Dale Steyn declares England as phoney No 1 Test side

[Ultimate_Game]

I don't mind England getting players from SA, Aus, NZ, Papua New Guinea or any other commonwealth nations as long as the cricketers qualify for the selection criteria, but getting players from Ireland and Scotland should not be allowed. Ireland has some good talent coming through but if you take their best like Morgan or Dockrell how will they ever progress? To me it looks if Ireland have all their players playing for Ireland (including Morgan) they will be stronger than B'desh or very close t them. Scots lost Gavin Hamilton the same way earlier and for these countries it's extremely difficult to replenish the talents which leave to play for England. IMO ICC and ECB need to come together and reach an agreement which ensures that Ireland and Scotland don't end up being feeders for England team. Or if England wants to they can change ECB to GBCB and start playing cricket as Great Britain instead of England.

[putrevus]

I don't see the problem? On a personal level, whats wrong with Rankin wanting to play test cricket? Its not as if ECB are putting a gun against his head telling him to play for England or die.

Is IPL putting a gun to KP's head if you don't play we will not let you live if you don't play IPL.It is a free world. Why blame IPL for your mess ECB?

[superstar]

Acc to crapinfo his county team influenced his decision. If IPL teams do this hell would break lose. Hypocrites. BCCI should have 2 Ipls per year ( just like epl) just to irritate these fools more.

[asterix]

Ashley Giles, who is the coach in Rankin's county is also an ECB selector.. He might've lead Ranking on the garden path, in order to get the guy play only for the county.

[zaqw222222]

Bad move. He would not be able to make even their second XI in Tests despite being a decent bowler.

+1 Bad decision

[Precambrian]

I don't mind England getting players from SA, Aus, NZ, Papua New Guinea or any other commonwealth nations as long as the cricketers qualify for the selection criteria, but getting players from Ireland and Scotland should not be allowed. Ireland has some good talent coming through but if you take their best like Morgan or Dockrell how will they ever progress? To me it looks if Ireland have all their players playing for Ireland (including Morgan) they will be stronger than B'desh or very close t them. Scots lost Gavin Hamilton the same way earlier and for these countries it's extremely difficult to replenish the talents which leave to play for England. IMO ICC and ECB need to come together and reach an agreement which ensures that Ireland and Scotland don't end up being feeders for England team. Or if England wants to they can change ECB to GBCB and start playing cricket as Great Britain instead of England.

Yeah let them play as GB and that means lesser nations to share I (BCCI) revenues with

[b555]

why does main page show some other title?

[Old guy]

why is the team still called england ? :cantstop: i jsut dont get this

[Pagalpanti]

I think its his personal choice to have a shot at test cricket, can't blame him. Ireland deserve test status (Based on how BD have despite being a useless team for more than a decade.) I doubt he'll get chance in England team though they have a very good fast bowling resource of their own - Anderson, Broad, Bresnan, Finn, Tremlett, Onions, Woakes, Meaker

[Ultimate_Game]

Yeah let them play as GB and that means lesser nations to share I (BCCI) revenues with

And that way at least you won't see best Irish & Scot players poached by England leaving the team those teams struggling just when they were about to turn the corner.

[Stuge]

shame we can't pouch any players like this :((

[maverick451]

I dont think this is anything to do with ECB, Ranking will never get in the test team, he'd be about 10th choice. Might aswell stay with Ireland.

[putrevus]

I dont think this is anything to do with ECB, Ranking will never get in the test team, he'd be about 10th choice. Might aswell stay with Ireland.

it has everything do with ECB, didn't they do the same with Eoin Morgan, here it is just a county which is part of ECB. Point here, why is this occurrence okay for everyone concerned with English cricket including media and fans but not okay for KP to skip meaningless odis to play IPL so he can make some money. What Rankin and Morgan got or will get from ECB and its counties KP is getting from IPL.Why one is right and one is wrong. Don't you think if Morgan played for Ireland they will a better team than they are now. At least in KP's case he will comeback to play for England once IPL is over but in other case they are gone for ever.

[maverick451]

To clarify I meant I think this is a decision that Ranking has taken to try and push his way into the team rather than something the ECB are madly pushing He isnt that great. Kp wants to miss test matches next year against NZ, thats never ever in a million years going to be allowed

[Ultimate_Game]

To clarify I meant I think this is a decision that Ranking has taken to try and push his way into the team rather than something the ECB are madly pushing He isnt that great. Kp wants to miss test matches next year against NZ, thats never ever in a million years going to be allowed

But herein lies the problem. Rankin, or any decent Irish or Scottish player, will do the same unless ECB or ICC decide to change the eligibility rules for Irish/Scottish players. Ireland/Scotland are in close proximity to England so for them to be eligible for England will not be a big deal but if every time top Irish/Scottish players stop playing for their teams to be eligible for England, how on earth will these teams ever pogress? We don't want to see likes of Morgan, Hamilton, Joyce, Dockrell and other top Irish/Scottish players give up on their home teams coz Ireland is nearly there. If they had the likes of Morgan, Rankin etc. available to them they would actually be better than B'desh which is what we want to see - cricket expanding to other teams.

[putrevus]

It is always a decision which player will take and Players will always want to get more money or higher status while playing. England have historically always looked out for better talent even if they are not from England in the strictest manner. But that does not seem to bother either its media or fans one bit.As long as England wins some games with these hired help they are fine.It does not matter what it does to other nations who took all the trouble in grooming those players. ECB could easily avoid this mess by not organizing tests during IPL or giving player like KP his permission which anyways is scheduled for weaker teams early in their season.But they do not want to concede to IPL. I don't agree with what KP is doing but if this came from anyone else I could understand but not from anyone concerned with English cricket.

[JaFanatic]

Team england should have to be renamed as "world XI" soon:hysterical:

[jairamesh]

Its ok for ECB to Poach Players from other countries?

Cricket needs a strong England. I rather see England play with good players than the sorry lot they had in 90s.

[maverick451]

wrong thread!

[Trichromatic]

Team england should have to be renamed as "world XI" soon:hysterical:

It's always been like this.