Sellsy's Cricketing Thoughts

Monday 9^th March

England are out of the World Cup. Sounds familiar, sounds like most sports England participate in, so where do we start?

I am sure everyone with some cricketing brain will have an opinion, the pencils have most definitely been sharpened amongst the press and no doubt people like me will give a two-penneth worth.

Defeat to Bangladesh is hugely embarrassing, especially as the game was held outside of Chittagong. I will say well played Bangladesh, but the writing was on the wall long before England took to the field in Adelaide. England’s shortcomings for the World Cup were their own making. So in no particular order here we go:

1. Kevin Pietersen

2. The captaincy issue

3. No belief in Tredwell

4. Not knowing their best side

5. Picking utter rubbish in the squad and leaving good players out

6. Bowling long hops which “my Gran could hit that with a stick off rhubarb”

7. Too many wides

8. Ravi Bopara

9. The Coaches

There are also other factors which England had no control over, like the Kookaburra ball being used. I could go on, but it would be boring. I for one had belief in England, but as the competition went on it turned into the same old story.

There is only one English winner out of this debacle, former one day captain, Alastair Cook. The said person the English hierarchy disposed off in favour of Eoin Morgan. I am pretty sure Cook would off hit more runs the Morgan, 90 runs in five innings, just not good enough.

So where do we go from here, well for me no more early mornings and bleary eyes at work. One thing for sure is that the England selectors, captain and coaching staff need a bit of a wake-up call, if not some sackings, that includes you David Saker.

While listening to the commentary this morning an Aussie journalist asked the question to Aggers about the lack of support from the Barmy Army. Aggers hit the nail on the head saying that they would rather go to the West Indies in April than trudge all around Australia and New Zealand. I am sure he is right, how much did they spend for the utter rubbish, I suppose at least they had good weather.

As I said this could get boring, so I am not going to dwell on things, but I may drive up to Heathrow and give the players and staff a homecoming they deserve, I am sure I have some rotten tomatoes somewhere.

Well, enough of that, it is time for skittles and a Thatchers or two.

Next week, back to more important things, Over Stowey and Somerset to name just two.