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CRICKET ROADSHOWS
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Week 6 Preview - 16 Jun, Durham
Travelling Roadshow rolls into Durham |
Channel 4's Cricket Roadshow travels north this week to sample the atmosphere at Chester-le-Street, home of Durham CCC, as it plays host to Australia and Pakistan in the NatWest Series.
The Saturday morning programme, broadcast prior to the start of play, will feature the usual plethora of guests, interviews and information, with regular presenters Sybil Ruscoe and Mark Nicholas being joined by Australia's Michael Slater.
High on the weekend agenda will be a look back at the week's county and international cricket, but with Durham still a designated foot and mouth area the Roadshow plans to examine how fans and club players have been affected by the outbreak.
Wicketkeepers are also due to get a morning airing on the Roadshow with Ben Young and James Savin Foster both set to feature on the programme.
Adam Darke takes a look at Young and how he copes being a deaf wicketkeeper in the Sunderland league, while Foster – the Essex and England A stumper currently completing his studies in Durham - gives viewers an insider's guide to the city.
And with the Ashes approaching ever faster the Roadshow has been out and about canvassing the views of Australian players currently plying their trades in county cricket, with the likes of Stuart Law, Mike Hussey and Martin Love giving their opinions on how the summer may unfold.
Before then England have got the little matter of completing their NatWest Series games against Australia and Pakistan, but what has been learnt from a hitherto disappointing tournament for the host nation?
The steely combination of Duncan Fletcher and Nasser Hussain has managed to turn England's Test record around during the past 18 months but improving their ODI performances has proved a harder challenge altogether.
The 2003 World Cup in South Africa remains the No 1 objective but England's planning has at best appeared muddled as they chop and change personnel and batting orders to little effect. Poor old Ally Brown was told he'd bat in the middle order prior to the tournament but has now been dropped following two failures as an opener. Is that clear thinking?
Owais Shah has been a revelation but he only came into the squad after a series of injuries ruled out Nasser Hussain, Graham Thorpe and Michael Vaughan, so the selectors can't really take credit for that either.
And what about the likes of Alec Stewart and Mark Ealham. Are they really the future of England's one-day side? Stewart's captaincy has been predictably one dimensional but it's his woeful batting form that has caused most concern. Likewise, is 31-year-old Mark Ealham worth his place after a string of disappointing performances?
Now's the chance to have your say on why this England side has failed so abjectly in the pyjama game, alternately throwing away match-winning positions or getting stuffed out of sight.
Having broken their all-time low with an eighth successive defeat at Lord's on Tuesday where should the selectors turn now? Is it time to jettison the old guard and bring in the new?
Email the Roadshow with your views and let us know who you would pick for the England team.
Mail the Cricket Show team at cricketshow@cricket4.com
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