Ash and the Ashes
More than most I have been the first on the soap box outwardly criticising Ashley Giles for his impotent performances in an England shirt.
After reading what has been said about the antiquated spinner, I can't help but feel that none of this is actually his fault.
The current debacle that England have played their full part in, is nothing to do with Ashley Giles' 20-odd batting average. Nor is it to do with Steve Harmison's bowling which is akin to the US Forces shooting accuracy.
It is all a matter of selection. Ashley Giles does not pick the England cricket squad. He might be an old hand, but he is not the man (or men) that composes the team-sheet.
Just because he is picked, it does not grant him a divine right to perform on a cricket pitch with either bat or ball. As Giles hasn't performed either of these tasks with any great aplomb, he has been hounded and vilified by the press and public - me included. But his selection is only like the selectors picking me instead of Monty. Anyone but Monty wouldn't have sufficed - rightly or wrongly.
Had Giles (or I) bowled well and performed in Australia then this debate would not have been happening, and the selectors would be laughing into their VB's, claiming the moral victory.
Giles has been a disaster though. With the Australian batsman playing him like a club pro, he offers little of the attacking threat or intent of our bearded friend. Perhaps Monty would have been ripped apart, but conversely he might have been the one doing the ripping.
It's about time the selector's stood up for themselves and justified their salaries and took two steps forward instead of one step back. I look forward to seeing an altered squad in a week's time... I'm not holding my breath though.
After reading what has been said about the antiquated spinner, I can't help but feel that none of this is actually his fault.
The current debacle that England have played their full part in, is nothing to do with Ashley Giles' 20-odd batting average. Nor is it to do with Steve Harmison's bowling which is akin to the US Forces shooting accuracy.
It is all a matter of selection. Ashley Giles does not pick the England cricket squad. He might be an old hand, but he is not the man (or men) that composes the team-sheet.
Just because he is picked, it does not grant him a divine right to perform on a cricket pitch with either bat or ball. As Giles hasn't performed either of these tasks with any great aplomb, he has been hounded and vilified by the press and public - me included. But his selection is only like the selectors picking me instead of Monty. Anyone but Monty wouldn't have sufficed - rightly or wrongly.
Had Giles (or I) bowled well and performed in Australia then this debate would not have been happening, and the selectors would be laughing into their VB's, claiming the moral victory.
Giles has been a disaster though. With the Australian batsman playing him like a club pro, he offers little of the attacking threat or intent of our bearded friend. Perhaps Monty would have been ripped apart, but conversely he might have been the one doing the ripping.
It's about time the selector's stood up for themselves and justified their salaries and took two steps forward instead of one step back. I look forward to seeing an altered squad in a week's time... I'm not holding my breath though.
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