THE appalling performance of the England cricket team in Australia has been well chronicled.

However, could the extended family in the dressing room have anything to do with it?

After all there is the chairman of the ECB, the managing director of the ECB, the team director, batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach, fitness coach, dietician, physiotherapist, psychologist, ice-bath co-ordinator, video technologist, IT consultant, ego-polisher, Twitter/app manager, public relations executive, three PR assistants, WAGS secretary, scorer, baggage man, astrologer, two ghost writers, team bus driver, energy drinks man, medical officer, toenail cutter/boot lace tier (both combined) and confidence builder (position vacant).

Being serious, how many people are required to send 11 talented men on to a green to play cricket?

One wonders how great players of the past managed considering the regime they played under: B&B accommodation, travel by public transport, steak pies, bacon and egg, fried bread, pork pies, fish and chips, mushy peas, cream cakes, tea, gallons of beer, tobacco and socialising with the opposition, playing 22 county games a season, plus low wags, a benefit year if they were lucky, no pay in the winter unless on tour, bowling 800 overs in a season and scoring 500 runs.

Perhaps the current lot could learn from the past.

Peter Rickaby, West Park, Selby.