ATHLETICS legend Steve Cram has slammed the state of male British sprinting after their abject showing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Only one of Britain's athletes managed to make it into the 100m or 200m final here in Melbourne with many well short of fitness and well past their best.

And Cram believes that poor selection is to blames and feels the policy of holding trials in July needs to be looked at.

Lone 100m finalist Marlon Devonish went out in the 200m semis, Darren Campbell was disqualified in the heats, as was Mark Lewis-Francis in the 100m, while Jason Gardener finished fifth in his 100m second-round heat.

Christian Malcolm didn't get past the first round of the 100m and didn't even make it to the start line in the 200m, although the Newport sprinter did have a hamstring injury to blame for his failure to make any impact in Melbourne.

Cram said: "The danger is we think there's a quick fix for British sprinting, but there isn't. It's a combination of poor selection and poor performance.

"Campbell was picked on what he has done in the past and that was a wrong decision.

"Others were picked on their performance back in July, but it was farcical having the trial in July - nine months before the Games."

Until Melbourne, a British athlete had claimed at least one 200m medal in each of the last seven Games.

And Cram believes that the selectors in England, Scotland and Wales need to take a look at their selection policy.

He said: "The selectors should have sat down in September and said 'who are the kids who will be hunting for medals in three or four years time?'

"With 2012 coming up we have to be smarter about who we are bringing to major events now and we need to make those changes as soon as possible."

Meanwhile Julie Crane's surprise silver medal for Wales at the high jump left her with mixed emotions.

The 29-year-old felt she was denied gold after she had cleared 1.88m. Crane then wanted a third attempt at 1.91m, but she broke the line of the bar as she pulled out of her initial attempt on the run-up.

South Africa's Anika Smith equalled her personal best of 1.91m to win gold.

"I protested at the time, but they wouldn't let me try again, it's really disappointing," said Crane.

"I have to be happy with silver, it's good to get another medal for Wales and my family and friends will be proud.

"It's disappointing because I didn't jump as high asI would have liked and the winning height was only one up.

"I feel I could have been in with a shout at gold."

Meanwhile, the men's 4x400m pulled out of the competition as they couldn't raise a team.

Last night Rhys Williams came fourth in the men's 400m hurdles, but suffered a minor hamstring tear in the process, forcing his withdrawal from the Games and leaving Gareth Warburton, David Greene and Matt Elias as the only fit athletes.

The squad had been cited as strong medal contenders prior to the Games but the withdrawal of Tim Benjamin, Iwan Thomas and now Williams has left the side depleted and with no other option but to withdraw from the event.

The 4 x 400m stars were hoping to wreak revenge on the English quartet who beat them to gold by a whisker at the 2002 Manchester Games.