Steve Harmison unhappy with ECB’s timing to sack Alastair Cook as England ODI skipper

Harmison unhappy with ECB's timing to sack Cook as skipper

Dec 20, 2014

With a day to go for ECB to announce the 15-man squad for the ICC World Cup 2015, Alastair Cook was sacked as the England skipper for the ODIs on Friday. However, former England fast-bowler, Steve Harmison has claimed that he is unhappy with the timing of Cook’s sacking by the ECB.

“To get rid of him now when he’s taken lots punches for some people [at the ECB] is naughty. I’d like them to have done it six months ago,” he said to BBC.

Earlier, many former England greats and captains like Alec Stewart, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain had called for Cook to be removed as England ODI skipper.

Harmison also said that issues like the 5-0 Ashes defeat last winter, Kevin Pietersen‘s international career suspension and call to step down as England’s Test skipper had not helped him to cope up with this issue as he faced a pathetic year of cricket.

“The ECB said he’s our man, he’s our captain, we’re going to back him and then they get rid of him at the last minute,” said Harmison.

“When you’re playing international sport and you’ve got these people in charge of the game, who needs opposition?” he added.

In the past 20 innings, Cook has an average of just 27.52 that includes the recent 5-2 series defeat away to Sri Lanka.