14 Tuesday 22nd April, 2008 Duncan Fletcher, still 's sharpest mind by Steve James Cape Town this month. This pleases "The Tests were on overnight after all," Fletcher. After publication of the book, he explains, "I'd often get up at about he tension has eased. Duncan Behind the Shades, it irked him that he quarter-to-six and watch the last 10 Fletcher has relaxed. Long gone was accused of revealing dressing-room overs or so." Bet the highlights took a Tare his final wearing months as secrets. hammering, too. coach. Long past now the vitri- Clearly the case in point was the rev- Enough to answer some tricky ques- olic fall-out from his autobiography, elation that had been tions surely.What about the Steve save for a caustic review appearing in drunk at practice. Was this in the dress- Harmison dilemma? "It's typical Harmy, the recently released Wisden. ing room? Was it heck. It was a public I'm afraid," he says, "We've seen it over Fletcher is at home in Cape Town, practice. Many people knew about the and over again. He could and should be "waiting for something interesting to misdemeanour at the time. Fletcher the No 1 bowler in the world but he can't come along", as he puts it. He's in no only mentioned it in the wake of the seem to be able to put it all together. rush. He is also unusually philosophi- 'Fredalo' story. "I saw an interview on TV the other cal. There have been offers of employ- As Fletcher's ghost-writer I know day where he was having a go back at ment, but life has not been without its that he did not set out to humiliate some current players who'd criticised complications since his resignation Flintoff. Those close to the game know him. He said something about not being from the England job a year ago yester- there was much, much more that could able to wait to see them from 22 yards. day. have been said. But Fletcher did feel Why does he need things like that to Not being one to want sympathy, it's horribly let down. Nobody in his entire motivate himself ? Why can't he just not a subject he talks about easily, but life had disappointed him as much as motivate himself ? I think he'll find it his delightful wife, Marina, has been Flintoff had on that last fateful Ashes hard to get back in. He'll need some con- unwell. Cricket has quite rightly been trip. There were gripes aplenty in the sistent performances to do so." put on the back-burner. For long periods book. Maybe I could have tempered And his fellow omission in New Fletcher has been in charge of domestic them more. On more than one occasion Zealand, ? "I was not duties. For a dedicated family man - a Fletcher said to me: "I think I'm having surprised," he says, "He always strug- proud grandfather now - it has been a too much of a go at people." gled when he was the main strike difficult time. Thankfully the worst is a good example. If bowler. His speed has been dropping for appears to have passed. Fletcher has a regret about the book it a while. I heard someone saying he'd So offers from two South African is his treatment of the Nottinghamshire lost his nip but I thought it had gone a provinces, Highveld Lions and Nashua wicketkeeper. "I wanted to show exam- while ago." Titans, were rejected. From one of them ples of why he wasn't being selected," What to do with Flintoff now? "I an offer remains open. An inquiry from says Fletcher, "but in doing so I was too honestly don't know," says Fletcher, "I the business world in Cape Town has harsh on him as a person. He's a bloody hope his foot does allow him to bowl been politely declined. A chance to help nice kid, you know." properly because otherwise his at South Africa's Academy is being But all of this is history."I'm in the will need to improve. I think it has mulled over. state of mind where nothing bugs me become pretty obvious he is not a Test And, remarkably given the money now," Fletcher says. So, rather provoca- match No 6. He is a No 7." All said floating around, a deal at the Indian tively, I mention the review in Wisden, a matter-of-factly by a man who knows. Premier League could not be sealed. publication which enraged Fletcher The players might have to become "Maybe I was asking too much," says when calling for his head in the middle used to him dissecting their perform- of the World Cup last year. ances. He is to write a column for a Fletcher, "but it was late on and things Duncan Fletcher were very rushed." A man the IPL could Its then editor, Matthew Engel, inter- daily newspaper this summer. Just a not afford. Now there's a thing. They viewed Fletcher during the book promo- shame he is not doing what he always he is now up there near 85mph. That's Fletcher rarely is wrong. Call me want the best players but clearly not the tion