Time for a measured response

Where did it all go wrong? 2005 was supposed to herald a new dawn in English cricket, an end to all those painful years when to be an English fan one required a fetish for self harm. They weren't nicknamed the Barmy Army without good reason.

Yet if you believe some quarters of the media we are presently having dinner at the Restaurant at the end of the cricketing universe. Knee jerk reactions are inevitable just as they were after the end of the football world cup. Surely there can't be many who haven't uttered the words 'sack the coach, sack the captain'.

Matthew Hoggard is one of those who believes there isn't much wrong with the hierarchy and went as far as to suggest that Duncan Fletcher was the best coach in the world. Quite frankly what does that say about the players then, if the best coach in the world can only drag them on their bellies to victories over associate nations and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh have at least been value for money. They may have lost to Ireland, but at least they have shown the flair and courage to have a go at South Africa and India, and beat them.

The problem is that England's cricket seems to have become so negative. When Fletcher came to power he was very innovative, and looked to re-structure English cricket. The problem was that it stopped evolving. The game plans and mentality stagnated just as they did before his tenure.

With Hussain the game in this country was re-built, then with Vaughan pushed forward. Since the result in 2005 which now just feels like one of those fantastic dreams you have just before you are ripped from slumber by the alarm clock, they have not looked to progress with the same imagination which quite rightly won them plaudits in the first place.

The ECB of course won't jump on the bandwagon just yet and quite rightly. Knee-jerk reactions can be dangerous. The time is right however for a changing of the guard as long as there is no expectation of a quick fix. The next ashes is a 2 years away, and the World Cup 4 years. It is time to thank Fletcher for his services, and stir up algae stagnating at the surface of the English game.

The big question of course is who do they look to. Following the death of Bob Woolmer there is no obvious choice. Tom Moody looks destined for Western Australia as he is primed for Australia's top job in a few years. Dav Whatmore I would suggest will turn the job down, despite his reputation for enjoying a challenge. In terms of homegrown talent there is no obvious appointment choice. Heading up those candidates is probably Peter Moores but whether he is ready is another debate entirely.

Whatever the ECB choose to do though it must be a considered response to an opportunity to rebuild. The fans and media must be patient and not get carried away as is the British sporting trend in recent years.

England are one of four teams in a similar situation. The West Indies, Pakistan, India are all going back to the drawing board. Who will re-group best will depend on the abilities of the powers that be, to best assess their own respective situations free of personal interest, ego, and subjectivity

It must also be remembered the players have played non-stop international cricket for almost 2 years. It is time for them to go back to their counties and escape the England bubble. The air inside appears to have run out and the players need some space to breath.