‘I’m baffled by the Nations Cup’

Reaction to my latest columns...

I love Alastair Cook. He deserves a lap of honour for being such a classy batsman.

@pboromikky

Give Cook a final bow. Besides I have tickets for the third day of the final Test.

@J_P_Wilson

Lap of honour for Cook, a true great English cricketer who has worn the shirt with pride and conducted himself in a way any young cricketer should aspire to. He definitely deserves a thank you and goodbye. @bobbypat86

Cook has been brilliant, but the ‘nothing left in the tank’ comment is a psychological boost for the Indians going into the final Test. Maybe a swansong is the right thing to do, but there is no sentiment in elite sport. @MultifabMetals

Cook should have a lap of honour, but shouldn’t play. He can’t win. Gets a duck and he wasn’t prepared. Gets a 100 and people say he shouldn’t go. Time to think of the team and plan for the future.

@Skydank1

I tried to work out how the Nations Cup works in tandem with the Euro 20 qualifiers. Read through the rules three times now and I’m still a bit baffled! As for the Croatia away game being played behind closed doors, it will be worse than a Checkatrade dead rubber!

@paul_gauntlett

I really couldn’t give a monkeys about this Nations League. They are just glorified friendlies that will make players even more tired.

@Skydank1 What a riveting Test match at Southampton. And what a cracking venue and playing surface.

It’s always pleasing to see the good guys do well and man-ofthe-match Moeen Ali (above) falls into that category.

Ali outbowled Indian off-spinner Ravi Ashwin on a helpful surface which is a terrific achievement. Sam Curran is England’s manof-the-series so far and Jimmy Anderson, Jos Buttler, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes have all enjoyed great moments, but don’t be fooled into believing England will enjoy success in the winter.

It will be trial by spin in Sri Lanka and in the West Indies and our supposed number one slow bowler Adil Rashid is obviously not trusted by skipper Joe Root, and I don’t blame him.

A SENSIBLE SELECTION...

Phew. I did fear Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was about to make a huge mistake by not picking Sergio Garcia (above) for the eagerly-awaited clash in France in September. The Spaniard is completely out of form, but there are other qualities required for the best sporting event of the year. Passion and guts for two and Ian Poulter, a surefire pick, has them and so does Garcia.

I’m sure the Americans would rather play against Matt Wallace than Garcia. Bjorn has done well to pick the nearest thing to Seve Ballesteros he has.

... BUt PHIL SHOULDN’T PLAY

The USA team have already dropped one clanger by picking Phil Mickelson, a man for whom no fairway is now wide enough.