rounds last November. Initially threatened - to write a column the difference from when we were biased, but if there is a sharper crick- best coaches. unknowing, Fletcher suddenly twigged analysing the cricket writers' perform- looking at him - and his name did eting mind around today I have yet to For Fletcher is still one of the the identity of his interrogator. And ances in their match reports. That come up regularly at selection. And, hear it. world's best coaches; England's most Engel wondered why the shutters went would have been interesting for all of hey, you can't get it right with every And if you require further evi- successful ever. Indeed, his influence down. us. guy." dence of Fletcher's coaching ability still hangs over the current side like "Don't care," replies Fletcher about There is one more question, Flippin' heck, that was nearly an just take a look at Jacques Kallis when Banquo's ghost at the feast in Macbeth. this year's volley.And I believe him. In though. Ryan Sidebottom - just one admission of wrong from Fletcher. His he arrives with South Africa this sum- Not that anybody wishes to admit as times past I might not have. As his book Test under Fletcher in 2001 - did inability to do just that has been one mer. Indubitably he possesses the much. Players are wary of doing so pub- showed, he cared more about criticism rather well in New Zealand, didn't he? of the loudest criticisms emanating tightest batting technique in the licly for fear of upsetting his successor, than he ever wished to let on. "I'll ask you this," he replies, "If we from the book, even if coming from world. He just happened to go to . Some journalists seek to Fletcher reckons he did not watch made such a mess of not picking him most journalists it is rather rich. It is school with Fletcher's son, Michael. find favour for the new regime in com- much of the recent New Zealand Test after his debut, how come Yorkshire the one carp with which I can find For hours on end Fletcher threw parison with the old. Mostly they are series. "Nah, is boring," he got rid of him [in 2004]? He needed a some resonance. Quite early in the him balls in the nets. Kallis is very running up blind alleys. jokes. I thought he was about to extol wake-up call and got it at book process I gave up questioning too good, great even, but he is also a lucky Several prominent England players the virtues of the IPL but, "the rugby Nottinghamshire. much. so-and-so. are still in regular contact with [Super 14 and Six Nations] has been "I always said he wasn't fast This is much more a strength than Telegraph Fletcher. One played golf with him in much more interesting," he continues. enough but I see on the speed gun that a weakness. And in cricketing terms Serena dispatches Zvonareva Geoff Cook hits back over Harmison for Family Circle crown criticism CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP): first set and scattering 10 aces next game, then held serve at Geoff Cook, the Durham coach, Serena Williams captured the during the match. love in the next. shrugged off the latest criticism of Steve Family Circle Cup title "I just wanted to get that "She never made a mistake Harmison and praised him for his part Sunday, defeating Vera first set under my belt, and when I was up," Zvonareva in the dramatic win which launched the Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 for her thank God I did because I lost said. "I think I could have done holders' defence of the Friends Provident first clay court title since the second," said Williams, a little better job about hold- Trophy. the 2002 . who anticipated long ing my serve, which I wasn't The fast bowler had come under fire Williams' third day against the able to do." from former England coach Duncan title of the year ninth-seeded Williams then broke Fletcher, who said: "We've seen it over was expected to Russian. "I've Zvonareva a second time, tak- and over again. He should be the No 1 lift her to No. played her a few ing advantage of two consecu- bowler in the world, but he can't seem to 6 in the times, so I real- tive double-faults. be able to put it all together." rankings. ly know her "She always puts pressure Harmison played his part in a She won game and on you, so you always have to thrilling five-run win, taking two for 40 earlier in she's a real go for a bigger serve and even- in 10 overs, and Cook said: "These obser- Bangalore fighter and tually your serve percentage vations seem to be coming from 360 and Miami. she never goes down," said Zvonareva, degrees - current players, former players She is 19-1 stops." who ended with eight double- and former coaches. The sad thing is in matches Williams faults. "I accepted I would have most of them