The grass roots cricket in state schools has been supported by "Chance to Shine" - I coached on this programme for 6 years - it's target was to get schools feeding local clubs, an introduction to the next level. It was also curriculum based [the PE lesson] so specifically designed to attract...
Lets not forget the last Ashes tour which was owned my Mitchell Johnson and saw [international] careers ended for Trott, Swann, Pietersen and Prior and the classic statement of "Finn is unselectable"
England have struggled for years to adapt to Aussie conditions - the WACA is Mitch Marsh's home...
To win, we must take 20 wickets - you have to go back a few years to the last time we took 20 wickets in a test in Australia.
But we can hope.
500+ will bring a bit of scoreboard pressure but I don't think we honesty have the bowling on this track to take 20 wickets - so our only chance really...
Not on this pitch - this is the last Ashes test, and possibly the last ever test, to be played on this WACA ground.
Clean slate for next time on the new WACA ground.