitness and performance levels and ultimately their results?

It seems that the people in charge of schedules have really lost sight or have no interest in the game and the welfare of the players. It is ironic that those in charge of the game have not played the at the highest level, if at all, and therefore are unlikely to realise the effect it has on the players. Their prime consideration is commercial and that is evident in the decisions that they make. It is time for the administrators in charge of the game, both the ICC and the boards of each country to take notice of the growing call from many quarters to look at the packed schedules and the impact it is having on players and the game as a whole. The onus should be on quality and not quantity and I am sure that even the fans would agree with this outcome. It is surely better to see less games, which have fit and motivated players, which makes for a good contest than to have more games, with key players missing and demotivated players, making it a dull contest.

The 'rested' centurians

The rest seems to have worked for Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, as both notched up centuries against Bangladesh. The conditions were favourable for batting and the bowling was not that threatening but the two greats of Indian cricket must have been under pressure to perform. The start was tentative, as would have been expected, but they soon got into the groove and played well to reach their landmark.

There has been a lot of talk of rumblings within the camp during the World Cup, with the two seniors in the thick of things and the apparent 'rest' from the one day squad adding fuel to the speculation. A team should always strive to get new blood in and aim to move forward and grow and should use the expertise and experience of the senior players as it does so. The Australians are a testament to that theory and proves that players should be judged on their performance and not their age. India are at a stage where their star players from the last decade and more, are nearing retirement age and there needs to be a transition to bring in new players. This has to be done gradually and with the help of the senior players who can be used to aid the transition.

It was great to see Saurav and Sachin together again, playing so well and clearly enjoying and very comfortable playing together. Maybe the events of the past month has made them try harder and made them more hungry and determined to do well, which can only be good for India. It is always good to let your performance do all the talking because that is where it counts.There may be more sterner tests ahead in England and Australia for both them and the team but you can only deal with what is put in front of you and that they did.

The Monty and Kevin Show

The final day of the Test between England and West Indies at lords is set up for a thrilling finish, barring rain interruptions. The Windies are chasing 401 to win and if they get off to a good start, anything is possible as England are a bowler short and Harmison's woeful form on the international stage continues.

Monty Panesar took the plaudits with a six wicket haul after talk of leaving him out before the start of the Test due to unhelpful conditions for a spinner. Monty has demonstrated again that a good spinner can take wickets in any conditions. The normally quiet and unassuming character comes to life at a fall of a wicket as he carries out his extravagant celebrations, running and leaping up in the air excitedly chased by his beaming team mates. He is totally focused on his task and it must be great for a captain to have someone who he can rely on to come on at one end and not only keep it tight but take wickets. His game has come on leaps and bounds ( no pun intended) in all areas, especially fielding and batting, since his debut in India in 2006.

The second half of the day was dominated by Kevin Pietersen, who scored an entertaining century. He brought the game alive, after starting slowly, but working up to an exhilarating pace, ignited by his duel with Chris Gayle. Pietersen likes a challenge and nothing gets those juices going than the opposition getting stuck into him. A bit of friendly banter is always entertaining and adds that extra spark to proceedings. The normally cool Gayle was quite emotive but Pietersen won the battle this time as he plundered runs all round the park. He reached his hundred and there was almost a lack of celebration as if it was all so easy.

It remains to be seen who will steal the show today as the stage is set fair for a winning bowling or batting display and end up victorious.

A celebration on a damp day,

Rain and bad light throughout the day took the gloss away from the opening day of the Test series between England and West Indies at Lords. The Windies having won the toss and opting to bowl failed to capitalise on the favourable bowling conditions. The bowlers looked rusty after having hardly any practice coming into the game. One feels that the English bowlers would have made better use of the conditions, with Harmison and Hoggard coming back after a long rest and showing form in County cricket.

The highlight was Alastair Cook making his fifth hundred before bad light stopped play. England need to capitalise on the overnight score of 203 and build a big total to put pressure on the rusty Windies.

