| After a dismal Ashes performance against a | | | | necessary fight and character needed to take |
| tough, rugged and highly motivated Australian | | | | the game to the opposition. Harmison soon |
| outfit there are now serious questions marks | | | | announced his retirement from one day cricket |
| over team England and the whole management | | | | after the test series. In this statement he |
| structure which was so successful during | | | | claimed that it was to preserve his test |
| 2005. So what has exactly gone horribly wrong | | | | career. Who does he think he is trying to |
| for England on a winter tour to Australia | | | | kid? It is well known that Harmison suffers |
| that promised so much. | | | | major homesickness and in a post match |
| | | | interview with ex former captain Mike |
| A large percentage of England cricket fans | | | | Atherton he openly stated that he could not |
| point the finger at severe lack of | | | | wait to get back home. With the comfort of a |
| preparation prior to the first Ashes test in | | | | central contract, many fans of English |
| Brisbane. A couple of meaningless one day | | | | cricket have wondered if the desire and heart |
| party games and two first class four day | | | | of test cricket is still in the blood of the |
| games matches against state opposition was | | | | Durham paceman. Only time will tell. |
| quite clearly not enough preparation time for | | | | |
| the batsmen and even more importantly for the | | | | Coach Duncan Fletcher has also come in for |
| bowlers who were severely undercooked for | | | | some serious criticism. The omission of the |
| that fateful first test match that set the | | | | best finger spinner in world cricket, Monty |
| tone for a miserable tour. Relying on a | | | | Panesar and the insistence of selecting the |
| highly rated seam attack which performed so | | | | hopelessly out of form Geraint Jones had |
| well against Australia in 2005 potential | | | | contributed to Englands downfall. Many |
| match winner Steve Harmsion openly admitted | | | | cricket experts such as Geoff Boycott has |
| he was very nervous before even a ball had | | | | called for Fletcher to be sacked stating that |
| been bowled and this is testament to Harmison | | | | every coach has a shelf life and that his |
| being under prepared and lacked serious | | | | stubborn approach had led to England failing |
| overs. Prior to the Ashes tour England bailed | | | | in Australia. Having said that, Fletchers |
| out of ICC Champions Trophy in another inept | | | | record as coach of England is excellent and |
| showing. | | | | surely has be given a chance to redeem |
| | | | himself in the forthcoming Cricket World Cup |
| In order for England to compete against one | | | | to be held in the West Indies, 2007. |
| of the great sides of world cricket, getting | | | | |
| off to a good start was key. With serious | | | | The justified cause for optimism after the |
| concerns over the fitness of champion stand | | | | great series of 2005, English cricket has |
| in captain Andrew Flintoff it was extremely | | | | arrived at a cross junction in the world of |
| disappointing to watch a beleaguered and | | | | international cricket. In the next few months |
| disinterested Steve Harmison, in fact only | | | | we will see if it was another false dawn or |
| Matthew Hoggard, who for the record is a | | | | that they have strength of character to |
| traditional seam bowler, displayed the | | | | bounce back in 2007. |