The Ashes

[Tom Joad 25]

We'll certainly see an in-depth review of the Bazball experiment unless they claw it back to 2-2 or even win 3-2.

I'd start by looking at the positives. Stokes has instilled respect for the captain, which was sadly lacking in recent times. Anderson famously told Strauss to fuck off when he didn't like his bowling suggestions. Cook let Anderson and Broad call all the bowling. Joe Root was never supported by their "safety first" bowling in his later years of captaincy - Ben Stokes told them "pitch the ball up and try to take wickets". Batters have been freed up to bat without fear and to have belief, which has rarely been the case in my 60+ years of following English Test cricket.

The negatives are more numerous. Stokes isn't the best at captaining a fielding side, possibly because he isn't that interested in the psychology of thinking the opposition out. Huge contrast with, for instance, Mike Brearley. The desire to have a "settled" side has gone too far and now we have a small and closed circle of players who are "in". Which might be OK if they were performing. There have been some strange and dogmatic decisions along the way:

Zak Crawley - his dad being Rob Key's mate doesn't smell right. On a good day he's great, but stats don't lie and his aren't good enough.

We don't need a proper wicket-keeper - this stretches at least back to the last home Ashes where Jonny Bairstow played just months after suffering a triple leg fracture. Jamie Smith doesn't keep wicket for his county and he's not looking good down in Oz.

Jacob Bethell as the only spare batter. This guy has hardly played any cricket this year, especially red ball. Who knows, we might see him turn the series around.

Pace is the answer and Mark Wood/Jofra Archer will be fit enough to deliver it. So Woody's broken and Jof hasn't quite maintained his threat through both innings. The pace plan didn't work for the ODI World Cup either.

Shoab Bashir - strangest of all. Saw him on YouTube and decided he was the future. Can't bat or field - there's no room for Tuffers or Monty P type players in the modern game. He doesn't get picked for his county and now he's out of contract anyway. Will he play any part in this series?

The players can build team spirit and get fit on the golf course. Why do they need to play matches to get match fit?

Do they even face real bowlers in the nets any more, or just bowling machines and throwdowns? Cricket reduced to baseball, it's all just about hitting.

If we can't win a Test or two it will be a media bloodbath IMO.

Pretty much! Not to mention a bowling coach we never hear of.