ECB book in again despite hotel virus

ENGLaND cricketers have been booked into the Hilton Hotel at the ageas Bowl for next year’s World Cup despite a virus breaking out during their stay for the fourth Test against India.

The issue was deemed serious enough for Hilton general manager Claus Christensen to write to all guests bringing it to their attention.

Christensen’s letter read: ‘a small number of guests have reportedly been feeling unwell.

‘The safety of guests is of the utmost importance and we have instigated a full programme of measures to control and limit exposure to any virus, which may be the cause.’

Not the most comforting letter to receive in the middle of a Test but an ECB spokesman said none of England’s players had been affected.

a Hilton spokesman said: ‘The nature and cause of the illness is not confirmed.’

Yet England still want to stay at the ground for their World Cup match against the West Indies on June 14, 2019, even though some players don’t like using hotel rooms on the same floor as the ageas Bowl media facilities.

One of those is Jimmy anderson, who moaned about the proximity to the press on a podcast, saying: ‘You don’t know who you might bump into.’ That explains why the moody anderson came out of the lift yesterday staring straight ahead and avoiding eye contract.

EVEN more bizarre than a stand at the ageas Bowl being named after Shane Warne when there are many more deserving Hampshire cricketers is the Beefy’s restaurant in honour of Sir Ian Botham. The great all-rounder never played at the ageas Bowl, let alone for Hampshire.

The shrine to Botham, which includes numerous pictures charting his career, is where the England players have breakfast and is purely down to his great friendship with Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove.

DAVID

GOWER was far from impressed to be stood down from Sky Sports presenting duties for the Test in Southampton when he lives nearby. It is the latest contrary decision from Sky, whose legion of pundits aren’t needed for every match because the TV booth would be overcrowded. Earlier this summer, Sir Ian Botham was sidelined for England’s 1,000 Test at Edgbaston despite being named in every all-time best XI.

AUSSIEirritant Shane Warne has been at the Ageas Bowl as part of a Hampshire captains’ celebration. Yet surprisingly he did not appear on Sky Sports, for whom he has been a regular pundit — another pointer that the former leg spinner (right) will not be back on the network for the Ashes next summer. Warne is understood to have been furious when Sky used Ricky Ponting instead of him for the five England-Australia one-day matches earlier this summer.