It's hardly cricket

Just seen the latest cricket humiliation from the West Indies. Our men batted first and made 117 all out. The West Indies captain - Chris Gayle - then made 80 on his own, including eight sixes. Why are the England team so poor? Is it because of priorities over appearance money - or just appearance? Do they seriously believe that playing for England gives them an automatic right to respect? This is supposed to be the poorest West Indies side in living memory and we're making them look really good. I grew up watching us get thrashed every other summer by Lloyd, Richards and, latterly Lara's teams; I'd hardly have put Gayle up there with them. I still shiver at the thought of Holding, Roberts and Garner or Haynes and Greenidge. Thank goodness I can't remember much of Gary Sobers.

Women's cricket will still be sneered at despite our World Cup triumph last weekend. It may be hardly cricket but it's equally hard to understand why we can't celebrate the here and now rather than fall back on history.