The highlight for me was listening to the vintage Test Match Special commentary on the radio, celebrating 50 years of broadcasting. You don't even have to be a cricket fan to enjoy the commentary as it veers on to a variety of subjects, sometimes unconnected to cricket. It is like listening to a group of men enjoying a day out watching cricket. The camaraderie and banter is infectious and it almost makes the breaks in play more enjoyable than the play, on days such as yesterday, when the play was rather low key. The chat in between play famously veer on to subjects such as cakes, buses , trains, pigeons flying over the ground and funny costumes of the day.

The last 50 years have brought many vintage moments, and have become a welcome fixture, in England and abroad. It brings something that TV commentary cannot match as it has to be more descriptive and form a picture for the listener. As it is off camera, it seems less formal and more relaxed, which adds to its attraction. Many a time when I have decided to switch of the TV and listen to the radio and that is testimony to how good it is.

Here's to the next 50 years of excellent commentary, with maybe an addition of a female to the otherwise male dominated team.

Lull in proceedings

There seems to be a lull in the cricketing world in the aftermath of the hotly anticipated but ultimately disappointing World Cup. Teams have returned to their own countries and are preparing for the next series in their schedule.

India and Bangladesh have been the first off the mark with a series in Bangladesh. There has talk of this being a revenge series for the Indians and the 2-0 victory by the Indians seem hollow and cannot make up for the one big loss at the WC. That was the main stage with the whole world watching and a prestigious trophy at stake, and this is a side show which is of interest mainly only to the two countries taking part. A win is a win,however, whatever the stage and will do India no harm as a loss would have inflicted yet more criticism on the already wounded team.

The change in coach that has happened within almost every team since the WC, is also one that India faces. A permanent coach needs to be in place as soon as possible so that the rebuilding can start in earnest. The constant speculation does not help the team. One wonders why the BCCI is dragging its heels on this issue of recruiting a new coach. Other countries like Australia and England have acted quickly and planned ahead by grooming the next coach well ahead of time.

England and West Indies prepare for their series which start this Thursday and the build up seems distinctly low key. Both teams will be looking to do well after recent disappointments and it is as if there is a blank sheet, with a new era for both teams, with the scripts yet to be written. It could prove to be a close and interesting series.

As there is not much news on the cricketing field, attention has been diverted to events off the pitch. The main one being the alternative, some say 'breakaway' cricket league in India. There is speculation of recently retired cricket stars such as Warne, McGrath and Lara being tempted to take part. This should benefit both parties as it will no doubt lift the profile of the league and provide a healthy re numeration to the stars taking part. There are definite synergies here with the Packer World series in the late 1970's. It remains to be seen if it will court as much controversy and have as much impact as that one had on the game.

It may take time for momentum to build up again on the cricket field, as new scripts are developed with new contests, rivalries and performances and we will again have much to watch, write and talk about.

Roll on to Lords

The first Test of the summer, between England and West Indies will start next Thursday at Lords. It seems to get earlier each year as England now hosts two teams during the summer in a packed schedule, that there is hardly any time to draw breath.

The Windies arrived in England this week and their arrival seems to have been met by rainfall, which is an unusual occurrence for once at this time of the year. There has been glorious sunshine and instead of the stop start scenario and rained off matches in the County circuit, there have been results and huge scores to boot. The Windies are struggling to get any match practice as their only match before the Test against Somerset in Taunton is likely to be disrupted by the rain.

The Windies dogged by continuing disputes between the board and players, a new captain at the helm in Sarwan, a team without the legend Lara, who has retired and a poor run of form in recent years, have a lot to prove and improve on. England have been the victors by a distance in recent years, unlike the thrashing the once powerful Windies inflicted on them in the 1970's and 1980's. It must be painful for the greats who played in that era and their loyal fans, to witness the decline of a team which seemed invincible, much like the Aussies today.

England must start favourites, thou they also have not had a good winter after loosing the Ashes and a poor World Cup and there are a few injury scares to captain Vaughan and star player Pietersen. There is a new coach, Peter Moores, who has gone about his new task quietly and without much fuss. The Zimbabwean connection continues with Andy Flower as his deputy. They have not had much time to prepare since taking over and it will be interesting to see how this new partnership performs in helping England put recent disappointments behind them and continue the good work started by Duncan Fletcher.

