Hussain resignation
Thursday, March 6 2003
Lamb admitted that Hussain had been considering his future for "a couple of weeks", adding that (the Zimbabwe affair) "...was a stressful time for everyone. Nasser did feel under pressure. It was also a difficult time for a lot of other people. I can assure you he had the full support of the ECB."
It is common for boards to lose faith or confidence in managers or captains, but it is quite another matter for a captain to lose confidence in his board. Those who witnessed the press conference in mid-February where Hussain made a lone appearance before the camera to confirm that England would not be travelling to Harare were left in little doubt that his criticism of the whole situation was not just aimed at the ICC. "Authorities are authorities in general. I am upset with the way they have handled the whole situation.... My trust in authoritiies is very low." He continued "It is only the players and the cricket that keeps me going. I am going to have to throw myself into cricket. If I have to think about the authorities I will go round in circles."
Clearly, Hussain resented the fact that the ECB had apologised on his behalf to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed when he felt that he had nothing to apologise for.
Speculation is rife as to possible candidates for the captaincy, with the names of Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick amongst the favourites. Other possibilities are Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood together with old stagers Graham Thorpe and Mark Butcher. Duncan Fletcher today intimated that the next captain may not come from within the current squad, increasing speculation that Adam Hollioake might be brought in from the wilderness.
Hussain is now taking two months off from any involvement with cricket and has removed himself from the England test selection panel, although there is no sign of him wishing to retire from international cricket or to relinquish the England test captaincy at this stage. "I would like to play 100 Tests, it's been an ambition of mine. Whether this is as captain or not is up to the selectors."
Posted by Eddie
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