Home Sport Sports Columnists Jack Bannister

Allan Donald and Brian Lara were my greatest Bears

Jack Bannister reflects on a lifetime's association with Warwickshire as he pens his final column for the Birmingham Post. Read

Greed leaves England's plans in a mess

The unhealthy alliance between Sir Allen Stanford and the England and Wales Cricket Board has already backfired. Read

ICC Champions Trophy postponement won't solve differences

The International Cricket Council have postponed next month’s Champions Trophy for at least 13 months. President David Morgan said that it is hoped that the security issues in Pakistan will have eased and added that the decision is “prudent.” Read

England's one-day preparations still in a mess

The reason why England are sixth in the one-day international rankings – effectively bottom of the leading countries – was there for all to see at Lord’s on Saturday. Read

England get selection right at last

At long last the captain and coach have picked the best England team from the 13-man squad handed to them by the selectors. Read

England miss the opportunity of a big shake-up

Jack Bannister on the decision to appoint Kevin Pietersen as the new England captain. Read

Vaughan can hold his head high

England’s biggest international captaincy clear-out for several years brought about the double resignation of Michael Vaughan from the Test scene and Paul Collingwood from the one-day format. Read

Safety conscious England have a Durham choice to make

Unless weather bites deeply into this week’s Edgbaston Test, or an injury occurs in England’s 13-man squad, Durham can have only one of their two cricketers in the final XI. Read

England unchanged but chances are slim

South Africa are deserved favourites to beat England and the weather in the first of four Tests, starting at Lord’s on Thursday. Read

Tardy England selectors allow captaincy issue to drift

England go into a tough four-match Test series this week against South Africa with uncertainty growing about the captaincy. Read

Selectors can't risk calling on Andrew Flintoff

The England selectors have a difficult decision to make over the possibility of changing a winning Test side. Read

Collingwood should never lead again

The ban on Paul Collingwood for four one-day internationals could spell the end of his limited overs career. Read

Twenty20 Champions League just adds to the confusion

The small print surrounding the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League has some unanswered questions. Read

England can expect a wake up call unless changes are made

England’s blind allegiance to continuity has created history, with the unchanged team for the third and final Test match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Thursday being the first time in 125 years that the same team will take the field for the fifth successive match. Read

Gormless England have to be force-fed common sense

England's bowling and fielding at Old Trafford on Saturday was nothing short of shambolic. Read

Quality of mercy in Andrew Flintoff's strain

Only a pure fluke has saved the England selec-tors from making asses of themselves when they met last week to pick the 12-man squad for the Lord's Test against New Zealand, start-ing in three days' time. Read

No logic in England recall for Andrew Flintoff

Already the arguments are starting about the chances of Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison featuring in the first England squad to be announced next Sunday, for the first Test match at Lord's against a woefully inexperienced New Zealand team. Read

Sinister aspect to Speed's enforced departure

Seldom can the word "sinister" be fairly applied to cricket but no other word better sums up the enforced early retirement of Malcolm Speed, chief executive officer of the ICC. Read

Vital piece of IPL jigsaw lost

India's launch of the Indian Premier League last week was a masterpiece of organisation that deserves to put the International Cricket Council and the England and Wales Cricket Board to shame. Read

English cricket getting caught deeper in the mire

Just about the longest domestic season starts on Wednesday and there will be 24 weeks before it finally draws its last breath on September 27. Read