Warne, as ever, comes across well: he talks sense throughout the article and makes sensible observations about the loss of Tresco and about Giles vs. Panesar.

See http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ausve...ry/269024.html

I wonder if he expressed similar concerns about Australia picking Damien Martyn.

Once again, journalists have to sell copy. What better way than asking one of the many Australian players that are more than happy to offer up their opinion.

I would'nt say he "slammed" the decision, rather questioned the wisdom of it all. I don't know why though. Yes Jones dropped a few catches in 2005 (so did Gilchrist it must be said) but he did take the really crucial ones and that is what is most important. And the guy put in some crucial performances with the bat too when England really needed it and generally outplayed Gilchrist in 2005 and i have no doubt he will outperform him this series as well. He's a damn good player - Australia taught him well

I think England would have been crazy not to select him to be honest.

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The thought police are everywhere..............

I suspect Jones will bat OK... but Warne strikes me as hailing from the same school of thinking as Rod Marsh: he's keen to see cricket played the right way, meaning with the most talented batsmen in to score the runs, the most talented bowlers to do the bowling and the most talented gloveman to lead in the field. Both recognise the importance of temperament.... but they strike me as very different from the ever pragmatic Fletcher... who would rather fill his side with bits-and-pieces players with strong temperaments than have to work to get the best from talented players who might need nurturing.

Yeah, I dont agree with Fletcher at all on this bits and pieces stuff. Jones when in form can bat well, but you just cant get past these constant big cockups he makes, like Phil Jaques in the first game this tour. It's not an aberation, he did it several times last Ashes tour as Warne says. However, I wonder if Fletcher has done it because of experience, maybe he feels that Jones will cope better with the situation than Reid who is might feel the pressure of the series more. Hmm.

Either way, I would definately have stuck with Reid, stupid decision by Fletch in my opinion.

True but Shane Warne is the kind of guy that gets in the mind of the guys with Talent but weak temperaments!!

Take poor old Darryl Cullinan, averaged 44.21 in Tests with 14 Test hundreds, but against Australia and Warne...12.75...

http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?s...lds=viewty pe

Warne famously said when he came in he was going to "send him back to the Shrink"

In fact I would say that today many of Warne's wickets are earned by his aura more than his actual bowling!! o\ he should know that mental toughness is vital at achieving at the top level.

But for me this is not the Read/Jones issue. The fact is that Jones is a better batter (on paper) and that is what Fletcher is after. As good as Read is, he just doesn't not have the same ability.

The problem, I have with Jones, is that he has not lived up to that ability, and his selection, ahead of Read, may not solve Fletchers issue. And if Jones does make a howler and fails with the bat, you will have to question the judgment.. I don't feel that Jones is actually mentally stonger, how often with Fred in the hutch and a tali to bat with has he got out playing a big shot!! Whereas Read conjured a 50 with the tail against Pakistan.

I just feel Fletch is worried about balance, but I feel he has got it wrong..

I'm sure Rod Marsh and Warne both recognise that the mental side of the game is vital... but both have shown enthusasm for working with temperamentally suspect players to help them realise their potential.... where Fletcher seems to just abrogate responsibility for that side of the game and just take players who are as tough as nails before they start.

They are not alone in this: Steve Waugh was horrified by the wasting of Hick's talent, famously suggesting that Hick would have become an all-time great with the more supportive Aussie setup behind him.

ps. if you take an essentially limited player like Tresco or Collingwood you may find that his character allows him to become a decent Test batsman... but if you take a talent like Lathwell and work on the mental side you might emerge with a very special player - Fletcher's way guarantees mediocrity, but Marsh and I Warne seem to think cricket coaches should aspire to (and work for) something greater.

But I feel we do have some less mentally tough players who have achieved..

Steve Harmison, Ian Bell and Graham Thorpe are three examples that have thrived under Fletcher...

Harmy struggles with home sickness, Bell lacks confidence and Thorpe often looked distracted, but all have performed despite not being "hard as nails"...

In fact I genuinely believe that had Ramps played in this decade, rather than the last, he would have been extended a longer run and allowed to prove his critics wrong..

The only guy who has not had that luxury is Read, and the reason is specifically because Fletcher wants a no 7 who can score runs, and Read looks the least likely (on paper) to do that...It is a tactical decision not a personal one IMO

Rachael,

If you get a moment grab hold of Thorpe's Auto-Biography and turn to page 135, he says that Fletcher

"dealt with people who were thought to be difficult by giving them responsibility. On my first tour under him he put me on the general management team. I loved it."

Just picking up on this, my own view is that Bell is a very confident young man but got overawed by the Ashes having only played three tests (two against Bangladesh) beforehand, if I recall correctly. Against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India Bell has demonstrated that and taken cosiderable authority over the bowling, with the most recent examples coming from his ODI form against Pakistan, Australia and the West Indies - for example how many times we saw him in commanding backfoot cut/front foot drive pose against the Windies whilst the ball creamed to the boundary. I think his form since last summer will mean he is a lot more confident taking on the Asusies, added to his priceless hundred over the weekend, and the runs will come. I can certainly say I feel he will not average 17 in this series!!!