Andrew Strauss - One of the best!

I suppose we could see it coming but thank heavens he walked before he was pushed. Andrew Strauss's decision to retire from all forms of professional cricket is completely understandable, well timed and at the same time will leave vast numbers of England supporters muttering into their pints about what happens next.

Was that it? Has the golden age of English cricket gone before we really had a chance to enjoy it? Will Straussy (for that is how he was and shall always be known by the often tipsy legions of The Barmy Army) heading off into the sunset and full membership at Sunningdale herald another few fallow years or will Alastair Cook be able to reignite the spirit of the England team which has struggled to really cope with being world number 1?

That is all for the future. Tonight, as I reflect on his 100 caps, Ashes winning captaincy and that number one slot, the overriding feeling is that an England team with Strauss in always had a far more look and feel than one without him. On his day his batting could combine aggression, no little flair and tenacity. His was a prized wicket. When the opposition managed to dislodge him, there was a veritable spring in their step and England always looked more vulnerable.

I'll leave it to the others to pore over his average and his stats, the Pietersen debacle, his batting form over the last 18 months and his occasional tactical inflexibility. Instead, we should praise his numerous gutsy innings, his determination to succeed and his commitment to the Andy Flower plan for world domination. Of course, he was fortunate to have a great bowling attack to tear teams apart and Messrs Cook, Bell, Trott & KP to pummel their bowling into submission but all captains need that.

The reality is that he lead his team and he lead them very well and for that alone we should raise a glass to that rare beast, a successful away Ashes winning England captain!


Andy Franks