War of the Roses

The reception Vaughan receives this morning at Old Trafford is sure to be somewhat different. Yorkshiremen, even those born in the suburbs of Manchester, have rarely been afforded a warm welcome in these parts and Vaughan's recent criticism of Andrew Flintoff, Lancashire's favourite son, is certain to cause a reaction. Frank Lampard is unlikely to be the only England player in the past week to be booed in his home city.

Angus Fraser: Vaughan set for battle to silence boos

Although he plays for Yorkshire, Vaughan is a Lancastrian by birth, born just a few miles away from Old Trafford in Eccles. The locals here tend to be forgiving of their own, especially when Vaughan's last appearance here saw him score an Ashes century. But some supporters are predicting a mixed reaction.

Derek Pringle: Vaughan's clumsy denial does not add up

Olive branches are not easy to come by in Manchester but Michael Vaughan will be under pressure to gather as many as he can this morning after his extraordinary broadside against Andrew Flintoff threatened to destroy the England team's recovery after their disastrous winter.

Jon Culley: Moores upset as Vaughan rocks England's boat

Vaughan's comments drew stinging criticism from Flintoff's county, with Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes outraged by what he saw as a breach of the dressing-room code. CuBlogger: My two cents... - Create Postmbes called an impromptu press conference yesterday, describing Vaughan's comments as a "kick in the teeth" for Flintoff. "I think it is completely out of order," he said. "I think it's despicable, and I think it stinks. We are talking about a guy who has given blood for England these past three or four years. Fred was the talisman in the Ashes series of 2005. You could almost say that he was responsible for 11 people getting gongs. Michael Vaughan was among them."

Simon Briggs: Vaughan tries to heal rift with Flintoff

We all know Michael Vaughan to be ruthless, but to kick one of his own when they are down, as he has most assuredly done to Andrew Flintoff, takes Machiavellian into the realms of a personal grudge

Derek Pringle: Vaughan cheap shot arose from Ashes snub

Vaughan and Flintoff met for lunch in Manchester yesterday, where Vaughan was expected to assure him that he had not blamed him for World Cup defeat. "I hope everyone realises that it has been blown up, [and that we] are great mates," he said. "I am looking forward to getting me and Freddie back in the team."

Flintoff was said to be shaken by Vaughan's assessment that his behaviour had a negative effect on morale.

David Hopps: 'Misquoted' Vaughan is contradicted by evidence

I hope this simmers in the background till India reaches Old Blighty, when Andrew Flintoff will be ready to play Test Cricket under Michael Vaughan's captaincy. At Lords. Against India.

Such fun.

People have been questioning our team spirit since the interview with Michael Vaughan appeared in these pages, but it's important to stress two things. The first is that he and Andrew Flintoff are good friends. The second is that the spirit right now is really bubbly. We've got a new coach, we've just beaten West Indies by a record margin and the fast bowlers are excited about bowling on a bouncy Old Trafford pitch. I know you'd expect me to say it, but the truth is that the England dressing-room is a great place to be.

Ian Bell

Yup.. Till the first ball of the Third Test versus the West Indies is bowled.

Indiscipline

How does a team go from 274/4 in 41.2 overs to 307/8 in 48.1?

33 runs scored in 6.5 overs at a run rate of 4.82. For the loss of 4 wickets.

What plausible explanation can there be for a team to fritter away the advantage gained by scoring a ton of runs for the loss of very few wickets?

What is the thought process of the players in the middle as they set about to squander the advantage gained?

Why is it that we lose sight of the art of constructing an innings and sustaining momentum during the slog overs?

Why is it that when we have the opposition under the cosh, we hand them a get out of jail card?

Today...

Get rid of leg-byes. That will add to real cricketing entertainment. At the moment, everything is loaded in favour of batsmen who are physically and legally protected. Bowlers are the ones who suffer.

If the game has to survive, the ICC will have to have 40 per cent of rules favouring the bowlers. No fast bowler will be on the scene by 2009 if the present trend continues.

Makarand Waingankar

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is planning to alienate former cricketers who have aligned themselves with Zee Group’s parallel cricket circuit. Former Indian captain Kapil Dev, who along with Kiran More happens to be on board Zee’s Indian Cricket League, might be sacked as the chairman of BCCI’s National Cricket Academy at Bangalore.

K Shriniwas Rao

Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has taken up the task of bringing Indian pacer Irfan Pathan’s career back on track after an SOS call from close friend Ravi Shastri.

Shahid Hashmi

"I'm not an arrogant guy - everyone knows that. People are just trying to make me out as . . ." He shrugs. "Sometimes there's a bit of . . . not jealousy . . . but when you do well you have to understand that the better you do the more hated you are. I understand that.

The Michael Vaughan interview

So this Indian team needs more of consultants or specialist coaches, who can work in tandem with senior pros in the team, to fine-tune the juniors to face the battles ahead. These consultants, designed to utilise their expertise only in specific areas, and nothing more, can be the real motivators. Already, India have a bowling and a fielding coach. Adding just a batting coach, rather than a general purpose coach, should help the team fare better.

Atul Sondhi

Last winter's Ashes series provided a £133m boost for the Australian economy and led to the creation of 793 jobs.

Coach II

Our new coach and our Captain will have a stable working relationship for exactly one series, thanks to the shenanigans of the BCCI.

With no other player groomed for the job, it will behoove the BCCI to appoint Rahul Dravid captain through the end of this cricketing season.

Having stability at the top will give the new coach some leeway and latitude to define the ground rules and implement his vision for the team.

It will also afford him the luxury of evaluating the team over a period of 15 odd tests and 30 odd ODIs without having to worry about establishing a working relationship with the new flavor of the season ( read captain) at the end of every series.

It will also give Indian cricket an opportunity to start grooming a worthy successor to Dravid, first in the ODI arena and later, in Test Cricket.

And I do hope that the new coach is not hired on a yearly contract basis - if he has to do the job, let him be evaluated over a period of 4 years rather than on a per series basis.

An article..

Asked if he's getting a sense of the kind of captain he'd like to be, Dravid says it will take time. "But," he adds without cue, "I do have a sense of the kind of team I'd like to have." Which is?

"Which is, obviously, tough, competitive - a team that is looking to improve and have some fun along the way. Not taking things too seriously, as at the end of the day it is sport and we must have a lot of fun playing it and must play it hard."

revisited.

Where is Laxmipathy Balaji?

Coach

"The players have never worked with Whatmore, how can they recommend his name," a miffed Kapil told news channel Aaj Tak.

a super sentiment from India' greatest all rounder. A sentiment that can be extended to all of the contenders for the post of India's next coach.

Unless Paras Mhambrey ( part of the England tour 1996 that included RD, SG, SRT and AK) is a part of the coaching discussion.

So the question is, what are the criteria for eligibility for the post of India Coach?
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A 17 hour journey by coach class finds me in sunny Mumbai on the day India (s)elects its next coach.

And amongst the first news stories that I come across during the mandatory stay-up-the-day-to-beat-jet-lag is this.

Obviously the good gents at the BCCI believe , very strongly, that a five day bowling camp takes precedence over training at the Center of Excellence at Brisbane. Which, of course is dwarfed by the Asia-Afro Cup.. Nothing takes precedence over the Asia-Afro/Afro-Asia Cup.

How else does one explain the absence of Harbhajan Singh ( a bowler who, more than most, needs monitoring and mentoring) missing from the "camp".

One of the many issues the new coach will have to deal with.

Good luck Coach!
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PS:- Was it just me or did any one else see this article bylined Kanishkaa Balachandran yesterday?