The Ashes

[pindgill]

Woods just has been ruled out for the series!!!….the guy has not played for England for last 2+ years was meant with Archer to carry the attack madness total madness!!.

[Ted Maul]

Wood out for the series, which was pretty predictable so I'm hoping they've planned for it. With that probably goes his England career too.

Hazelwood set to miss the remainder of the series for them which is a bonus.

[ElbowGrease73]

Wood out for the series, which was pretty predictable so I'm hoping they've planned for it. With that probably goes his England career too.

Hazelwood set to miss the remainder of the series for them which is a bonus.

Shame, as you say Ted, think that's his England Test career over.

Ordinarily, I'd suggest they'd miss Hazelwood more, but after the first two tests I'm revising that thought.

[Johnnykayeengland]

Some of you are clearly far more knowledgeable about cricketers than me.
Can you explain why Jonny Bairstow is not on tour?
A fabulous batting record, a decent keeper. Smith I understand is one for the future.
But Australia have 10 over 30s in their team.
I would have thought Jonny is one for the present series?

[rsbaggy2]

Wood out for the series, which was pretty predictable so I'm hoping they've planned for it. With that probably goes his England career too.

Hazelwood set to miss the remainder of the series for them which is a bonus.

As night follows day.
The multi year planning for this tour? Was there ever one that considered players outside the Bazball clique?

[Ted Maul]

Some of you are clearly far more knowledgeable about cricketers than me.
Can you explain why Jonny Bairstow is not on tour?
A fabulous batting record, a decent keeper. Smith I understand is one for the future.
But Australia have 10 over 30s in their team.
I would have thought Jonny is one for the present series?

Bairstow was really talented but couldn't decide if he wanted to be a top order batter (he isn't better than Brook) or a keeper (Smith's test career has started relatively well). Bairstow is actually one I don't mind moving on from. 

I've more of an issue with discarding the likes of Leach, Anderson and Dawson.

[Tom Joad 25]

Some of you are clearly far more knowledgeable about cricketers than me.
Can you explain why Jonny Bairstow is not on tour?
A fabulous batting record, a decent keeper. Smith I understand is one for the future.
But Australia have 10 over 30s in their team.
I would have thought Jonny is one for the present series?

Bairstow was really talented but couldn't decide if he wanted to be a top order batter (he isn't better than Brook) or a keeper (Smith's test career has started relatively well). Bairstow is actually one I don't mind moving on from. 

I've more of an issue with discarding the likes of Leach, Anderson and Dawson.

Didn't Bairstow retire himself from England duties? Worth remembering,  Jamie Smith is not even the best wicketkeeper for his county. Ben Foulkes (who has been desperately unlucky with England call ups) is. I liked Bairstow but his record doesn't suggest he'd be any more prudent with his choice of shots than any of the others.

[backsidebaggie]

Some of you are clearly far more knowledgeable about cricketers than me.
Can you explain why Jonny Bairstow is not on tour?
A fabulous batting record, a decent keeper. Smith I understand is one for the future.
But Australia have 10 over 30s in their team.
I would have thought Jonny is one for the present series?

Bairstow was really talented but couldn't decide if he wanted to be a top order batter (he isn't better than Brook) or a keeper (Smith's test career has started relatively well). Bairstow is actually one I don't mind moving on from. 

I've more of an issue with discarding the likes of Leach, Anderson and Dawson.

Didn't Bairstow retire himself from England duties? Worth remembering,  Jamie Smith is not even the best wicketkeeper for his county. Ben Foulkes (who has been desperately unlucky with England call ups) is. I liked Bairstow but his record doesn't suggest he'd be any more prudent with his choice of shots than any of the others.

Bairstow had a terrible last couple of years with the bat for England. And arguably cost England the ashes at home last time with some of the worst keeping I’ve ever seen. A few years earlier he was good, but went right off. You’re right, his shot choices were riddled with throwing his wicket away later in his England career.

[tHEgLASSdOORS]

We’ll win 3-2. Keep the faith.

[Josh1873]

We’ll win 3-2. Keep the faith.

I wish I was pissed by 11am on a Tuesday. Great life to live.

---

Anyway, back to the cricket. I don't think anything drastic needs to happen with regards to selection. The talent is there. 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd even allow Crawley the chance to prove himself under a new coach, with a different approach and who doesn't preach an ultra-aggressive mentality. 

There's clearly talent there, but he keeps getting out to the same shot. If he were to work with good coaches and either put that shot away, or learn to defend the balls outside the off stump he keeps getting out to, then why couldn't he succeed?

One of our greatest batsmen, Chef, only had a couple of shots in his locker. You don't need a T20 repertoire of shot selection to be a successful batsman. You do, however, need the right coaching, mentality, and an attitude to not gift your wicket away cheaply.

Same with Brook - a clear talent, but he always finds a way to get himself out at the most inconvenient times. A different coach and mentality would no doubt improve his game.

It's as if the batsmen get bored if they're not smashing every ball to the boundary. That ridiculous attitude and short attention span needs stamping out of the side.