Outside cricket? England's final insult
1. A game for the many, not the few
The year that 'outside cricket' entered common parlance. That it came so soon after The Big Three carve-up made the sport even more insular was a grim coincidence. The ECB/PCA official statement is still housed on the ECB's website The result was that the disconnect with English cricket fans, who were already disenchanted after an appalling tour Down Under, became deeper than ever - Vithushan Ehantharajah.
The use of the phrase 'outside cricket', as the ECB and POCA jointly sought to stem criticism of Alastair Cook in the aftermath of the sacking of Kevin Pietersen. The game is not in good enough health to suggest there is a divide in the cricket community, even if he was referring to Piers Morgan. The ECB needs to reconnect with the general, and casual cricket fans, not suggest they are on a lower level - Andrew McGlashan.
2. Upsets that cannot be tolerated
Should England lose to a minnow at a global tournament as they did against the Netherlands? The ECB are too well-funded and the talent pool of players in the UK too deep to allow another upset to be even a possibility - Alex Winter.
3. No more Ireland defections
Eoin Morgan's appointment as ODI captain was overdue: he could be England's most creative limited overs skipper since Adam Hollioake. But is it too much to hope that, in cricket's new world order, Ireland's finest cricketers no longer need to defect to England? - Tim Wigmore.
4. Umpires must act
The nonsense surrounding the Anderson-Jadeja stramash did no one any favours. When CCTV footage is being subpoenaed to determine disciplinary cases, we are in a depressing place. Umpires should take player behaviour in hand. - Alan Gardner.
5. An end to petty bureaucracy
Yorkshire won the Championship and Andrew Gale strode down the steps to collect the trophy that was a lifetime's ambition. Except he didn't because the ECB barred him because he was serving a suspension and still under investigation for his behaviour in the Roses match. Suspension or not, it was unnecessarily overbearing and insulting. Never again should such administrative pettiness destroy the dreams of those who play the game - David Hopps.