Sports Letter: Little nobodies on the rampage

Sir: I commend your paper for publishing the letter from Mark Lawson to Jonathan Agnew (28 July) which refers to Agnew abusing his position as the BBC Cricket Correspondent in order to impress his view on the public. I hope that all reporters will now put the matter to rest. Most English cricket supporters appear to support Michael Atherton, and are aware that he is the only sensible choice as England captain. It appears that the press, most (if not all) of whom attend cricket matches without paying, as a part of their job, now feel that they have the right to hound cricket figures out of office. There is no voice within the game hounding Atherton, the South Africans have not complained - except that the affair overshadows their victory - the match referee has closed the matter, the Test and County Cricket Board has closed the matter, the International Cricket Council has not raised any complaints, yet still the media bay for blood.

Are these not the actions of a group of small-minded men who can only justify their position by attacking people who have achieved something in their chosen field? One remembers the people hounded into resignation - politicians, sportsmen, public figures - but who remembers the vicious little nobodies who wield the knife?

Yours faithfully,

NEIL DUFFY

Devizes

Wiltshire

28 July