Last season more than 100 players who learnt their cricket abroad up to the age of 21 played first-class cricket here. Can you suggest ways in which home-grown players could find it easier to break into county cricket? The financial incentives are obviously inadequate.
Mike Edwards by email
Peter Moores You can take confidence from the fact that the really talented players always get to the top. The balance of overseas players is something the ECB is trying to get right, but we've got 18 first-class counties so there are enough positions. The financial incentive has really gone up; the incentive to play for England is good, but for players it is about the passion, not the money.
Why have England failed to produce a leg spinner like Shane Warne? Tom Landers Oxford
The ECB started a wrist-spinning programme three years ago and recently appointed Dave Parsons as its spin coach. There is some talent out there but finding our own Shane Warne is a big ask. He is kind of a freak. What we need to do is get spinners attacking again.
Are one-day and Twenty20 cricket ruining good technique? Matthew Horton N4 London
No. One-day cricket and Twenty20 is a real test of a player's skills. The shorter the game, the more it forces you to use different skills. If you're a bowler and you can't bowl a yorker and a slower ball for variety, you're in trouble. Twenty20 has been great for the game, bringing in a whole new audience.
Are we in any position to win the World Cup or should the Ashes be our focus? Alfred Wise Cambridge
They have got to try and do both. The Ashes is going to be very tough. And though we were beaten in India in the one-dayers, what has been happening is that new players have been tested. Liam Plunkett, Jimmy Anderson, Alistair Cooke and Owais Shah have played well. Over the next 12 months the key will be getting a settled side. Duncan Fletcher will definitely want to win both.
Is the standard of county cricket in terminal decline? What needs to be done to get cricket back in schools? Troy Abbot N7 London
County cricket is not in decline. I think it is actually getting better. The division split has increased the intensity of the game and there are plenty of examples of players like Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Cook and Shah who have come out of county cricket and done well for England. There is a lot of excitement around about cricket at the moment and that will help attract new players. We also have the Chance to Shine project launched by the Government and the ECB to encourage cricket in schools.
Is there any area in particular you want to target at the academy? Simon Mundy Gloucester
My style is very much that good players don't do the basic skills much differently, but it is whether you can do it at pace. You might be able to play a technically perfect defensive stroke at 40mph, but can you do it facing Brett Lee? We want to challenge players, testing their technique to see if they can help create he skills they need.