andy wrote:Think its a dreadful move to make Bancroft captain i really do, surely Smith or Lees would have been better options..? hell anyone would have been
Undoubtedly Bancroft made a serious error of judgement, the stigma attached to it no doubt will remain with him for many years, but the fact is that he has fully served the punishment imposed by the relevant authorities and should therefore be free to return to the game without further sanction. There was no restriction to captaincy in the sentence imposed as there were with the other 2 miscreants.
Durham CCC have already explained the wholly rational decision to make the appointment.
Marcus North is probably the best qualified to make a character call on Bancroft having been a playing colleague of him when he was a youngster. Also,Durham had no real alternatives for captaincy with both Lees and Raine declining the position for valid reasons -it's also should be noted that Stoneman, Coughlin and Jennings were being groomed for captaincy but left the club as a consequence of ECB sanctions.
It would have been easy for Bancroft to have slid in quietly as a player but instead he has recognised the club's need and accepted the responsibility of captain fully aware that his every action is to be fully scrutinised.
Perhaps his action should be commended more than condemned.