4th Test build up, KP being magnanimous

[The Wizard]

This has to be the worst series in living memory? Given Australia aren't exactly world beaters nowadays and technically there isn't much between the sides. Embarrassing, shambolic, steaming huge pile of cock womble.

 

[vegster]

I'd agree on cook's captaincy but the worry is who else. Broad might not have the maturity, plus there arent many successful bowling test captains I can think of. Or indeed any come to think of it...?

Remember what happened to Andy Flintoff when he was given the captaincy, it nearly destroyed him. Broad is a similar player.

 

[joeinbrighton]

Prior shouldn't have been dropped. If anything, I'd have moved him up 1 place in the batting order to 6, to give him more responsibility and to try and cut down on him batting with the tail all the time (although on current form, some hope). Bairstow doesn't have the technique to bat in test cricket yet and because he was playing as a specialist batsman for England in the summer, he wasn't getting regularly exposure to being a gloveman with Yorkshire that he needs if he is to ever fulfil the wicket keeper-batsman role at the highest level where he needs to excel at both disciplines.

 

[The Fifth Column]

Australia win by wickets & take a 4-0 lead in the five match series*


*But Joe Hart was voted Man of the Match

haha you should have posted this on that other thread, I'm not sure our palace trolls would 'get it' though.

 

[spring hall convert]

This has to be the worst series in living memory? Given Australia aren't exactly world beaters nowadays and technically there isn't much between the sides. Embarrassing, shambolic, steaming huge pile of cock womble.

06-07 was just as bad if not worse. The Aussies were a better side, granted.

 

[spring hall convert]

Prior shouldn't have been dropped. If anything, I'd have moved him up 1 place in the batting order to 6, to give him more responsibility and to try and cut down on him batting with the tail all the time (although on current form, some hope). Bairstow doesn't have the technique to bat in test cricket yet and because he was playing as a specialist batsman for England in the summer, he wasn't getting regularly exposure to being a gloveman with Yorkshire that he needs if he is to ever fulfil the wicket keeper-batsman role at the highest level where he needs to excel at both disciplines.

Bairstow looks a better keeper than Prior did when he first put the gloves on for England. There are plenty of others who can count themselves lucky but no one had failed with the bat across both series to the degree that Prior has. Australia TOTALLY worked him out.

 

[big nuts]

Stokes bowling has impressed me and if anything he has looked our second best seamer behind Broad in this series. His bowling speeds last night regularly touched 88 MPH. I wonder if England are considering playing six proper batsman with the wicket keeper at 7 and Stokes at 8 or vice versa.

 

[The Wizard]

06-07 was just as bad if not worse. The Aussies were a better side, granted.

Disagree, this series has been much much worse IMO, that Aussie side was world class and included all of their golden generation, and at least we made a few decent scores along the way in that series, for me this series is worse as we aren't even losing 4-0 to a team that much different to our own class wise, I feel for those who have saved up for years to go follow England around Australia spending thousands upon thousands to watch that shower of shit.

 

[vegster]

It's too soon to start the autopsy and bloodletting yet, we still have to find a team that can compete for 5 days in Sydney. I think the 5-0 is almost nailed on bar an excellent innings of 200 ish from one of our batsmen or weather interference. Lot's of heads are going to roll over this, some will fall on their swords and some will get the chance to go back to basics and regain some form.

 

[joeinbrighton]

Bairstow looks a better keeper than Prior did when he first put the gloves on for England. There are plenty of others who can count themselves lucky but no one had failed with the bat across both series to the degree that Prior has. Australia TOTALLY worked him out.

I think what has happened to Prior is that he has tried to put his foot on the accelerator the moment he has come out to bat and not given himself time to play himself in, conscious that he has the tail coming in behind him. That's why I feel they should have moved him up to 6 rather than dropped him. Bairstow who replaced him was not a roaring success in the summer when he played as a specialist batsman either.

 

[spring hall convert]

I feel for those who have saved up for years to go follow England around Australia spending thousands upon thousands to watch that shower of shit.

Ooof. Bitter pill to swallow. I'm sure the Aussies haven't reminded them of that much over the last 5 weeks or so.

 

[vegster]

I think what has happened to Prior is that he has tried to put his foot on the accelerator the moment he has come out to bat and not given himself time to play himself in, conscious that he has the tail coming in behind him. That's why I feel they should have moved him up to 6 rather than dropped him. Bairstow who replaced him was not a roaring success in the summer when he played as a specialist batsman either.

I think that Prior just likes to be in control and dominate the bowling,up til recently it worked pretty well. Until the top order regularly started collapsing there was no pressure on him to have to build a long,big innings. That has changed now and his form has collapsed and he has no plan B

 

[um bongo molongo]

Ooof. Bitter pill to swallow. I'm sure the Aussies haven't reminded them of that much over the last 5 weeks or so.

I went out for the last two tests in 06/07 - got pulled over by customs on the way in - hadn't even made it in to the country and the first question he asked me was "so, you here for the cricket mate?"

