Twenty20 World Cup 2014

To end on a hopeful note, it is not so long ago that England did manage to get themselves out of a mess of their own making.
Back in 2009, England captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores departed on the same day before the team were bowled out for 51 by the West Indies. When they then lost a Twenty20 match to the Netherlands at Lord's in June, they were a laughing stock. By the end of the summer, however, they had won back the Ashes and were the toast of the nation.

beamer wrote:And this article linked from KP Morgan's Twitter has it about right, as do the comments...

Blog post

PeterCS wrote:Okay, I lied when I "criticised" Monkehh for wasting his breath.......
paul.downton@ecb.co.uk ;

giles.clarke@ecb.co.uk ;

"From an extremely concerned England cricket fan"

Dear Mr Downton


Yours sincerely,

PeterCS wrote:Okay, I lied when I "criticised" Monkehh for wasting his breath. (Though I've experimented with an e-addy for Downers ...). Sometimes you have to waste your breath, "to save your soul".

And hopelessly long as this is, it's chapter and verse, I think. Part of G Clarke's heinousness is his monumental papal pomp, without any arguments.

Whereas I think these arguments may be a bit hard to counter (objectively). Hence, such points as these will continue simply to be ignored by the ECB.

Hence, just FYI, Bailers.
..........................................................................................................

OPEN LETTER:

paul.downton@ecb.co.uk <paul.downton@ecb.co.uk>;

giles.clarke@ecb.co.uk <giles.clake@ecb.co.uk>;

"From an extremely concerned England cricket fan"

Dear Mr Downton

First of all, congratulations on your recent appointment. Like all fans of English cricket, and supporters of England at Test level in particular, I wish you rapid and enduring success in your efforts to help lift all three of our national teams out of their current extremely deep trough.

This however brings me to the main purpose of this communication.

I would like to make the point very strongly to you and the ECB more generally - in case you somehow remain unaware of the widespread strength of feeling on this issue - that large numbers of England fans and supporters are extremely unhappy at:

(1) the weakness of the case for Ashley Giles' advancement to Head Coach of the national side in all formats - though its merits have been extraordinarily broadcast (by Giles Clarke in particular) as if an unquestionable justification for the appointment; and

(2) the apparent fait accompli of  Mr Giles' succession to this crucial position for the country's cricketing fortunes.

I would like to argue these two main points - where I strongly feel the ECB has failed to do so.

Point (1): There appears to be an assumption at the ECB that Ashley Giles' existing track record - as England player, from 2007-12 as coach of Warwickshire, since the start of 2008 as England selector, and since November 2012 as head coach of the ODI and T20 squads - is convincing proof of his suitability to be the ECB's Head Coach in all formats.

As a Test player? I find it hard to see any merit in an argument which considers Giles' playing contribution to international cricket higher than, say, Paul Collingwood's - or Graeme Swann's, or Monty Panesar's, John Emburey's or indeed Geoff Miller's. He boasts a Test bowling average of over 40 per wicket, and a batting average of 20, which hardly makes up for the decidedly poor bowling record. (Note by comparison that Swann, Emburey and Miller each has better average both in bowling and batting, and very few England spin bowlers have a bowling average as poor.)

It may be thought that Ashley had amazing success with Warwickshire. But is this true? Inheriting probably the strongest playing squad in the country, Warwickshire had one County Championship win: but Durham and Nottinghamshire have each had a better record. And Peter Moores - remember him? - had as many County Championship wins. Where is the value added there?

When Andrew Flower was (understandably) relieved of his position after the recent 0-5 debacle down under, Giles Clarke made the implication very clear that he was giving Ashley Giles the green light, and - as far as he could - the job. He spoke of the need to re-integrate the head coach positions in all formats. (Why, by the way, is this so self-evidently the case?) And he praised Ashley Giles to the skies. But until the wheels came off in Australia, the weaker point of England's game had been the one-day formats - where Ashley Giles had been responsible for leadership, selection, and strategy.

