Strauss is right to take a break

It was a wholly expected move but this didn't stop Andrew Strauss and the selectors being criticised for the decision to rest the captain during the forthcoming Test series with Bangladesh.

With Strauss one of a clutch of batsmen currently out of sorts some believe he should take his place on the tour to help guide his side back into form again. His absence could cause resentment among the travelling players.

But while the decision to rest a captain would have seemed ludicrous a few years ago, in the hectic modern calendar it is, for me, a sensible move and one that is symptomatic of the cricket overkill we are experiencing at the moment.

Last year England participated in the World Twenty20, the Ashes, the Champions Trophy and the winter tour of South Africa. Coming up we have the tour of Bangladesh and Pakistan before the start of the domestic season. Then the summer international schedule starts with return Tests and one-day internationals against Bangladesh and Pakistan and a one-day series against Australia.

After that comes a trip down under for the Ashes, the most important series of the lot as the team look to keep their hands on the urn.

With a schedule as tightly packed as that it is good forward thinking by the selectors to give Strauss a rest in what is arguably the easiest Test series. This should allow him to recharge his batteries ahead of a gruelling 12 months.

There is too much cricket played nowadays and something has to give. The selectors will have looked at the next year and pinpointed the Ashes as the most important fixtures of the lot. The 5-0 whitewash inflicted during England's last trip to Australia still hurts so they have to take every step possible to try and ensure victory. A fresh and focused captain will be part of that.

However, there is no doubt that Strauss's absence will put a dent in England's Test series odds  for the trip to Bangladesh.

In other sports news, the big freeze which led to the abandonment of many race meetings in the UK has now ended meaning trainers can focus on preparing their horses for this year's Grand National.

Guest post by Tom Mallows