ONCE again England have been proved to be second best in all forms of cricket, and that is second of two.

We have in our squad some very able cricketers who can be compared to the best in the world, yet as a team we regularly lose.

I believe that the cavalier attitude of limited over cricket has taken over to our detriment.

We do not have to win the game in the first few overs, yet that seems to be the approach of our national team.

At village level matches are played as 45 or 50 over games but teams do not throw caution to the wind until the last five or 10 overs.

In the end scores at this level often compare favourably with scores at national level.

We would do well to remember Geoff Boycott’s remark: “You can only score runs when you are at the crease.”

You will gather I am a supporter of the four and five day game. The problem is the short over game brings in the money. Let us hope that money does not ruin the English game of real cricket.

Les Hornby, Kirk Hammerton