The Lords Test is always a grand affair as befits such a historic venue and the atmosphere and the buzz of anticipation on the first day is always something special to behold. I have been to the ground, on many occasions for a Test, and always cherish the atmosphere, the sumptuous surroundings, the chatter and banter of the fans and of course the play. It is hard to leave at the end of the day and it hardly seems like a whole day has passed. I always leave with memories of the day on my journey home with a big smile on my face. They call Test matches boring, well not from where I am standing.

Roll on to Lords.

Divided we fall

So the apparent rumblings within Team India are coming out slowly at a time when they need to be put to bed and move forward. Nothing can be gained by discussing the details in the public glare. The revelations are not new as disputes between the former coach, guru Greg, and an increasing number of senior players was well documented. He has left now and that should be the end of that.

The apparent factions within the team and particularly among the seniors does need to be sorted out and hopefully it is something Ravi Shastri is working on. I have felt the tension between Dravid and Ganguly since Ganguly was unceremoniously dropped and Dravid took on the reigns. These two have a long history, having made their debuts in 1996 together in England and have therefore played together throughout their careers. It is said that Ganguly helped Dravid keep his place in the one day side by making him keep wickets and Dravid in turn was India's best player during Ganguly's successful tenure as Indian captain. Did Dravid then turn his back on Ganguly when he required some support and his future in the team was in doubt?

Whatever the real reasons and cause for tension within the team, it is clear that it is not good for the team as a whole and the focus should be the team. A divided team is not a happy team and in most cases not successful as a result. You only have to look at Australia, yes them again, to see a team that is happy, playing as a team and winning. Sri lanka also looked like a happy and united team that played well as a team, with credit going to their coach and captain.

The rest would do well to follow the example set by these teams as to be beaten by your opponent is one thing but to be beaten by yourself, completely another.

What can India gain from Bangladesh tour?

The Indian one day team arrived in Bangladesh today keen to play again after their early exit and humiliation at the World Cup. It is ironic that the defeat by Bangladesh in the first round was a prime cause of their exit. This tour has a greater significance than any previous tours and there is more at stake with India having a point to prove.

The hot and sultry conditions will be a test for a side that seems to have had all the stuffing knocked out of it and is sitting at the bottom of the pile after a heady period under Wright and Ganguly, where they were seemingly threatening Australia for the top spot. There now lies a huge gap between these two teams that renders any comparison worthless.

There does not appear to be unity within the camp, with the Board and players at loggerheads about contracts or the withdrawal of them, amount of payments to the team, restrictions on endorsements and the apparent 'resting' of Tendulkar and Ganguly. The BCCI are acting like strict fathers who are punishing their children for not performing well and attributing all the blame to them. Can such a heavy handed approach lead to harmony within the team or cause greater distance and dissatisfaction in Team India?

All the talk is of putting the World Cup debacle behind them and looking to the future and a plea to the media and fans to be more patient. This is easier said than done, when all the focus for the last 4 years has been on the World Cup and elevated expectations of how well India were going to perform. The entire planning for the team including the selection of coach was based on this event so it is not a scar that is easily healed.

The team has little option but to look ahead and begin to rebuild by playing and winning well. They indeed have a point to prove against Bangladesh but if they win and win well, that will only be expected, as they are still the more established and better side, on paper at least. There will be no great celebrations or praise heaped on them. If they win by a narrow margin or worse still loose, the criticism will continue. Once the standards and expectations are raised of being world beaters, there is a long way to go before you can satisfy those expectations again.

Bangladesh on the other hand are on a high, with unity and great team spirit, which was so evident in the World Cup, where they lost the tag of minnows and proved that they are a force to contend with, at least in the one day game. They will know that India are at low ebb and will use this to their benefit along with the fact they have home advantage. They can only gain from the series, as a defeat will not hurt them too much but a close contest or a win will further enhance their growing reputation.

This is probably India's most important tour to Bangladesh,and whatever the result, they have a long road ahead of them before they can finally repair the damage inflicted by a disappointing World Cup and regain the confidence of their passionate fans.

