The Surfer

The New Zealand Cricket chairman has a lifetime of sports administration and corporate governance behind him but his ability to step through the culturally and politically fraught minefield of a credibility-starved ICC will be paramount.

He is conscious the image of the world body is not all it could be. "I'd like to think in four years' time the reputation of the ICC will be enhanced for a world governing body of a very significant sport," he said. "I don't believe it has a reputation as good as it could have."

Hodge's career is defined by the fact that he played just six Tests. In one, he made a double century, in Perth ... He was dropped because of susceptibility to the moving ball. If held to that test now, half the Australian team would go. Hodge could not suppress a mirthless chuckle yesterday when Marcus North's name was taken, and yes, in vain.

If England are going to become the top Test team in the world they need to be able to win on flat pitches in conditions that will not suit Anderson nearly as much as those at Trent Bridge. In Australia and India, Graeme Swann will become the key to the balance of the side. He will have to keep it tight at one end while the quick bowlers rotate at the other. If the opposition can discomfort him, suddenly England's attack is not going to look nearly so effective.

The manner in which Pakistan came back from their defeat in the first Test against Australia to win at Leeds is warning enough to England that in helpful conditions their pace trio can be devastating. Nothing can be taken for granted. But this England team is well grounded – Andy Flower has seen to that – and it is hard to see how, given a good run with the weather (and heavy rain is forecast for tomorrow so that is not certain) they will not continue to make life difficult for Butt and his side.

If England are going to become the top Test team in the world they need to be able to win on flat pitches in conditions that will not suit Anderson nearly as much as those at Trent Bridge. In Australia and India, Graeme Swann will become the key to the balance of the side. He will have to keep it tight at one end while the quick bowlers rotate at the other. If the opposition can discomfort him, suddenly England's attack is not going to look nearly so effective.

This mismatch is the reason why we have to be careful reading too much into England’s performances and tactics and get carried away about The Ashes this winter. On a tactical front England are always going to pick six batsmen because they don’t make enough runs in the first innings to pick only five. They make too many mistakes and get themselves out.

"I was known as a guy who had incredible stamina," said Gordon. "I could bowl all day long, 20 overs in a spell. This was Durban in summer and I had sweated so much that my pants were stuck to my legs and my shirt was drenched. That wicket was so hard and flat, it was like glass. We struggled to get purchase with our boots and we wore the really long spikes in those days."

Much of this has been achieved through attention to detail, orchestrated by Flower. He has drawn his influences from a number of sources, notably Moneyball, the book by Michael M Lewis that reinvented how baseball players were analysed. England spend more on research and have better facilities than any other country, and are reaping the rewards.

But there is a human element too, centered around a collection of specialist coaches as astute as any in the game. Their achievements disprove the old theory that coaches are vehicles that transport you to the game.

Good teams are vibrant, energetic and athletic in the field. They focus on their job and like an anaconda they constrict their prey, squeezing the life out of it by ruthlessly exploiting every mistake it makes.

Poor teams are the opposite. They tend to be lethargic, lonely and lost. They drift aimlessly around a field like lost goats that are solely interested in themselves. When a wicket falls they force themselves to join their team-mates, it is not instinctive.

With the three nation one-day series coming up followed by the Champions League, Test and ODI series against Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and then the 2011 World Cup it would be best advisable for Dhoni to hand over the big gloves to Dinesh Karthik — till his injury is fixed. Dhoni has himself in the past spoken about the need to manage injuries so as to keep the players fit for important tournaments.