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Demand Jos Buttler's exit if you must, but the source of England's white-ball decline needs deeper examination

GEORGE DOBELL: From Tom Harrison to Andrew Strauss, Rob Key to Brendon McCullum, the decline of the former multi-format world champions has been not just not just foreseeable but inevitable

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Comments

Posted by Nick Gledhill on 27/02/2025 at 23:05

There will doubtless soon be an early season 50 over competition, probably 3 non regional groups of 6 changed every two years to even home games out. 12 CC and 12 Blast group games. Current late season development comp would need to go red ball and, probably, two division to be distinctive. Not enough on its own though. Attitudes need to change and clear mistakes like Smith at 3 and all out pace in Pakistan need to be cut out.

Posted by Tom Skidmore on 27/02/2025 at 22:28

Why does George insist on blaming the Hundred for reduced amount of one day cricket and then refer to the terrible track record in T20s. Surely we should be better at T20s given the amount of time handed over to it (and, yes, I include the Hundred as T20) if it was all about game time?! One of the problems is not having a proven plan for the team, it feels like they keep experimenting with ideas (such as Overton, Smith at 3, Bethell, Mousley etc) and then drop them after one series. They need to stick to the one day basics and find players who have shown they can do. Sam Hain averages 53 in ODIs, but has only played twice.

Posted by Chris Rotsey on 27/02/2025 at 18:45

I agree that Buttler has been looking shell-shocked for months now and must be relieved of the captaincy. This should have happened months ago. McCullom spotted he was looking miserable and didn't act. However, he should be retained as a player and returmed to opening the innings, which has always been his best position. (He should have been at 3 in the Champions Trophy, not Jamie Smith.)

Posted by Lloyd Birch on 27/02/2025 at 18:19

We don't play 50 over cricket anymore. Why are people surprised? Remember Miles Harrison? Blame him and the ECB. They introduced the "Mickey Mouse" Hundred and jettisoned the 50 over comp. The blame rests with the ECB. Guilty as charged. M

Posted by Steve Harris on 27/02/2025 at 17:53

This is genius. Spot on!! Only to add that commentators are, in the main, no longer objective critics. They are much closer to promoters, principally of the100.

Posted by Andy Huckle on 27/02/2025 at 17:37

Spot on.

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