Fragile Vaughan

Michael Vaughan's injury nightmare continues with a fresh injury, a broken finger, which could put him out of action for the first Test and even the second at his home ground at Headingley. He has shown good form at the beginning of the season and at the back end of the World Cup, but this is another blow for the injury prone England captain.

Vaughan needed a good start to the season and have a run of good form to establish his place back into the side. It raises fears of whether he can ever do that again, with his heavily operated knees always likely to let him down. Ever since his return to the side, he has seemed susceptible to picking up an injury simply by chasing a ball to the boundary or running hard between the wickets. He was struggling in his one long innings at the crease against the West Indies in England's final match at the World Cup and that was evidence that he is far from being match fit.

It poses a problem that England have had many times in the recent 18 months of who should captain the side. My vote would go to Andrew Strauss as he impressed me when he led the side well against Pakistan last summer and his batting didn't crumble under the added responsibility. The same cannot be said for Andrew Flintoff, who needs to work on his whole game and aim to reach the form he produced in the classic 2005 Ashes series, without the burden of captaincy. The odds should be on Strauss this time after Flintoff was stripped off the vice captaincy for his drinking exploits in the Caribbean.

Few more men but no dogs

I visited sunny Northampton yesterday and dropped in briefly to watch a Championship match between Northampton and Essex. There were a few more men but no sign of any dogs.

The ground was bathed in sunshine and players and fans alike were taking tea. I walked round this quaint little ground and took in that low key atmosphere. The fans were mainly members and old age pensioners who had come in with their sandwiches and flasks of tea. There was no ICC to impose a strict policy on food and no search of all your belongings as you entered the ground, just friendly and helpful staff with warm greetings. What a refreshing change that made.

There was a splattering of international players on show. The crowd favourite, Monty Panesar, was batting in the middle with his unique style and helping Northampton to stage a recovery after a batting collapsing earlier. Essex had the South African, Andre Nel and England’s rising star, Ravi Bopara bowling. As usual with Nel, there was a lot being said out in the middle with Monty honing his batting skills and holding his own.

The touring Indian team is playing a one day match in August against England A, when no doubt the ground will be full. There is a large Indian community in these parts and they will no doubt come out in force to support their team, and create a special atmosphere. For the Indians, recent tours to England have seemed like playing at home, with their fans in the majority, and with the dry conditions this year, even the playing conditions will suit their style of play. It should make for an exciting series, but first they have a point to prove against Bangladesh.

I left the ground with a smile on my face, having thoroughly enjoyed my short interlude at this friendly ground.

English County season bathed in sunshine

The World Cup has ended, followed by the inevitable post mortem on its success or in this case, reasons for its lack of success, which will no doubt continue for a while. Teams return home for a well deserved rest and reflection on their individual performance. It is a time to regroup and start afresh for most teams, with many changes in personnel, heralding a new way forward and planning for the next four years.

The focus in England is on the new domestic county season. This is usually a damp and cold affair, with hardly any play due to the weather and one man and his loyal dog in attendance in a mid week championship game. The football season also overshadows it as it is reaching its climax, with titles and crucial relegation and promotion issues to be decided. Cricket has always been a poor relative to football and only emerges out of the shadow when the sun finally comes out in mid summer and football is having its annual summer break.

This year there has been glorious sunshine to herald the start of the cricket season and this always adds that extra buzz and excitement to events. Large crowds have been in attendance at the weekends to make the most of the weather. Many have been enjoying those delicious cream teas renowned in this part of the world.

The players are also raring to go after a long winter break for many and there is the usual change in personnel in each team which takes time to settle. There are as usual, a host of overseas international players in the county circuit, at least two in each team, to add to the attraction. Many hope to gain valuable experience playing in these conditions and improve their game.

I am hoping to catch some games away from the international stage and take in the beautiful English countryside at the same time. It is a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the international stage, especially the recent World Cup, which has not been a good advertisment for the game, where the focus was on revenue generation, with the game of cricket coming a very sorry second. Hopefully watching the game in its more pure form, away from those greedy men in suits, will reinforce and renew my love for the game.