Published: May 09, 2015, 05:44 PM (IST)
Edited: May 09, 2015, 05:44 PM (IST)
A leading newspaper in the United Kingdom (UK) has launched a scathing attack at the rumours of hiring one among the former Australian cricketers, Jason Gillespie and Justin Langer, as the coach o the England national cricket team, ahead of the Ashes 2015.
The Sportsmail wrote that hiring one of Australia’s former cricketers, Gillespie or Langer will be an ‘insult’ to the English cricket, even before the ‘first ball of the Ashes 2015 is bowled’, because their arch rivals Australia will get the early advantage. READ: ECB’s job description for ‘Director of England Cricket’ role leaked
The column read, “Two months before the first ball of the Ashes series is bowled, England will announce former captain Andrew Strauss as new director of cricket and dispense of the services of coach Peter Moores. Australian duo Jason Gillespie, currently coach of Yorkshire, and Justin Langer, who is at Western Australia, have been strongly linked with replacing Moores and leading England’s campaign to get the urn back.” READ: In Michael Vaughan, England cricket have lost a goldmine that could have turned their fortunes
It added, “In a comment published in Saturday’s newspaper, Sportsmail feel this is an insult to English cricket.” READ: Peter Moores remains unmoved despite reports of possible sacking, claims James Taylor
“We drink their lager (when we have to). We forgive Mel Gibson for his accent in ‘Braveheart’. We remember Dame Edna fondly every Saturday night without fresh TV chuckles and we drool over YouTube re-runs of Shane Warne and that delivery.”
“But, with English cricket on its knees, did we ever really think we might turn to an Australian to save our team?”
The column written aptly, acknowledges that cricket bas become more globalised and the possibilities of other nationals taking jobs in England has at times proven beneficial, but at the same time, it highlighted the shortcomings of the English cricket set-up.
“Sport has become more globalised than ever and there is no doubt that the best and most successful coaches in England’s history have been two Zimbabweans in Andy Flower and Duncan Fletcher, but an Australian? And maybe even one as patriotic as Justin Langer, who once said that he went to bed with his baggy green cap because he loved it so much?”
“This would be an insult to our game,” it said. READ: Mediocre England have plenty to worry about ahead of New Zealand, Australia series
The write-up added, “Surely with all the resources in English cricket we must be able to produce a coach good enough to lead the national team in the Ashes this summer. A staggering £9million-a-year is spent on the Performance Centre at Loughborough alone — precisely with the desire to produce elite cricketers for the national team and, by extension, elite coaches. Where are they? We have 18 counties in our bloated domestic game, all of which receive a major annual handout from the proceeds generated directly by the national team.
“Why can they not produce a coach good enough to lead our team?” it asked.
Talking about the possibility of Gillespie becoming England’s coach, the column said if he is hired and England goes on to win the Ashes 2015, it will be an Australian win. “Make no mistake, Jason Gillespie is a good man and might just give England a better chance of upsetting Australia this summer. But if Australia win, they win. If England win, it is because the Australian won it. How did it ever come to this?” it said.
“In the names of WG Grace, Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond, Denis Compton, Douglas Jardine, Sir Ian Botham and Jimmy Anderson, do not go begging to the old enemy. It is an act of defeat and an admission Australia has more to offer than England before a ball is even bowled,” the write-up concluded.
