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1) It seems that all the literature I get for the Ramps joint benefit has him in a variety of pictures, but not actually batting. I understand the inspired decision for a joint benefit came because of Bill Gordon's well known loyalty for staying at The Oval for 43 years, coupled with Ramps newspaper revelation that he would never play away again! 2) Peter Moores was a Sussex wicketkeeper. He has already had to get rid of his original choice of Sussex wicketkeeper in the England position. Now he is employing a previous Sussex wicketkeeper, who kept the present incumbent out during his time at Hove. If he can't get this position right, what chance has he with the rest of them? The longer he has retired for, the more we realise what a great player Alec Stewart was. It was unfortunate for him, that there were few world-class players at the same time available for England. We read that we are building for the 2009 Ashes series. We can't be with Ryan Sidebottom batting at number eight. We must either play Broad at eight or a Swann / Treadwell type. Monty Panesar did less well in Sri Lanka than Ashley Giles and Shaun Udal a few years back. A Swann / Treadwell type would be as effective as Giles. We must also use Paul Collingwood as a genuine fifth member of the attack. All the batsman average about 40 (which probably makes them hard to drop a batsman for Ramps), but when you only bat down to six or seven that is not going to give you a winning total. Most other countries also have batsmen averaging in the 50's rather than the 40's. I actually think out of the present last four, I would bat Harmison at eight. I remember England playing New Zealand at The Oval with three number 11's, when Chris Cairns took our bowling apart. Mullally, Tufnell and Giddins. I looked up to see who was eight, as I knew it was a long tail. It was Andy Caddick. 3) The Indian cricket leagues are attracting a lot of ageing Test cricketers. This maybe good news for young England players, as they may not find their paths in the county game blocked by Kolpaks and the like, who now can earn more in India for less work. 4) If at the end of June you hear Surrey players complaining about all the travel, don't believe them. With both the Friends Provident and the Twenty20 being regional, Surrey don't go outside the Home Counties in May and June. I wonder by the end of the year, which county ground Surrey haven't visited for longest? 5) Our new libriarian was shown as an "unsung hero" in Direct Hit, after just four weeks in the job. What next - Pedro Collins being named as Player of the Year at the end of March? 6) Steve Bucknor made a mistake and retired. Andrew Symonds cheated and plays the next game. I know it happens in football as well. Neither of these should be allowed to be Olympic sports, while cheating is part of their make up. Much was made about how Adam Gilchrist walked, but he still appealed for everything.
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