In the period of Giles' control of the ODI and T20 squads in the 12 months after his promotion in November 2012, while the England Test team under Flower won three series and drew one of four, the T20 teams (under Giles) won one series, drew two and lost one: the ODI teams (also under Giles) did even worse, winning one series and losing two. Working with a largely fresh group of players, while the Test team in Australia lost 0-5, the ODI and T20 teams proceeded to lose 7 of their 8 games, and gave everyone - bar perhaps Giles Clarke? - a very clear impression those teams were going backwards, not forwards.

Giles Clarke fell over himself to praise Ashley Giles as the man for the job when Flower's departure was announced: but by what objective measure entirely escapes me and many others.

Many of us feel that, as a key selector since appointed alongside Peter Moores (and since Moores was fired), Ashley Giles must also share some responsibility for the appalling lack of technical and temperamental preparation for Australian conditions in the recent Ashes, and the abysmal performance of the teams all winter.

It has been an enduring shambles of late, with one abject collapse after another, culminating in the latest clueless thumping by the mighty Netherlands. It is all very well for Ashley to turn on his players when it suits him, and blame them of complacency, etc. What precisely has his role been in arresting the slide of six months?

As a selector and one-day specialist (?), Giles presumably had some say in dropping Paul Collingwood, England's only trophy-winning short-format captain (World T20 victory in May 2010) - from the World T20 campaign of September/October 2012, which ended at the group stage. The only positive thing that can be said of that weak campaign was that it did not end in debacle, rout and demoralisation like the most recent farces, afte rthe last of which where Giles has absolutely no right to pass the buck entirely to the players.

A recurrent insistence on selecting Tim Bresnan when his bowling has again and again been a liability, and worse still, Jade Dernbach, when such selections were repeatedly instrumental in England's extraordinary ability to lose just about any limited-overs match, and a stubborn insistence on favourites, rather than the powers of judgment, insight - or indeed common sense - needed from any coach.

Getting a supposedly positive happy-family team spirit together is all well and good, and generally important. That in itself does not engender success. And tends to be exposed as a vapid claim when the team keeps falling apart, from whatever position. What is also needed is sufficient application to technique, practice to the point of confidence in one's game and then application of individuals and team to the game as a whole - all of which were disastrously absent on the entire Ashes trip of the past winter, and have been singularly lacking in England's limited-overs play for some time. I leave it to you to conclude for how long.

And now this ignominious, shambolic failure to qualify for the second round of the World T20!

Point (2): There has been a very obvious assumption on the part of at least one key voice at the ECB that Ashley Giles should succeed to the position of Head Coach unopposed, and without demur from any side.

On what basis of success is such an unopposed appointment based? Where is the track record of effectiveness with England, where are the trophies? It seems, if anything, a current history of increasing demoralisation and failure - as detailed above.

It becomes difficult to avoid an unpleasant impression that the basis for such an appointment is having made "the right noises" of some sort (but with little manifestation in the team's performances or results) and - worse still - favouritism by those with the power to appoint.

We England supporters feel short-changed and insulted when it appears that a crown prince has been favoured - and ready-anointed -within the ECB, without any due process of advertisement, open competition, interview and selection on merit for a position of such consequence. Especially when the appointment is set against a background of - one must by any objective standards conclude - far too little progress, consolidation or achievement.

I would therefore urge you, Mr Downton, and your colleagues in the leading positions of the ECB, to think very carefully before taking the next steps in the appointment of Head Coach of the England Test, ODI and T20 teams. And consider the consequences of your actions.

Yours sincerely,

horace wrote:aye...simpson here always took the kudos when we did well and blamed the players when we didn't...Boof is in a different school and is copping the criticism rightfully coming his way on the chin (not sure which one)..

even if they give Trashley a 5 year contract I expect he wil be bought out in 18 months, so you won't be stuck with him