No no Sidebo

I'm a bit gutted Ryan Sidebottom has retired from international cricket. The first issue is that winning sides have a good quota of red-heads. And then there's the fact that he's only 32 and it's a matter of national duty to continue while you're required - no country needs a Shane Bond (who can't be arsed to do the tough preparation needed for the 2011 World Cup) or a Shahid Afridi who can't be arsed to practice his defensive strokes and represent Pakistan in Test cricket. Third is the fact that it was only a few months ago that he helped England win their first international tournament. And it's less than 5 months until the next international tournament, the World Cup, which doesn't clash with the IPL so it's not a money thing.

Very confusing. If one of England's ODI seamers gets injured there is no tried and trusted replacement now so their World Cup squad will be weaker given Sidebo's absence. The only thought I had was that the strange selection of Shahzad in the squad for the Pakistan ODIs upset Sidebo and he's retired out of protest? And on that note, perhaps now that he'll be the only stroppy child in the side, Broad might grow up a bit, so their could be a small upside!

But despite his hypocritical abuse-hurling at the likes of Matt Prior, Sidebo was still exactly what England need - a wholehearted cricketer who couldn't have given more for the country. That's why I'm gutted about the timing of his retirement given the World Cup around the corner.