The Ashes

[Cheshire East Baggie]

I think the "clique-y-ness" of the current setup is one of the problems. Vaughan and Agnew have just been discussing Pope's weaknesses and saying how none of the batters is being challenged by anyone else for their place in the starting line-up. Bethell is a complete wild card and there's no-one else. No back-up for Smith with the gloves either.

And there goes Joe Root 

[Jacko]

Fact is lads this was always going to be a tall task. The Aussies record at the Gabba and in home pink ball tests is incredible.

If we'd caught our catches yesterday it's game on. But we didn't so it isn't.

[ericlegrisly]

Fact is lads this was always going to be a tall task. The Aussies record at the Gabba and in home pink ball tests is incredible.

If we'd caught our catches yesterday it's game on. But we didn't so it isn't.

You are absolutely right it was always going to be tough.

So it might be an idea not to fucking smash every other ball to the boundary and give your wicket away ALL THE TIME.

[pindgill]

This English management captain & team have a deluded arrogance about themselves & their ability!!..
Utter shite mindset again they will be very fortunate if this is not 5-0!!..

[Josh1873]

Opposition better than you, fair enough, but I don't think these necessarily are, especially with their second string bowlers.

This is what makes it so pathetic and embarrassing. The two teams are fairly evenly matched in terms of talent. If anything we may even have the slight edge. 

However, we have beaten ourselves by playing the same brain-dead, arrogant, aggressive, cricket that saw us comprehensively beaten in the first Test, and we have contrived to throw wickets away, drop catches, and bowl awfully. 

Australia haven't had to play well in either Test to win. We've gifted them a 2-0 series lead. They haven't blown us away by being brilliant and unplayable like they did in Mitchel Johnson's pomp, for example. 

This Australian side are beatable, they're good, but they're not invincible or spectacularly good. Wins are there to be had. 

If we had a competent coach, good preparation, and a set up that was respectful and played Test Cricket in the traditional way, we'd have had a reasonable chance of winning the series. Unfortunately our collective stupidity and arrogance has seen that we won't. 

It's frustrating, disappointing, and a missed opportunity those involved will live to regret. 

It'll be a long while before we get as good a chance as this to win the Ashes down under, and these unlikeable, up their own arse, players, McCullum and Key, have spectacularly blown it with two pathetic, lackluster, embarrassing displays. let's be clear, we've been outplayed in all but 1, possibly 2, sessions, and as I say, Australia haven't really done anything special. They've been pretty average, in all honesty.

It's as poor and as embarrassing as a Test series can be, there's nothing or no one to blame but ourselves and our attitude. It stinks, and it's high time it changed.

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How can Brook be so good, yet so bad at the same time. He's so talented, he shouldn't be getting himself out like he does.

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There's nothing worse than unearned and undeserved arrogance.

[ElbowGrease73]

At least they haven't got two world class bowlers to bring back into their side...

I have enjoyed watching this England team under Baz, but when it fails, it often fails badly. Agree with much of what Josh has posted. With a weakened attack, we should be seeing Starc off, and put pressure on the other bowlers. The 2010-11 England team would have done exactly that, and the results would have been very different.

Very disappointing, as we have some top players in this team, who are better than what they're showing. Lack of preparation and a intelligent plan have cost us dearly. I thought it would be a close series, but is starting to look like a whitewash.

[CIM]

Bazball completely illsuited to test cricket

[Jacko]

Just don't think it's anywhere near as bad as folk are making out. If we take our catches under the lights last evening we're batting in the early afternoon session today and it's a different game. This has panned out like virtually every other pink ball test, wickets fall under the lights each day, we just didn’t hang on to our chances...

[Josh1873]

Just don't think it's anywhere near as bad as folk are making out. If we take our catches under the lights last evening we're batting in the early afternoon session today and it's a different game. This has panned out like virtually every other pink ball test, wickets fall under the lights each day, we just didn’t hang on to our chances...

I admire your optimism. But it is bad. And all so predictable.

[Jacko]

One thing I would have done is used Foulkes specifically for this Test.