It's The Ashes (again)

[Cheshire East Baggie]

It's anybody's game just now. Every chance we can claw it back to 2-1.

Here's a thought. What if the unfashionable Chris Woakes, with almost 100 Test wickets in England at an average in the low 20s, had played at Lords instead of the obviously unfit or out-of-form Anderson? Even (perish the thought) been preferred to the GOAT for Edgbaston? With Robinson being fugged they won't have the problem of dropping Woaksy to give Anderson a farewell appearance at Old Trafford. Nevertheless, cronyism and complacency in selection and on the field has put us 2-0 down.

Baz'n'Ben aren't impressing me with their cricketing intelligence, even though Stokes is carrying the team with his awesome batting.

I'd also like to say Rob Key deserves a mention, seeing as he's in charge of selection and no doubt influenced both the bowling choices and the lack of a wicketkeeper.

Though to be fair I don't think Woakes was fit for Edgbaston, certainly not fit enough to play a test match.

Hindsight OK, but I think the wickets were prepared for swing. Team selection too. It didn'thappen and  the Aussies extra 5mph bowling helped them look better than ours. As Malcolm Tucker pointed out, it is dropped catches that is why we're 2-0 down, little else. Some great batsmen, on both sides, have failed repeatedly. Whatever it finishes at, the margin currently is closer than the score. I'm not buying this "they are much better" theme. If we fold now and we  get thumped, then thats so. It just confirms a mental weakness that's haunted many of our best players for years. Currently there is no sign of that at all. No fear, no negativity, no hanging on in the hope of a draw and failing. Go for it,  and if it fails, do it again but better.

We've played all three matches so far effectively a bowler down. Mo with his finger (which was entirely predictable, given his historic problems with it) as well as Anderson being well below par at Edgbaston. Anderson a virtual passenger at Lords, with Stokes ignoring him at crucial times. Robinson's fitness problems re-emerge at the worst possible moment at Headingley. Oz were also a bowler short at Lords, but it does seem to be the batters who are failing on both sides.