Rob Key

Um, I think I saw it on Instagram.

But, uh, you know, it, it, that's, uh, their physicality of bowling more, getting used to bowling being maintenance rather than having to start again from first gear has, has been exceptional management from the player, first of all, uh, and whoever's been running them, whether it's Troy Cooley, whether it's been Tim Southee, with input from Rob Key.

So that, th- that for me would be the biggest positive of the summer is Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer still bowling mid-September, and, and due a little rest at some stage, but not too long a rest so they keep the, the workloads going.

But actually, a few of our viewers and listeners have been jotting down a few notes.

They still really haven't got their coach in place.

But we started the summer with the Ashes review, Brendan McCullum, Ben Stokes, Rob Key, all back to stay in their positions.

And when England won that first test match, um, against New Zealand at Lords, I remember leaving Lords on quite a wet Sunday.

The football World Cup was about to start, and I remember thinking, "Cricket's not gonna be the story now for the rest of the summer.

player by player, I think, and what series you've got coming up.

And I think England have actually, give Rob Key some credit.

I think he's managed the England player participation in the IPL pretty well.

with letting Joffre Archer go and do it, opening the door for others to do it.

I, I...

We've had various conversations with, with Rob Key and, uh, people behind the scenes.

I believe Stephen's coming over in the next few days.

Um, and then obviously we're now moving straight down into the white ball into stuff tomorrow.

And it's meant to be a b- for a bunch of young players who haven't quite yet made the test team, who are then put in an England environment and encouraged and brought along to, to get them ready to play test cricket for England.

So Rob Key makes his best mate, Andrew Flintoff, coach of that team, even though Flintoff's coaching credentials are wafer-thin, right? He spent the majority of his time post-playing as a TV celebrity.

Great, brilliant, but definitely he had not done the hard yards to become-

Yeah

Oh, and by the way, anyone who comes along after me is gonna have big boots to fill." It's like...

It's just...

It makes me tear what remains of my hair out is the culture that h- under Rob Key, this extraordinary culture by which it's like, "Well, let's give this a go.

Well, let's give that a go.

How does that, how does that work? But McCullum must have had a big say in giving it, and probably was the person that once s- suggested getting him in, I, I would, I would assume.

If you're head coach, would it be-- Do we know? Was it Rob Key? Was it Brendon McCullum?

I think i- i- it hasn't been confirmed yet.

That's the, the question to be asked.