REGARDING Neil Bramwell's excellent article on the state of English Cricket (LET, June 3), unusually for him, I thought he was almost polite and not critical enough of the sorry mess the game is in at national level.

How David Graveney has the gall to blame England's sorry show on players' money negotiation in India last year leaves me speechless.

Here we are in the middle of a World Cup competition being played in the country where it all started, and the bottom line has to be the selectors picked the wrong side.

We simply were not good enough. It is no use Angus Fraser returning 0-30 in 10 overs in "World" cricket.

Fraser has been a great cricketer for England in the past, but 3-50 in 10 overs would have been more fitting and useful.

Andy Flintoff will be a great all-rounder in the future, vying with Ian Botham as an England star but is not yet ready to compete at this level.

As for Adam Hollioake - his selection was a complete joke. The first resignation should be Graveney's and there seems little point in the appointment of Lord MacLaurin to transform English cricket unless the incompetence at Lord's goes on its merry way, whilst the counties who know the problems and the answers have little or no power in any changes.

As to the Premier League, this fiasco alone sees the English Cricket Board totally useless in resolving any of the problems. The north of England has forgotten more about club cricket than the people south of Birmingham will ever know.

The first requisite has to be consultation with all leagues for a start. Instead, we got directives and, no doubt, total shock at Lord's that anyone could possibly have objections.

The fiasco was mirrored by all officials at Old Trafford. How possibly can any follower of League cricket in this area contemplate the Liverpool competition as our Premier League?

As a follower of League cricket for more than 50 years, I simply do not believe that England is bereft of talent. I know that it is not.

All that is required is sensible leadership. If only Lord's were as well organised as our junior cricket, with its wealth of talent.

Unfortunately, the totally undemocratic situation will continue. At least, we have the pleasure of watching the best of League cricket.

BILL ISHERWOOD, Sunnyhurst Lane, Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.