The Ashes.......

[muzzer]

I don't rate Cook as a captain. I think you're right. Cracks have been opened up and it could all go downhill very quickly. Before the series started we were firm faves I thought, but hey it's a funny old game.

[aeolium]

Actually, I had 2-2 as a bet before the series started. I thought Aus would do better at home and England still had problems with their batting and 3rd seamer. It looks as though Perth, another quick wicket, will be very difficult for the tourists as it was in 2010, but they might do better on the slower wickets and there may well be a high-scoring draw in there somewhere. The Aus bowling attack still seems fragile - Harris could break down and Johnson lose radar - and they have yet to be put under real pressure.

[Historian]

This is problem of long-standing. In their last five overseas tours England have failed to reach 200 in the first innings of each first test of the series. Furthermore, the bowling was unconvincing in the warm-up matches.

I think it's a little early to write off the series, although I don't expect a repeat of England's last second innings at Brisbane (517-1). Still can't help feeling that having had Australia 132-6, their eventual total of 295 all out was something of a let-off. Incidentally, although the rest of the England bowlers won't be overjoyed with their figures, I think Broad's match analysis of 40-7-136-8 hardly counts as being carted round the park.

[teamsaint]

Looking ahead, what England do have is two potentially match winning bowlers. That can be enough to win a series.

[amateur51]

Looking ahead, what England do have is two potentially match winning bowlers. That can be enough to win a series.

Depending on the circumstances Broad, Anderson and Swann are each potential match-winners. What they lack at present is Bresnan to keep one end pretty tight while they weave their magic at the other end. Big Tim even takes the occasional wicket and makes the occaasional fifty. C'mon Tim!

[hedgehog]

Hmmm with a day to spare........ Australia did of course very nearly win two of the Tests earlier this year but thwarted by the weather so perhaps the signs were already there.

But agree with team saint and am51 - a lot more to come, the Oz bowlers really don't have much depth.

[Sir Velo]

the Oz bowlers really don't have much depth.

And ours do...?

[DracoM]

I have the bottle of Laphroaig and the Walther. Would you all mind leaving and shutting the door behind you quietly?

[DracoM]

Right, so we start again:
Root 3
Petersen 4
Ballance at 5
Prior / Bairstow 6
Stokes comes in at 7 or 8
Broad
Anderson
Swann
Finn

[amateur51]

Jonathan Trott has left the Ashes tour to return to UK as a result of a long-standing stress-related illness.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/nov/25/jonathan-trott-leaves-england-ashes-tour

I'm sorry to hear this but in a sense it's good news in that everyone knew that he was a better player than the one who flopped last Summer and who looked so out of sorts at Brisbane. Mental health issues are something that professional sportspeople are getting better at handling, as we know from Marcus Tresthcothick's career. Let's hope that Trott can recover and find his way back. And if not, I hope that he manages to find peace of mind at the very least

So ... back to the drawing board.

[aeolium]

Right, so we start again:
Root 3
Petersen 4
Ballance at 5
Prior / Bairstow 6
Stokes comes in at 7 or 8
Broad
Anderson
Swann
Finn

Hang on, what's happened to Bell, DracoM? He won us the series in the summer

I agree with Root at 3, with Bairstow at 6 and leaving Prior at 7. If Bresnan is fit and looks OK in the forthcoming tour match then he may well play at 8. I don't see the point in bringing Finn back for this test on what may well be a slow pitch.

[DracoM]

Sorry - Bell at 5, everyone else shunts down.
Bresnan? Hmm. And actually I agree about Finn on a slower track. Wait until Perth maybe?

[Sir Velo]

Hang on a Sec! If, as Flower claims, Trott has been suffering from stress "for some time", why was he selected to go on what is, arguably, the most combative and stressful tour of the lot? Either all those psychologists are overrated and incompetent, as they are obviously incapable of detecting an individual suffering from stress, or some very dubious misinformation is being put about.

[DracoM]

Maybe they hoped that the 'company' of being on tour with a gang of all manner of 'experts' etc would give him focus, renewed energy and hands on everyday coaching?

What do they mean by 'some time'??

I would love to see Gary Ballance and Ben Stokes given a chance.
And why have they NOT got Graham Onions with them??????

[teamsaint]

Quite simply unbelievable.

I wish I could make decisions that bad and keep my job.