A new era for England cricket begins tomorrow with a new man at the helm.  Peter Moories was the ECb's unanimous choice, if not the media favorite.  As with anything when a new person takes charge, there is a sense of rejuvenation with new ideas and bags of enthusiasm, all of which our cricket team seems to have lacked over the last six months.  The first half of the international summer against the West Indies is a great opportunity for not just the coach, but also the players to get off to a winning start and will be an ideal time to win back the hearts of the supporters who back them so well.

Again over the last ten days, the team have had a couple major injury concerns.  The captain, Michael Vaughan, having looked like he'd returned to something like his best form, suffered a broken finger in Hampshire's game last week and is out of the first Test match and another major concern is the fitness of Andrew Flintoff's ankle which again has been giving him some jip.  Even if Flintoff does not play, England will surely have too much going for them against a desperately under prepared West Indies team.  It usually takes the West Indies batsmen a good three or four innings to come to terms with England conditions.  They have been here only one week and most of the time it has rained!  It is clearly not just England's ridiculous schedule that needs looking at!!

I can see England's seamers having a field day in the first Test, especially Matthew Hoggard who will pitch the ball further up than the quicker bowlers and can see his swing and seam movement being far too much for the opposition's batsmen.  England's batsmen, with the exception of Ian Bell have all scored early season runs for their respective counties and I think this will put us in good stead for an early win.

Let's hope the sun shines on the England cricket team this summer and we get back to our winning ways.