In his Sunday Times piece this week, Simon Wilde discusses the idea of resting Andrew Strauss for the tour of Bangladesh. He quotes a senior ECB source as saying, “Resting senior players from the Bangladesh tour would be a good thing. The captain needs a rest and it will also give Alastair Cook a chance to captain the side. We need to find out if that’s a good idea.”

Resting Strauss at every realistic opportunity is an excellent idea – as captain and senior batsman his twin importance to England in Tests and ODIs cannot be overstated and every step must be taken to ensure his mind stays as fresh as possible.

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Sometimes the counties just don’t help themselves. The excellent plan for Lord’s to host the first-ever floodlit Test match next summer was abandoned over the weekend and it seems that Durham and Worcestershire may be to blame.

The MCC had hoped that the match against Bangladesh would be the first day/night Test but the ICC first wanted to see a successful trial – primarily to check if the pink ball would last 80 overs.

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A short tournament with the world’s best teams seemed just what one-day cricket needed after a pitiful England Australia series. Yet with just the final remaining, the only remotely close finish the Champions Trophy’s 13 matches has produced was Australia’s last-ball victory over Pakistan last Wednesday.

Unlike the T20 World Cup (all of five months ago) there have been no revelations, no new skills and no romantic results; instead the best aspect of this Champions Trophy is that it will finish quickly.

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Mitchell Johnson

Aw, look, I’d just like to say to Gerald Majola: you reckoned that only cricketers who performed in The Ashes were considered for these awards – I am living proof that this just isn’t true. Erm, I’d like to thank my mother. Hang on, no I wouldn’t. Er, yeah, I’d like to thank my captain, Ricky Ponting, for drawing all the abuse from the English crowds even when I went a bit Harmison. Thanks Ricky, and sorry again. And if you’ll excuse me, I must go and practice my Blue Steel stare in the mirror.

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