Outcry at Root snub

FOrMEr England all-rounder Tim Bresnan has led the understandable outcry on social media to the ridiculous omissions of Joe root and Stuart Broad from the 12- strong Sports Personality of the Year shortlist in a year when England regained the Ashes.

The crass move points to BBC bias against a sport they no longer cover on TV, plus glaring weaknesses in the way the ECB promote the national summer sport. The high frequency of Ashes clashes recently hasn’t helped cricket’s cause, either.

The ECB made no comment but will be even more annoyed if the Ashes victors are ignored as the BBC show’s Team of the Year.

lENGLAND’S

woeful Rugby World Cup performance shows no sign of affecting the RFU’s hugely lucrative commercial operation. The autumn international series at Twickenham in 2016 has a new title sponsor in financial services giant Old Mutual, whose four-year offer — believed to be worth £20m — greatly trumped that of current backers QBE, who would have liked to renew their contract. WHAT hope is there of the hapless Lawn Tennis Association making the most of Great Britain’s Davis Cup success when Alex Mawer, their communications director, wasn’t seen by the media throughout the event in Belgium.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray’s great team ethic during the Davis Cup didn’t extend to wearing the logo of AEGON — an LTA sponsor — on his GB tracksuit like the rest of his team-mates for the round of appearances yesterday that included a 10 Downing Street reception.

Murray has a multi-million-pound, four-year kit deal with Under Armour and wore their shirts during the Davis Cup matches.

lENGLAND’S

deposed rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster must be desperate to have his say after taking so much flak. But the terms of Lancaster’s severance deal dictate the longer he keeps quiet, the bigger the pay-off.