BREXIT’S A HURDLE FOR POZZI
NO WAY TO SPIN DOM’S SAD DISPLAY
ANDREW POZZI, Britain’s world indoor hurdles champion, has made a living out of overcoming obstacles.
He has another 15 to get over in Poland this weekend if he is to come through three races and be in position to reclaim the European Indoor title over 60 metres.
But an even bigger barrier stands between Pozzi (above) and his Olympic dream in Tokyo this summer – Brexit.
Pozzi, boyfriend of Britain’s heptathlon queen Katarina JohnsonThompson, lives and trains in Italy.
Before Brexit he was free to do so without permits or visas, but is now limited to 90 days out of every 180.
He said: “For an athlete that is not sustainable and not the way to prepare. It looks like I will have to take full-time residency in order to continue training there.”
Pozzi, 28, lives apart from his family and from Johnson-Thompson, who is based in Montpellier in France.
He added: “It is a very lonely experience, but it helps that Kat is in a similar position. We are both trying to achieve the same thing and that understanding goes an awfully long way.”
ENGLAND’S management have been slammed for their handling of Dom Bess after he served up a buffet of full tosses and long hops on a day to forget. Off-spinner Bess, 23, had been axed for the previous two Tests on pitches that were made for spinners.
But his sudden return to the side has angered former skipper Michael Vaughan.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been as disappointed with the management of a player as I am with Dom Bess,” said Vaughan.
“I’ve got to be honest. What are they expecting from a kid to suddenly put him under this amount of spotlight after being dropped? It is just completely wrong.”
Bess finished day two with figures of 0-56 from his 15 overs and with the enviable record of having bowled more full tosses in Test cricket than anyone else since he made his debut.
And it was a performance that jarred with former skipper Andrew Strauss, who said: “On a human level, I really feel for him. This is a guy who is lacking confidence on the biggest stage of all.
“On a performance level it was well below what was required of a mainline Test spin bowler.
“There were too many full tosses, too many half-trackers, not able to build pressure and it was painful to watch if I’m honest.
“You just can’t have that in Test cricket.”
Even though Bess had taken 17 wickets in his first three Tests this winter, all victories, England defended their decision to drop and then recall him.
“He needed the break if I am being honest with you,” said spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel.
“I think he was tired at the end of that first Test, he was jaded. And it affected how the ball was bowled.”