 

[spring hall convert]

I went out for the last two tests in 06/07 - got pulled over by customs on the way in - hadn't even made it in to the country and the first question he asked me was "so, you here for the cricket mate?"

"No mate, I'm an international drug trafficker."

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I think what has happened to Prior is that he has tried to put his foot on the accelerator the moment he has come out to bat and not given himself time to play himself in, conscious that he has the tail coming in behind him. That's why I feel they should have moved him up to 6 rather than dropped him. Bairstow who replaced him was not a roaring success in the summer when he played as a specialist batsman either.

No...what has happened to Prior is what always happens to Prior in the face of hostile, intimidatory bowling..he cracks...his bottle goes..he gives it away rather than battles through it.
He is only comfortable when the bowlers give him some width and he can loosen his arms. He enjoys slapping the ball with outstretched arms between cover and deep backward point or pulling medium paced short stuff through mid-wicket. All the Aussies had to do was bowl just short of a length around off and middle and he was gone every time. Technically, he is fragile playing forward, as he leaves the ' gate ' open and is regularly bowled by the ball that comes back into him.
Six is too high for him in the batting order. He should have been seven or eight at least. His regular, cheap dismissal in this series opened up the lower order all too often and they were subsequently blown away. A bit more grit and determination at no.6 would have helped greatly in this series.
Matt Prior has survived for far too long on a few cameo innings against tiring bowlers with the old ball. He is an ordinary keeper at Test level and has been lucky to be part of the clique that have been regular features of this England team, irrespective of performance. His time is now up. You cannot tolerate failure after failure and even more so, you cannot forgive failure to fight. He is one of the principal reasons we have lost this series.
To suggest that he should have batted at five is quite frankly, ludicrous. It was bad enough to watch him give it away at no.six. He has never been good enough for the no.six berth. Anyone batting in this position, should be a Test class batsman in their own right and Prior has never fitted this bill.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

No...what has happened to Prior is what always happens to Prior in the face of hostile, intimidatory bowling..he cracks...his bottle goes..he gives it away rather than battles through it.
He is only comfortable when the bowlers give him some width and he can loosen his arms. He enjoys slapping the ball with outstretched arms between cover and deep backward point or pulling medium paced short stuff through mid-wicket. All the Aussies had to do was bowl just short of a length around off and middle and he was gone every time. Technically, he is fragile playing forward, as he leaves the ' gate ' open and is regularly bowled by the ball that comes back into him.
Six is too high for him in the batting order. He should have been seven or eight at least. His regular, cheap dismissal in this series opened up the lower order all too often and they were subsequently blown away. A bit more grit and determination at no.6 would have helped greatly in this series.
Matt Prior has survived for far too long on a few cameo innings against tiring bowlers with the old ball. He is an ordinary keeper at Test level and has been lucky to be part of the clique that have been regular features of this England team, irrespective of performance. His time is now up. You cannot tolerate failure after failure and even more so, you cannot forgive failure to fight. He is one of the principal reasons we have lost this series.
To suggest that he should have batted at five is quite frankly, ludicrous. It was bad enough to watch him give it away at no.six. He has never been good enough for the no.six berth. Anyone batting in this position, should be a Test class batsman in their own right and Prior has never fitted this bill.

Apologies...got my numbers mixed up...put 5 instead of 6.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

cook is totally demoralised ,. in his after match, on-field interview with mark nicholls he looked like he was going to burst into tears at any moment........5-0 here we come.

When will people realise that Cook is not mentally strong. His game cracks every two to three years and he goes to pieces. He is not good captaincy material because he can't cope with the pressure, when its backs to the wall.
They have to find a new captain and that won't be easy. Cook has to concentrate on his batting and that will take all his efforts as he battles his mental demons.

 

[vegster]

When will people realise that Cook is not mentally strong. His game cracks every two to three years and he goes to pieces. He is not good captaincy material because he can't cope with the pressure, when its backs to the wall.
They have to find a new captain and that won't be easy. Cook has to concentrate on his batting and that will take all his efforts as he battles his mental demons.

Yes, it takes a lot of grit and determination to captain a cricket team. Of recent captains Atherton and Hussein had plenty but I think Vaughn and Strauss got lucky in as such they had so many good players there was little need for a "Captains Innings " too regularly.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

06-07 was just as bad if not worse. The Aussies were a better side, granted.

Thats way off beam. This Aussie team is one of the worst I have ever seen.
England should be flayed alive for this ineptitude but there are posters on here who are stiil trying to blame the toss and suggesting there are tiny margins between the two sides.
Failure to fight and show character is absolutely unforgiveable. No excuses, no more chances. The cull has already started naturally with Trott and Swann. Now the selectors have to finally discard KP, Prior, Bresnan, Panesar and Anderson ( after one more home series ) There may not be a huge amount obviously coming through but some of these current players have been blocking others chances for far too long.
" The times they are a changing "

 

[sagaman]

Far worse than 06/07 - much worse Aussie team this time with half journeymen

Complete shambles from leadership to virtually all the players