yay - not me grumping about the cricket on here for once!

Billings and Vince get mentioned 'cos they've played that role before.

I think it's a bit hard to judge how anyone in the side would do at it, as the culture under Root hasn't really been conducive to getting the best out of any of the other players.

He's been captain for 5 years - having a look at the people who have made their debuts in that time I don't think there's a single name there that you could say was a success. He's also presided under a precipitous drop in form in a bundle of players who were performing well under Cook.

Not all Root's fault, but he seems to have made himself unsackable by failing to get any performance or consistency out of anyone who even vaguely looked a possible replacement.

Back to your question, Billings looked cheerful, engaged and like he had some tactical ideas during his stint in the team. That appeared in such marked contrast to Root, who seems to manage by spreadsheet and according to whatever whizzo plan the management team drew up six months earlier, that I can see why Billings would get offered as an option.

As I said previously, I think a lot will depend on who gets the coaching job - and part of that recruitment process should probably be to recruit the new captain and the coach as a 'team' the coach coming first, but signalling who the likely captaining candidates might be and what he's looking for from them. Basically we need a reset in the Fletcher/Hussain mould.

The current side have a whiff of the malaise we were in in the early 90s - and, just like then, we do have more talent (if not worldbeaters) than the performances demonstrate.

Posted By: Cardiff Canary, Mar 30, 20:32:35