Ashes 2013/14

[villan from luton]

To be fair if they dropped all those who deserved it, they would need people to fly over there. Time for the likes of Root to show they can cope with real pressure and Pietersen and Prior to fecking perform or go forth and multiply

[bertlambshank]

To be fair if they dropped all those who deserved it, they would need people to fly over there. Time for the likes of Root to show they can cope with real pressure and Pietersen and Prior to fecking perform or go forth and multiply

Whats the point if your captain looks so scared when batting.There are so many holes in his batting it's getting embarrassing.

[Proposition Joe]

Mary mother of god, what was Cook thinking?

The Sky commentary was baffling, no criticism at all and saying it was genius from Johnson?!?  Are they really that matey with the England team that they can't tell it like it is?

[hilts_coolerking]

You can't drop the captain, not in the Ashes.  If we do that, Andy Flower may as well walk into the Aussie dressing room waving a white flag, with his trousers round his ankles and ask to be buggered senseless.

Cook has got to tough it out.  The series has almost certainly gone so he needs to stick around and help identify who needs replacing and who we should stick by.  And the rest of them - especially Carberry, Root, Stokes - should look on this as an opportunity to cement a place for the foreseeable future.  Prior, on the other hand, is very much in the last chance saloon.  I wish we'd taken a proper keeper as back-up; I'm not sure Buttler is ready yet as either a Test batsman or keeper.

ETA - Or Bairstow even.  Who is actually on the tour.  Doh.

[bertlambshank]

It worked in 81.

[hilts_coolerking]

This pitch is as flat as a pancake.  To get bowled out for less than 200 is unbe-fucking-lievable.

[hilts_coolerking]

It worked in 81.

Yes, and if we had a genius like Brearley waiting in the wings I'd agree with you.  But sadly we don't.  Who are the alternatives?  Bell?  KP?  Prior?

[PGW]

It worked in 81.

That's not quite true is it, the captain wasn't dropped just relieved of his duties!!!!

[bertlambshank]

It worked in 81.

Yes, and if we had a genius like Brearley waiting in the wings I'd agree with you.  But sadly we don't.  Who are the alternatives?  Bell?  KP?  Prior?

Needs to be somebody from outside the squad just like 81.Anyway it isn't going to happen but Gooch must go at the end of this tour.

[bertlambshank]

Fucking disgrace.No other word for it.

[PGW]

Oh dear,oh dear.....what a fuckin shambles 20-2 another poor shot.

Will the real KP stand up!

[Hoppo]

Weve had a great run. We need to keep cool heads. Call up Nick Compton for a start though.

[bertlambshank]

I have got 1 bottle left to drink thank god.

[hilts_coolerking]

The way the England set up works is that anyone who took over the captaincy from Cook would almost certainly use the same strategy, just as when Cook took over from Strauss.  It's the strategy that needs changing and, should Flower quit after this tour, it may well do.  Although if Giles is the man to replace him, I can't really see the overall approach being that different.

Clearly we don't currently have the personnel to post massive first innings scores, which is what England's method has been based solely around for some time now.  And a four man bowling attack isn't cutting the mustard either so they really are between a rock and a hard place.

[bertlambshank]

But the batting has been a problem for long enough.Its not like it has happened overnight.I agree about the four man bowling attack.