Too Drunk to Field?

Two different issues: -

1) Leaving aside the 'Freddie pissed on a pedalo' story for a second, the subtext of this story seems to be that four players were seen in a nightclub more than 24 hours before the Canada game. They were grassed up by some England supporters - presumably for the going rate for that sort of thing which has always been thirty pieces of silver. Our wonderful tabloid press then contacted the England management and asked what they were going to do about it.

Management response should have been 'it's an internal matter and will be dealt with internally' - instead we get a very public notice of fines and tickings off.

Who's in charge of the England squad anyway - Duncan Fletcher or the editor of the News of The World?

2) No one seems to be sure of the whole Flintoff story yet - but if what the BBC are saying is true (and you can normally depend on the Beeb to get things pretty straight), then the punishment is probably about right. Freddie is a senior member of the squad, vice captain to boot, and needs to be setting an example.

His only defender in the press seems to be Ian Botham, which hardly comes as a surprise. After all, Graham Gooch is still getting a laugh at cricket dinners with his story of being out for a 6am run on one England tour, and meeting Beefy on his way to bed after a night on the lash.

Wonder what the punshment would have been had England's opponents today had been New Zealand rather than Canada?