An undefeated summer?

James Fisher laments the quality of England's Test opposition, and wonders if those at the top of the game are taking it seriously

THE Hundred is finally making headlines, but, of course, not for the right reasons. England Test captain Ben Stokes has injured a hamstring. Injured doesn’t seem like the right word. I have injured a hamstring and had to limp around for a while. Stokes had to be helped from the field. He’ll be absent for the rest of the summer.

There are questions that perhaps should be asked. This season has seen Stokes participate in the Hundred for the first time since 2021. What was the reason for him playing? Might it be that it was important to the English Cricket Board (ECB) that its star player was to be seen playing in its flagship competition when potential investors were being courted? Either way, it’s a shame to see him hurt shortly after he returned to full fitness.

This is the way the wind is blowing, however. For all the pomp and circumstance about Test matches, words are not backed up by actions. In England, everything is fine: crowds will come to Lord’s, Edgbaston, The Oval, Old Trafford and so on and it doesn’t matter who we play. England could use that stable platform to attempt to grow the longest format of the game worldwide, but, as far as the ECB is concerned, everything is dandy.