Cricket: Fletcher intent on cutting slog

CRICKET management used to be such a simple job. Arrange a net here, a press conference there and don't forget the case of beer for the lads at the end of the day. No more, when Keith Fletcher returns to England later this month he will be wanting a greater say in when and where England play.

'I will be fighting my corner,' Fletcher, the team manager, said. 'I want an itinerary that is much better than this has been and will be stressing that in my tour report. The itinerary is drawn up by the host country but we can make suggestions and I would like some input.'

England began their tour with two three-day matches but then played the first part of the six- match one-day international series. They then had just a single three-day match to prepare for the first Test. As a consequence players like Michael Atherton, Devon Malcolm and Phil Tufnell - all key Test performers - had very little early cricket when the emphasis was on getting the one- day side into form.

And that process is happening again now, with Atherton and Tufnell having been inactive since the Bombay Test two weeks ago. Tomorrow's day-night international against Sri Lanka, England's opening match on the island, is now the only cricket before the single Test which starts on Saturday.

'It's a huge problem for us with people like Mike Atherton and Phil Tufnell not playing for so long in the run-up to Test matches on this tour,' Fletcher said.

'I hope in future tours the itinerary is better. I would very much like to have a big input into an intinerary, and I will be wanting to see the draft for next winter's trip to the West Indies.

'The problems we have encountered on this tour will certainly feature in my tour report to the TCCB - and in the future I will be fighting my corner so that we can give the players the best preparation that is possible for the big matches on tour.'

England's 10 weeks in India involved close to 20 flights, including three in one day, an overnight train journey and regular coach trips amid driving that would terrify Hannu Mikkola.

It ended with their third 13- hour day of travel in a week that left the players so exhausted that an unprecedented two days' rest was prescribed by the new captain, Alec Stewart - who was keen to assure us that it was not the shape of things to come.