2013/14 Ashes Down Under

There won't be any during the test here. Just hope Melbourne holds out for once!

Thinking the same thing John. 

Balance for KP, Bairstow for Prior and as for a young spinner, there isn't much out there.

A lad called Maurice Holmes should be our next spinner, but that is another story about where English cricket can be its own worst enemy. 

the lad got done for throwing so I'm not sure if anyone else can get blamed for that !

Swanny has retired.

Time for Monty to step up and cement his place as England's first choice spinner again.

Poor timing to quit in the middle of a major tour. Too many players seem to have their eyes on the lucrative IPL.

the lad got done for throwing so I'm not sure if anyone else can get blamed for that !

No he wasnt.

What  truly terrible night, spineless, gutless, clueless, awful batting ,poor bowling and terrible captaincy once again by Captain Cock

5-4! You're gonna win 5-4!

This Captain Cook has done even more for Australia than the last one to arrive on our shores.

Whitewash

I love this thread.

Another 5-0 in Sydney would be superb.

Haven't seen a Pom or a Scouser in this thread for ages. Where's DLS? 

Haven't seen a Pom or a Scouser in this thread for ages. Where's DLS? 

Watching County cricket scouting for replacements.

No he wasnt.

his action was reported several times and he was warned about bowling the doosra, he then blamed the ECB for everything and suggested they spread the word that he was banned from using the doosra.

The English side...
Now 5-23....
Gotta love that...

I think an LFC Reds XI would have give Australia more of a game in this test.  What a calamity.  Amazing how a team can dominate one test series and then be totally dominated in another just a handful of months later.

It's as if "The Chosen One" has been given a job with the ECB.

May I suggest cycling? You lot seem good at that.

just when it couldn't get any worse it did, pathetic batting and bowling, put the ball in the right place and we see how great the aussie batting is, anyway look forward to seeing Rogers, Smith and Bailey against Steyn, Philander and Morkel

just when it couldn't get any worse it did, pathetic batting and bowling, put the ball in the right place and we see how great the aussie batting is, anyway look forward to seeing Rogers, Smith and Bailey against Steyn, Philander and Morkel

It wont be easy that's for sure. Especially with a lack of matches against quality opposition.

Terrible terrible test from England, some positive signs in the new blood though. I think its fairly clear that the captaincy has to be given to someone else now.
I'm still trying to figure out though if its mostly down to the Aussies playing much better or England playing much worse, probably something in the middle. Having said that at least when the Aussies lost in England in the summer they showed some fight and some spirit, that's what is the most worrying from an England point of view.

I'm still trying to figure out though if its mostly down to the Aussies playing much better or England playing much worse, probably something in the middle.

Definitely a bit of both.

England have underperformed massively, and I think how recent the last Ashes defeat was has spurred Australia on to play better than the sum of their parts.

Feel sorry for Cook.  Just like in football it slightly gets on my tits that sometimes captains get picked not for their captaincy skills but because they are one of the best players.  It's ended up costing England matches and it's cost Cook his stunning form with the bat.  England made the same mistake when they give it to Pietersen.

It's ended up costing England matches and it's cost Cook his stunning form with the bat.  England made the same mistake when they give it to Pietersen.

They never learn JD was the same when Botham got the Captaincy years ago.

Agree regarding Cook. He certainly doesn't have the leadership skills of other captains around at the moment like Clarke and Dhoni. Then again, I don't see many better options in the current England team. Not a fan of Broad as captain at all.

It wont be easy that's for sure. Especially with a lack of matches against quality opposition.

Spot on mate. We might have to play a couple of warm up tests against Bangladesh before we get to South Africa just for a bit of hard competition.

Is Cook even the captain? There's about 4 or 5 blokes who are setting fields and others are more vocal. He just seems to be the figurehead.

I have no idea about the depth of English cricket but Carberry, KP and Root look well off.

Winners! Get in there boys! 5-0. Perfect cricket all summber. Johnson was beyond outstanding, Haddin the same, and ably supported by the whole team.

OZ, OZ, OZ!

Congratulations Australia!

Thank f**k it's over 

Shambles !!

Weather not favouring England on tour of the Ashes

What a collapse.