Ashes 2013/14

[Proposition Joe]

BTW Johnson was looking down on pace and not so threatening in the morning session.  Root and Carberry had few problems, and he even started looking slightly ragged.

Then our batsmen threw their wickets away and exposed the tail.  But all these headlines "Johnson blows England away" don't really tell the story - Johnson blew our tail away, but the top order, Cook aside, seemed quite comfortable.

[taylorsworkrate]

In fairness, Johnson did bowl well. So credit to him.

What is galling is the lack of stomach for battle in our middle order. Australia must be pissing themselves laughing at how easy it is for them.

[OCD]

The most worrying thing to me is the form of Cook. This has been going on for a while now, and I'd hate it to be the captain's curse affecting him because he might not actually be our best captain, but he's our best batsman when on form I think.

The ex-pro's often talk about how hard is to open the batting as a Captain when you've been in the field for so long trying to put plans in place to take wickets. Strauss struggled with this towards the end too. After this series I would be tempted to make Anderson captain and let Cook just focus on his batting.

Carberry deserves a chance and I would still move Bell up to 3. I would look to freshen the middle order up a little whilst trying to not throw the baby away with the bathwater. Probably bring in Buttler for Prior. Maybe give Stokes a chance to see if he can be a genuine all-rounder.

[eastie]

The most worrying thing to me is the form of Cook. This has been going on for a while now, and I'd hate it to be the captain's curse affecting him because he might not actually be our best captain, but he's our best batsman when on form I think.

The ex-pro's often talk about how hard is to open the batting as a Captain when you've been in the field for so long trying to put plans in place to take wickets. Strauss struggled with this towards the end too. After this series I would be tempted to make Anderson captain and let Cook just focus on his batting.

Carberry deserves a chance and I would still move Bell up to 3. I would look to freshen the middle order up a little whilst trying to not throw the baby away with the bathwater. Probably bring in Buttler for Prior. Maybe give Stokes a chance to see if he can be a genuine all-rounder.

I'd give them maybe one last chance but if the ashes are lost in test 3 them make a few changes.

[aj2k77]

The most worrying thing to me is the form of Cook. This has been going on for a while now, and I'd hate it to be the captain's curse affecting him because he might not actually be our best captain, but he's our best batsman when on form I think.

The ex-pro's often talk about how hard is to open the batting as a Captain when you've been in the field for so long trying to put plans in place to take wickets. Strauss struggled with this towards the end too. After this series I would be tempted to make Anderson captain and let Cook just focus on his batting.

Carberry deserves a chance and I would still move Bell up to 3. I would look to freshen the middle order up a little whilst trying to not throw the baby away with the bathwater. Probably bring in Buttler for Prior. Maybe give Stokes a chance to see if he can be a genuine all-rounder.

I'd give them maybe one last chance but if the ashes are lost in test 3 them make a few changes.

I wouldn't expose anymore young newcomers into this side over there. The atmosphere and team mentality isn't a good environment to grow into. Let the ''old'' guard disgrace themselves for the rest of the series and bed new players next year.

[OzVilla]

Both Swann and Prior should be taken out for Perth, for everyone's sake.

They look so off the pace it's embarrassing.

After th.e tour if it ends up like I think it will then Andrson, Pietersen and Flower/Gooch can go too.  It was great while it lasted but those times have gone.

The manner of which we lost in Brisbane and so far here has been as poor as I've ever seen from England, and that really is saying something.

If there's not wholesale changes after this then there never will be.

[eastie]

Both Swann and Prior should be taken out for Perth, for everyone's sake.

They look so off the pace it's embarrassing.

After th.e tour if it ends up like I think it will then Andrson, Pietersen and Flower/Gooch can go too.  It was great while it lasted but those times have gone.

The manner of which we lost in Brisbane and so far here has been as poor as I've ever seen from England, and that really is saying something.

If there's not wholesale changes after this then there never will be.

I thought the Aussies would push us closer but this is embarrassing - they are thrashing us and we look awful - it's quite shocking how far we have fallen so quickly.

[bertlambshank]

Gooch out!

[eastie]

I was amazed Clarke didnt enforce the follow on - it gives us a slight glimmer of hope although it would take a mammoth change in form to get a draw.

[dave.woodhall]

I was amazed Clarke didnt enforce the follow on - it gives us a slight glimmer of hope although it would take a mammoth change in form to get a draw.

Because they didn't want to take the risk of chasing 100-odd on the last day.

[villan from luton]

The batting was awful, Root and Pietersen should be ashamed of themselves. Some of them seem to have lost their edge and it does seem we are coming to an end of an era.

[eastie]

I was amazed Clarke didnt enforce the follow on - it gives us a slight glimmer of hope although it would take a mammoth change in form to get a draw.

Because they didn't want to take the risk of chasing 100-odd on the last day.

For that to happen England would have had to get well over 500 - and the Aussies would have easily chased a 100 or so with 10 wickets - now though it's not beyond possibility to bat the game out although very difficult to do so .

Maybe they are still remembering the time they enforced the follow on and lost under ponting , I certainly expect a quick declaration this morning - if we could bat to tea with one or two down then there is hope - although more likely to be all out well before tea for less than 200

[dave.woodhall]

I was amazed Clarke didnt enforce the follow on - it gives us a slight glimmer of hope although it would take a mammoth change in form to get a draw.

Because they didn't want to take the risk of chasing 100-odd on the last day.

For that to happen England would have had to get well over 500 - and the Aussies would have easily chased a 100 or so with 10 wickets - now though it's not beyond possibility to bat the game out although very difficult to do so .

Maybe they are still remembering the time they enforced the follow on and lost under ponting , I certainly expect a quick declaration this morning - if we could bat to tea with one or two down then there is hope - although more likely to be all out well before tea for less than 200

Shall we just accept that the captain of Australia knows a bit more about cricket than you do?

[bertlambshank]

Also he wanted to keep the Aussie bowlers fresh.Any captain with 2 1/2 days left would of done the same.

[OzVilla]

Agreed, there was 220 overs left in the game and England are batting for about 60 of those over the last 3 innings - and the pitch is wearing a bit now.

With back to back Tests Clarke is just turning the screw, getting loads of overs into our bowlers legs and demoralizing us. This is a hammering in every possible respect.