The Ashes

Buttler out for nowt.

Pathetic shambles yet again.

Quoted from smokey111

They keep teasing us by being competitive for the odd session here and there!

It’s the hope that kills you!

You have to question the mentality though, do some of these guys have the mindset for test cricket? I think not.

Now it looks like our terrible non selections and the subsequent peculiar (mis)use of Stokes has broken him too.

It never rains…

Quoted from Sandford1981

It’s the hope that kills you!

You have to question the mentality though, do some of these guys have the mindset for test cricket? I think not.

Now it looks like our terrible non selections and the subsequent peculiar (mis)use of Stokes has broken him too.

It never rains…

Certainly is mate. I actually thought we could have posted 350 when I woke up (obviously 150 - 2). I fear Stokes may end up out of the series if they don't manage him properly.

Quoted from smokey111

Certainly is mate. I actually thought we could have posted 350 when I woke up (obviously 150 - 2). I fear Stokes may end up out of the series if they don't manage him properly.

Malan and Root batted nicely again without going on to score big hundreds again. I was particularly disappointed with them both because Root gets out playing a ball he could leave and then Malan gets out softly at a terrible time.

What comes after was entirely predictable to anyone that watches a lot of England test cricket. That’s the thing that annoys me most. It makes the approach of both pope and Buttler even more bewildering.

Of course playing Buttler is for when we have a good platform (humour me for a second) and he can let loose. With that almost never occurring you have to question his selection. Im a huge fan of Ben Foakes once he is fit.

This is the worst test side we have had in quite a few years, the batting is a poor standard with several players not up to the standard required but the trouble is there are no real suitable players coming through in county cricket.

Quoted from Davec

This is the worst test side we have had in quite a few years, the batting is a poor standard with several players not up to the standard required but the trouble is there are no real suitable players coming through in county cricket.

Widely and generally The structure and schedule of the longer format in this country is blame. There are too many teams which dilutes the quality, it’s played at the wrong time of year and is in competition with too many white ball competitions and fixtures.

The result is that we pick players that make runs at county level but find the step up to test level too much.
We need to be looking beyond numbers only to try and unearth some players who may have modest records but be made of the right stuff as we have done previously.

The openers fail again, leaving us with Root to try and bail us out once more.

Morning session to the Aussies.

We can't win a session, never mind a game.

Root out for 50. 4 down and not reached 100 yet.

Time for bed methinks.

Finally win a session, then come out after lunch and throw the ball to Leach, who is bowling totally non threatening deliveries, around the wicket into the pads, totally letting the Aussies off the hook. Terrible captaincy from Root.

Quoted from ginnywings

Finally win a session, then come out after lunch and throw the ball to Leach, who is bowling totally non threatening deliveries, around the wicket into the pads, totally letting the Aussies off the hook. Terrible captaincy from Root.

Leach has no rhythm and confidence because of his misuse by Root. He’s also non threatening because of the defensive fields Root sets. It’s no coincidence he gets his wicket when the field was set differently and he had to play back. Root is so defensive that our wicket taking abilities are often blunted by our own skipper.