England's reputation reduced to Ashes (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

England's reputation reduced to Ashes

12:12pm Friday 9th January 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

You can almost hear the guffaws echoing out of the bars of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Six months to go and the Aussies have already got the psychological edge for the next Ashes battle.

It’s nothing to do with their face-saving Test win over South Africa this week to keep Australia on top of the world rankings, even if the home series was lost.

The pantomime surrounding the England captaincy/coach/dressing room will be the source of great hilarity Down Under; and will no doubt further their conviction that the little urn will once again be “coming home” this summer.

Australians are hardly known for their self-doubt but there has been some uncomfortable navel-gazing following the first South African series.

Matthew Hayden’s axing for the immediate return matches is evidence of the upheaval surrounding the baggy caps.

It would have been a great time to play them again. If only England hadn’t been caught in the act of performing their latest trousers-down farce.

If there were trophies awarded for shooting yourself in the foot, we’d be the undisputed champions of the planet.

Not content with a prima-donna captain stomping into the sunset, the board also jettisoned the coach for good measure. Perhaps Michael Vaughan is best off out of it after all.

You don’t need to be Harry Hindsight to have predicted the Kevin Pietersen era would end in tears and angry recrimination.

With his obsession for the limelight, KP always tried too hard to be seen to be the guv’nor. Whether it was the diamond sleeper in his ear or the freshly-tattooed three Lions on his bicep, not to mention his pop-star wife, his appearance demanded centre stage.

Pietersen’s talent cannot be questioned. Witness that century in the second Test in India; a knock more remarkable considering the in-house back-biting that was swirling around him at the time.

But as with most superstars, he has an ego to match. He doesn’t like to hear the word “no”.

So when Peter Moores made it plain that Vaughan would not be on the list to travel to the West Indies, Pietersen threw the dummy out.

He expected the dressing room, or “the boys” as he would always call them, to stand firmly behind him. The fact that they clearly haven’t must have hurt him deeply.

I would love to be a fly in the dressing room to hear what people really thought. The divisions are clearly far greater than we’ve been led to believe.

That’s why the appointment of Andrew Strauss to replace him was obvious. He is a return to the traditional, clean-cut England captain.

Publicly-schooled and university-educated, Strauss is not one for the flash, brash celebrity. He is more Douglas Jardine than Dizzy Rascal.

He accumulates runs in a calm, understated manner. Not for him, the ostentatious switch-hit hoiked over fine leg.

There will be tough times ahead for the new skipper – not least how he deals with Pietersen’s return to the fold as a wounded foot soldier rather than boisterous leader.

But a steady hand at the helm is a must. Focus needs to be regained and quickly.

The West Indies are a gentle preamble compared with the home campaign to come. But the players have to head for the Caribbean with clear heads if team confidence is to be rebuilt in time for the big one.

Australia are not the force they were and can be beaten. But only if England don’t beat themselves first.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)