Shake up was needed all series but never came. Just hoped we’d somehow fluke our way through on individual brilliance (Stokes, Broad, Archer).

Hopefully after the WC win we’ll refocus on test cricket, because we’re going back to the 90’s on this showing.

Test and one day teams need to be completely separated, barring the obvious candidates like Stokes and Archer. Different coaches too, because the brain dead positive cricket that has worked so well over 50 overs just equals ‘bundled out for less than 100’ too many times in test matches.

Roy’s smashed the best bowlers in the world all over the shop on occasions in one day cricket but we could all see he wasn’t going to make it in test matches against a top bowling attack in English conditions. Continuing with him was stupid. He’s a one day dasher, and bloody good at it too. The time spent retooling his game for test matches would be better spent on blooding someone else.

I know he was only picked because the other 2,000 openers we’ve tried have been such disasters - barring Hales maybe - but the rest of the team hate Hales (allegedly) plus he’s also got history failing drugs tests.

Root needs some time out to repair his broken brain ‘cause he’s looked jaded and lost for a while. I still think he’s one of the best batsmen in the world but he needs some time out and ideally, to be relieved of the captaincy. Who takes that over I have no idea really, but he’s crap at it plus it’s clearly affected his batting. Again, he’s quite capable of playing one day cricket and being wonderful at it, but I’d just get him to focus on the longer format for now.

Stokes gets a free pass for life for Headingley and he’s one of the few who doesn’t deserve to be on the losing side. Archer too, although he needs to be managed correctly. Helmet smashing and brutal short spells of express pace only, not Root’s brain dead use of him as a modern day Gus Fraser to bowl 20 over spells.

Woakes didn’t deserve dropping, or being treated like a leper before he was dropped (he hardly bowled and Root clearly didn’t fancy him, for what reason I’ve no idea).

Leach is great. Moeen’s days are done there I think, plus these days Leach is probably a more effective test batsman. Moeen could still feature in the one day stuff. He’s a beautiful batsmen and I loved watching him at his best but I think he’s too mercurial to ever be relied upon in the test arena.

Buttler - awesome one day hitter, tame test batsman

Bairstow - could be a decent attacking test player with a more solid upper order to set the foundation for it. Or could continue to be the clown he’s been for the past year.

Burns - bats like he’s having a epileptic seizure before each ball but has applied himself well and clearly has a temperament that suits the longer format. He’s no Cook but he deserves his place.

Denly - a trier, but I’m not convinced. Not throwing him away but I’d want to see what else is out there, as long as it wasn’t Vince, because Vince is forever doomed to play the same ‘attractive thirty’ for the rest of his (international) cricketing career.

Curran’s a fighter and for that alone he should be in and around the team.

Broad, best bowler for us this Ashes. Still has a few years in him at this rate. Glad to see the decline in his batting has finally been recognised and he’s rightfully found himself at no.11.

Anderson, who knows? Everyone thought he’d be gone by now anyway. Obviously not one for the long term but if he wants to carry on then fair enough.

Overton. Credit to him for the solid blocking, looked underwhelming as a bowler though which should be his main job (although every bowler is just as much a batsmen when you have a top order like ours)

Almost certainly none of this will happen of course, because the ECB are idiots and keep focusing on chasing the money from non-test cricket whilst simultaneously hoping to bumble along with a dysfunctional test team.

We spent forty years trying to master one day cricket and having finally done so we let it go to our heads and decided that this was the way all cricket should be played from now on. Some of the disastrous test cricket displayed these last few years is the result.

hello

Two days of go slow still not enough.

Stick to rain, England.

LarryDavid wrote:

Congrats Skerret.

You deserved it.

Thanks!

20 for no wicket! I think we've reached new heights here.

i think this from the bbc summary sums it up nicely.

"Denly out cheaply but 27-run opening stand is highest of series"

i'll just check what's happening with the cricket and....oh a wicket.

it's that time of the day where i remember about the cricket and think "i'll check how England are doing" and sure enough they're out already and Smith is already in and I guess i don't need to bother checking until this time tomorrow to see if he's declared yet.

The aussies have taken their foot off the gas in this test it seems, sloppy in the field and Smith getting out for less than a million.

We might just win this one.

Curran showing why our selectors are dickheads.

Right in the knackers.

Australia are halfway home having secured the Ashes.

It’s annoying to be honest because 2-2 makes it looks like we’ve been sort of competitive, when apart from a ridiculous once in a lifetime innings from Stokes, we’ve been outplayed almost every day of the series.

Hell of a ball from Broad

Next two wickets are obvs key. Don't want any kind of a sizeable stand building. Though pretty hard to see them managing this even with heroics, unless three or four really deliver...