Last Updated on 3 weeks ago by Charbel Coorey

Paul Farbrace has spoken out about the disconnect between County cricket and the England national team.

In an interview with talkSPORT Cricket, the Sussex coach spoke of his disappointment towards England coach Brendon McCullum. Farbrace believes McCullum is not interested in County cricket, not just because he sticks with the same players for Test cricket, but due to the fact he doesn’t make contact.

“You just know Brendon McCullum isn’t interested in County cricket. You know that he’s got no real interest in it,” Farbrace said.

“He thinks County cricket is all about playing on the front foot against the seaming ball, and Test match cricket’s all about playing on the back foot against the bouncing ball.”

Paul Farbrace saddened by disconnect between England and County cricket

Farbrace spoke of the importance of County cricket producing good players for England. However, the fact minimal contact is made can be disheartening for cricketers.

“Because of the disconnect, when England have started to lose or not play well, there’s almost been a feeling in County cricket that ‘we’re not really bothered whether England are doing well or not’, and that really saddens me,” Farbrace said.

“Our job is to produce players to play for England. Our jobs are to produce players who play for England and be proud of it as counties. To develop homegrown talent, and to win trophies for members and supporters.”

Farbrace then brushed off suggestions coming from England management that McCullum keeps a close eye on County cricket. In fact, a report in The Guardian on March 22 stated that the England head coach must improve relations with the counties.

“That’s what County cricket is there for. And it’s really sad that… we know the head coach has got no interest, and despite others saying he has, he hasn’t, that’s really obvious,” the Sussex coach continued.

“He makes no contact with people, he doesn’t want to talk about County cricket, he picks who he wants, which is fine when you’re winning, but when you start losing, and you know you’ve got players in your [county] squad who could do a good job and you’re not being spoken to about that, or you know the head coach has got no interest, then that’s quite hard to take.”

Numerous players, pundits speak out against England management

Farbrace’s comments come as a number of players and pundits have spoken out against the England management’s lack of detail and poor planning.

Jonny Bairstow, one of the main stars early in the Bazball era, criticised the regime for lack of care. Liam Livingstone was told he “cares too much.” Ben Foakes, in an interview with The Cricketer, shed light about England removing Bruce French as wicket-keeping coach and having batter Keaton Jennings do the role.

The likes of Michael Vaughan believe McCullum and Rob Key are fortunate to keep their jobs after an awful Ashes series.

“Now we are told there will be a greater emphasis on attention to detail,” Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph.

“If that is the case, then Brendon should be here early this summer watching county cricket and meeting people face-to-face to rebuild bridges because a lot of people in the county system were more than happy to see England get royally beaten in Australia and that cannot be right.”

However, the optics haven’t necessarily improved. According to Rob Key in his interview with Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton for Sky Sports, McCullum will arrive back in England just days before their Test series against New Zealand in June. “He’s getting here the end of May,” he said, as quoted by The i Paper.

“McCullum is the highest-paid international coach in the world so expecting him to arrive in England earlier than five days before the first Test is surely the bare minimum,” Vaughan continued.

“Instead he is having a Zoom call with the county directors of cricket and I’m staggered he is not arriving in England until 30 May when the first Test against New Zealand starts at Lord’s on 4 June. That is not good enough and already suggests attention to detail is just words.”

In response, the ECB said there was no date booked for McCullum’s return to England. Such a contradiction to Key’s comments indicates those in the leadership positions were fortunate to keep their jobs.

Can they turn things around in the next 12-18 months, including regaining the Ashes in 2027? Time will tell.