Miller's selectors have picked a fine time to lose the plot

England's cricketers are struggling to avoid a first defeat in seven Tests. But their selectors have already lost, or at least mislaid, the Midas touch with the recruitment of Darren Pattinson capping a bad few weeks.

The four-man panel of Geoff Miller, coach Peter Moores, James Whitaker and Ashley Giles was set up six months ago following a decision to ditch long-time chairman David Graveney. Their first big call, made just before the Wellington Test in mid-March, put a huge amount of credit in the bank.

When England were badly beaten at Hamilton in the first match of the series, on-site selector Whitaker postponed his trip home from New Zealand and, after much deliberation, it was announced that not only Steve Harmison but also Matthew Hoggard had lost their spots.

Replacements Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson did well; a victory in Wellington was followed by another at Napier and, since then, the same XI have added a home series win over the Kiwis before dominating the first three days against South Africa at Lord's.

The axing of Hoggard was a brave call, and one which Anderson's bowling has vindicated. But, since then, the selectors have been short on imagination and less than sound in judgement.

Remember the NatWest one-day series against New Zealand? Tim Ambrose would like to forget it after scoring 10 runs in five innings once England decided that he, rather than Matt Prior, was the country's best bet as a limited-overs batsman-keeper.