The Ashes Thread | Page 28 | Vital Football

The Ashes Thread

This final test is about seeing what the new kids can do. Stokes is a positive and will be a star in the coming years. Feel sorry for Rankin, but in his 8 overs there were some encouraging signs. Borthwick got a pasting.
Still when I went to bed they had the Aussies 95-4 and all was rosie. To then wake up and see not only had they got over 300 but had England one down was really disappointing. Tomorrow is the day that Cook's captaincy will be finally judged. If he shows the way then he may hold onto the armband, fail and his time as captain must come to an end. As much as it troubles me Broad is the only realistic candidate should Cook fail again. He might be able to instil some confidence and drive in a young team. I also think it may be advantageous to have a bowler as captain for a change.

If I had to bet I would say that the Aussies are going to bowl us out cheaply and complete the whitewash. I just hope I'm wrong.
 
Bloody buggering bloody bloody.

I dreamed (that word never looks right to me) we'd won this!
 
8-1, I reckon we'll make a good show of this and creep to 224 all out, top scorer KP!
 
You thought it couldn't get worse. You were wrong. England 14-3.

Cook to resign after this match?
 
Their bowlers have bowled better lines than us. There are players who need to be phased out but they are coming to the end of their career anyway. Judge them at the end of the coming summer
 
No way, that should have happened last summer. There needs to be a serious enquiry into this series, starting with can Cook continue as captain. KP, Bell, Prior should have played their last test matches. There is only 15 months to the next ashes series. We need drastic rebuilding now, not in 8 months time.
 
Sorry your wrong, you can't just throw a new side together and say go on then lads. I totally agree there needs a change but that is going to take time. The side peaked in about 09. It took years for England to get where it did, it will take South Africa years to peak again it's just coming round to being Australia time. I was playing in Adelaide when Ryan Harris was playing for south aus. It's taken him years to get to be the player he is. England will come good again.
 
davem - 4/1/2014 01:15

Sorry your wrong, you can't just throw a new side together and say go on then lads. I totally agree there needs a change but that is going to take time. The side peaked in about 09. It took years for England to get where it did, it will take South Africa years to peak again it's just coming round to being Australia time. I was playing in Adelaide when Ryan Harris was playing for south aus. It's taken him years to get to be the player he is. England will come good again.
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No I' m not, there are too many players who either don't play for the team or are out of form. Geoffrey Boycott has it right,England have to rebuild now for the Ashes in 15 months. Waiting another summer would be fatal. Look I'm not saying pack the team with kids I'm saying there needs to be a serious look into what has gone wrong.

The first thing has been decided Flower wants to stop on. With that in mind he needs to come up with some ideas how to do things differently next time. Cook does not breed confidence as a captain, should he stay?
 
Mate bet me that we'd beat their first innings score.

We couldn't beat it from both our innings, he can't even use that one to get out of paying.
 
First mistake for me is keeping Cook as captain. He is just not cut out for it. He should be in no doubt that he has two tests to prove he can get better. If not he should be removed. Serious consideration should be given to who should be retired off. I expect at least two senior players have played their last test cricket. A lot of work to do, but this could be a positive thing.
 
It's been an embarrassment for sure. And v the old enemy. They simply have to change the captain after this, they just have to.
 
See I wouldn't change, this could be a really good thing for Cooke. I bet the Aussie press and fans wanted Clarke gone but look at the turn around he has made. Bell should stay in the side would be daft to get shot of him. We are loving it when he was scoring runs in the summer. People are forgetting that. They need to get KP more in on it. If I was Cooke I would want him as my VC. Tap into him use his ideas. Cooke will grow into a fine England captain.
 
No I'm not, Bell is a flat track bully, and flaky when he meets real bowlers, but your right he shouldn't be dropped yet.
 
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