Poring over the field

Half the year has drifted by already, and Kevin Mitchell's thoughts are turning towards the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards. For precisely the reason that there have been no personalities to speak of in any of England's major sports. Cricket, rugby, football? Nope, nope, nope.

This time last year, of course, there were a whole team of possibles lining up. They all wore white and they would go on to take part in what Richie Benaud described as the best Ashes series he had seen. There were heroes from one to 11 in the England cricket team. Not so many now. If they retain the Ashes this winter, they will be back in contention, but they have had a fairly ordinary time of it since sending Ricky Ponting's men home so chastened last September