Shirley Tart: The way our sportsmen behave just isn't cricket

Anyway, we've gone our seperate ways.

I could stand the dismal performances of our Ashes team in Australia. I simply hoped they would do better next time. Silly me.

But what's made me finally bury my new year intentions is the childish behaviour from the grown men paid a fortune to play a game they love, while entertaining a devoted public in the process.

As is the case with real fans, we're mostly prepared to forgive and forget, and then will them on to success in the future.

It's not too much to ask that our cricketing heroes act their age, is it?

What we don't want is for our heroes to be indulging in this inter-Continental sniping at each other.

Pietersen and Swann, along with Matt Prior, are almost a team of their own. Then there's Piers Morgan giving his two-pennies' worth.

Honestly, it's pathetic.

Graeme Swann has called his former England team-mate Kevin Pietersen 'childish'. This is after the batsman, who has now decamped to India, replied to a verbal attack from Prior by suggesting the wicketkeeper would find it hard to ever get a Test recall. Internet, Facebook, Twitter, you name it, they've been on there.

So they won a match in the Caribbean the other day? Who cares?

Our national cricketers have distinguished themselves this year by losing everything and insulting each other by any means possible.

And all the while we, the fans, simply will them on to play better cricket.

Well, for now, my little blue rule book is staying firmly closed.

So where do I look for a new sporting passion now?

Tennis is a given, of course, but could I add something like being a football expert to the list?

Not likely. Not least because of Sol Campbell's claims that despite his charisma (his words) he wasn't chosen to captain England because he is not white. It's a claim which left the rest of the football world incredulous.

And this has nothing to do with the fact he has a book to sell, of course.