Small-minded prejudice ... or spot on?

I must say I am lucky not to have been born during such times that your grandparents and parents generations had to live through. Thank you for giving us all a riveting read, I am always interested to see how our nation is perceived across the globe. I am a proud Englishman, and although some closed-minded individuals may find articles like yours offensive, I am delighted that Cricinfo remains a politically unbiased platform that fully supports our most important right to Free Speech. Mr Welford

No thanks Dileep. Your response to the (mostly well justified) critical feedback alludes to the way British Asians feel and the old 'Tebbit test'. You do not represent British Asians and no-one has given you the mandate to do so. Who will I be supporting at Nagpur? - India. Does that mean I was upset by England winning the Ashes? - no, I was bloody delighted (and most other British Asians were too). Bobby Nayyar

Dileep Premachandran finds it hard to forgive England's South African rebels, but hails the wonderful Australian, Kim Hughes. It may be worth his while checking out what exactly Kim Hughes was doing in South Africa in 1985. Andy Gould

It was the summation of one man's bitter and small-minded prejudice and misinterpretation. Of course, every man is entitled to his own prejudices. However, it seems to me that printing or publishing such opinions should not be part of a reputable website for cricket lovers. Christopher Cradock

I was truly upset by the sheer spitefulness of Dileep Premachandran's piece. No credit for Botham's stand against racism or, come to that, current England crowds' intolerance of racism. Obviously no appreciation of cricket's greatest dramas - such as Headingley 1981 - because England won. Knowledge that every England victory gives pain to him will make any victory all the sweeter. Peter Banyard

I am not English, so I am not writing this out of patriotic indignation. I can appreciate someone from one of England's former colonies feeling some resentment. But can you imagine if an English person wrote an article similar to this one about India? Or Pakistan or West Indies? It would be considered incendiary and I doubt if you'd publish it. I don't think it is in your interest to publish articles that stir racial unpleasantness. B Fraser

There have been innumerable occasions, though most of them in the past, that I have had much to loathe about English cricketers. It really did cover the whole gamut of incompetence to arrogance; which seemed to bear the unquestionable mark of the quintessential English cricketer; and both quite unjustified. Although I'd like to believe as an Indian in the UK, that this is a thing of the past Freddie Flintoff's shirt antics at Mumbai were quite revealing. I was certainly one of those cheering Ganguly on when he returned the favour at Lords. Indeed this kind of an imperialist attitude coupled with the post-Ashes yob culture is what has beset the English team from performing under gruelling and challenging conditions. Raj Singh

England is a country which is not proud of some of its past, but is currently trying to put aside racial divides. Your ramblings do nothing to help. Gareth

Excellent article, but I would have hoped that you would have acknowledged the title (if not the sentiments, though they run in parallel) to Mike Marqusee's excellent book on the same theme. Raja Sengupta

It seemed to be written by someone with a very big chip on their shoulder (for probably valid reasons though). I can understand these type of articles being written to address important cultural issues, but the sport of Cricket and England itself I believe has moved on from the 1980's for the better, and this article doesn't really have any point to it anymore, and simply causes more resentment between people and cultures. Alexander Weeks

What a shame that the writer has become infected by the same racism of which he accuses the English. I would hope that any team would be viewed on its merits and not labelled as unacceptable by virtue of their country of origin. Nigel Turner

Although the article was aimed at the England cricket team, it reads as an offensive and unneccessary attack on many English and British themes and thus I and many other British readers have taken offence. I am very disappointed that a normally impartial and excellently produced website has chosen to include such a poorly written and offensive article. Dave Pinder

This seems rather out of place in Cricinfo's editorial, which is usually very relevant and interesting - this piece being neither. I do find it a little unpleasant, but my main gripe is that it comes across as completely biased, quite useless, and also slightly inflammatory. It's not (quite) racist, but is hardly contributing to good race relations, nor the "spirit of cricket". Jonathan Wright

I find the article "Anyone but Little England" highly offensive, racist and devisive. I'm amazed that you can publish such an article with the current climate of division and racial tension, and I will no longer be visiting your site, or reading your articles. Richard Evans

The editorial lacked focus or any real point of interest - it contained little relevant to today's cricketing world and will serve only to encourage division within cricket. I find it most disappointing that you saw fit to publish this. Aidan Swain