The England Cricket Board is appointing a new national selector: the window for applications closes today. If they get a good man in position quickly, it’ll make all the difference: a team’s performance is determined, obviously, by the 11 players on the field so it’s essential to get the right ones out there.

Crass errors in selection led to an embarrassingly poor England side being comprehensively outplayed, yet again, in last winter’s Ashes series. Against an Australian side lacking several of its best players, we were 3-0 down – the five-match series already a dead rubber – after barely 11 days of cricket.    

As a new cycle of international cricket begins, the new selector should make immediate, wholesale changes

As a new cycle of international cricket begins, the new selector should make immediate, wholesale changes

Of the 15 players who took the field for England at various points during that five-match series, the two – Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue – who emerged with their reputations enhanced were only selected when it was already too late. Most of our bowlers were either injured, inaccurate or ineffective. Our batsmen were even worse, signalling........

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