It's The Ashes (again)

[Pragmatist]

Yes, there's a load of resentment that the cheating Aussies have been saved by the weather. England had them on the ropes for sure. But the two most pertinent comments came from Glenn McGrath and Michael Vaughan.

McGrath said that England needed to play with more intensity. If you go into the game too relaxed, too jovial, that's when mistakes like dropped catches and soft dismissals happen. That's how we got 2-0 down. Vaughan said that the decision to pick Anderson cost us. Yes, we understand the sentiment to give him a last Ashes chance, but he's had no impact at all in the three games he's played.

Lessons can and will be learnt from this, but the current squad is in its autumn years. Anderson and Moeen are done. Broad might have a year or two left, Stokes needs a new knee, Wood is 33, Woakes slightly older and injured again. Bairstow is a mercurial talent, never consistent. That's a lot of talent that needs replacing, maybe even before the next Ashes down under. Now was the time to rub their noses in it, and we've blown it. We can square the series up at The Oval and it will feel like a win, but a whitewash was achievable.

Is Woakes injured again?