Quite right Beny, if Ponting had not reacted to that punishment it would have ruined him, and ruined his career.

The punishment did Punter good, the result one of the best Test players around at the moment.

If Freddie takes this as a warning, and changes his attitude, it will make him a better player.

At the risk of being modded pretty quickly, these words were uttered about a month ago.............

"My cricket career is extremely precious to me and I am determined not to waste the amazing opportunity that I have been given."

- Liam Plunkett (or should that be Plankett) upon receiving a rap on the wrists from the ECB following his conviction for drunk driving earlier this year. I'm shocked that he's been let off as lightly as he has.......so Freddie breaches team discipline on a few occasions during the Ashes Tour, this is a breach too far and he is (rightly) punished for it. At least he isn't a law-breaking piece of dirt like Mr. Plunkett, who should now be treated like the piece of **** he is. Whatever happened to zero-tolerance ?

Does anyone else out there agree ?

An extremely good point there Nazza. And if your post is modded out of existence then someone is being a little pious.

I do think however that Plunkett would not have been so foolish if England's "number one" all-rounder hadn't gone out on the lash too.

There has to be the sort of "if he's here, it's ok" mentality. It is traditional; to look up to your olders and betters.

Obviously if Freddie was nine sheets to the wind, then Liam could happily be five.

Flintoff is still the prime mover, whether he invited the others for a drink, or just went along for the ride.

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Not sure, Oliver...........really not sure how accompanying Flintoff on a bender (maybe as a result of succumbing to some form of unspoken peer pressure) equates with looking up to ones elders and betters. The presence of an "if he's here, it's ok" mentality, if it exists, is pretty sheep-like, wouldn't you say ? One expects it (or at least I do), from oikballers but I'd always expected better from cricketers........but it's not even about that is it ? Whatever happened to basic intelligence and common sense ? For my mind, one person and one person only was responsible for Liam Plunkett being involved in this incident, and that person is not Andrew Flintoff.

All we have seen from Plunkett (and everyone else involve in this brainless episode) is a lack of intelligence, a lack of judgement and a lack of character...........but I guess in Plunkett's case we should not be surprised.

Sorry.....equates "to"...........

I dunno though. Flintoff, as a former captain, and at 29 is; whether we like it or not, one of the elder statesmen of the current England set up.

Plunkett, Bell and Anderson are all mid twenties and under. Nixon and Lewis REALLY should've known better, and as for Shine and Snape...

Well, Snape is apparently there to help with the mental side of things.

I think he should lose his job YESTERDAY.

But anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that most of those guys are pretty much bit-part players on the current England bandwagon. Perhaps they have noticed how Geraint Jones' Test career was extended by accompaniing Flintoff on drinking sessions.

Plunkett clearly likes a drink or six, but would he really have got out of his skull if Flintoff hadn't been there too?
OK, let's factor in the bowling coach there as well.

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I gave up trying to work out why Jones's Test career lasted as long as it did a long long time ago..........

Flippancy aside though, I appreciate the point you're making...........maybe I'm just becoming less tolerant in my old age. The individual has to be responsible for his/her decisions......there clearly are situations where peer pressure and similar factors should be taken into consideration......I'm just not convinced that this is one of them.

I think that if you are stepping behind the wheel of your excessively over large 4x4 or your excessively over powerful sports convertible having had rather more units of alcohol than are legally allowable for people in that position. That is; everybody. Then it is indeed your decision, your mistake, your foolishness, your conscience, your prison sentence, your points on your licence.

At twenty-one, from the frozen north of England (sorry to stereo-type lads, but that is my way) from the desert, and deserted wastes, of County Durham, or wheresoever Plunkett is from, then the chance of going down to the local bar for a couple of sherbets with seven other club members is, well, enticing.

"Where are we goin' then lads?"
"Freddie reckons the bar by the beach is nice."
"Hang on lads, I'll get me sunnies."

Team bonding is often not that necessary in cricket. Most are aware of the culture that goes with it. To get the chance to do it, in beautiful surroundings and for the national team... you're not going to need too many Welsh Collies to get the sheep through the gate at the end of the field.

It is possible that some of those eight blokes wondered whether it was a good idea, then thought well if the psyche coach, the bowling coach and Freddie Flintoff are on the jaunt then everything should be fine.

At twenty-one you are impressionable. It's a good job he didn't donate his kidney to his dad though... I doubt whether he would've managed ten overs against Canada, cleaning alcohol filled blood with just the one.

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I wouldnt send him home (even ********** he's still better than most we've got) and the punisment does fit the crime but I cannot beleive that anyone in this day and age can defend him. At the end of a successful WC, let the whole side take a fleet of pedelos out but midway though a WC is stupid.

Yet england wide-boy (not harmo) KP was, in my view, conspicuous by his absence. So maybe he isnt as daft as he looks.

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