know what he's like as a this year improved to 5-1 some double-faults today and I character. after win- against knew it was going to happen "The criticism is based on his desire ning her 31st Zvonareva, who when I was coming into the to be a family man and in that sense Marcel Granollers-PPujol, of , celebrates after defeating in career title should rise to No. match. It's just too bad to have there's not enough respect shown to the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship finals match Sunday, April 20, on the 14 in the rankings two of them in a row." Steve. But if he reacts in a way which is 2008, in Houston. Granollers-PPujol won 6-44, 1-66, 7-55 to win the championship. green clay by making the finals. positive for him and for us then that's (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) here on a In the third set, good. breezy, Zvonareva broke "He showed a lot of character today,as over- Williams in the third he did for us last season. It's not easy Granollers-Pujol beats Blake to cast game -- the final when you have had so much vitriol after- point on Williams' thrown at you to come out and perform win US Men's Clay Court C’ship second double- in front of the Sky cameras. At the end fault of the day. he was looking like his old self." by Betsy Blainey backhand volley at 30-all that But Williams Fletcher also had dig at Matthew would have taken him to match broke back in the Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff. HOUSTON (AP) - Marcel point. Blake closed out the game The former missed the match with a Granollers-Pujol of Spain upset to break. stiff neck, and Yorkshire's coach, Martyn top-seeded James Blake 6-4, 1-6, 7- Up 30-love on his own serve, Moxon, agreed that Hoggard had lost a 5 in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Blake missed a backhand passing bit of pace but explained that they were Championship final for his first shot. Blake lost the next three working on his alignment to get it back. tour title on Sunday. points to drop his serve and man- noon. Flintoff was not in action yesterday as The seventh-seeded Granollers- aged only one point when "I feel Lancashire's FP Trophy match with Pujol came back from 3-0 down in Granollers-Pujol served for the like I have Derbyshire was rained off, but he proved the third set, turning back the match. some his fitness in the Championship match at American who at one point won Afterward, he and his coach momentum The Oval last week, bowling 28 overs. leaped into the River Oaks 18 of 19 points. behind me Durham were coasting when Country Club pool in celebration. But Granollers-Pujol, No. 84 in and I just Yorkshire, needing 221, were 140 for eight The match was stopped for the world, would not go away and want to keep in the 42nd over when Ajmal Shahzad about 20 minutes early in the sec- Blake, the world's eighth-ranked going," said the fifth- joined Tim Bresnan. But the target was ond set when a spectator col- player, missed a chance to win his seeded Williams, who won down to six off two balls when Bresnan lapsed and paramedics came to first clay-court title. He lost in the $197,000 and a crystal cup at was last out for 55, driving a slower ball treat him and wheel him out on a quarterfinals two years ago, and the $1.3 million tournament. "I from to Dale gurney. the semifinals last year. definitely look at everyone as Benkenstein at extra cover. When Granollers-Pujol was The Spaniard won it when my clay court competition." The target had still looked way beyond down 3-0 in the final set, the Blake hit a backhand long. Unlike earlier matches at Yorkshire with 63 needed off six overs, Granollers-Pujol turned to his Spaniard didn't collapse. He held the Family Circle, Williams but it was down to 44 off four when Neil coach and screamed as he squat- and broke Blake in a game that started strong, winning the Killeen returned. ted and clenched his fists. had four deuces. He got the break The veteran seamer's first seven "I feel very, very good," the 22- after Blake chased down a deft Serena Williams celebrates her 6-44, 3-66, 6-33 vic- immaculate overs with the new ball had year-old resident said. dropshot, returned it up the line tory over Vera Zvonareva, of Russia, during the seen him take two for 11, but both "It's the best day of my life. I'm before Granollers-Pujol hit a Bresnan and Shahzad drove him for six very happy for this." crosscourt backhand passing shot finals of the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament, as 22 came off the 47th over. He served for the match a first that the American could only in Charleston, S.C., on Sunday, April 20, 2008. time at 5-4 but netted an easy touch with his frame. (AP Photo/Alice Keeney) Telegraph