Matt Prior,will he be made a scapegoat for the shambles in Austraila ?

[vegster]

Really? The idea of a squad should allow choices if players lose form or to pick players for special conditions.Picking three tall fast bowlers who can't even get a game on the fastest, bounciest pitch in test cricket. If they're not good enough to play in Perth, they shouldn't be in the squad. Tremlett, Finn and Rankin were described as "three tall drink waiters" in the Observer yesterday - a perfect description.

There's also no specialist alternative opener in the squad, so Carberry (who's been worked out by the Aussie bowlers) has to struggle on and no real reserve wicket-keeper - it's clear that Bairstow isn't trusted (and with good reason).

I'd say the opposite of you: I think the selectors should be getting much more flak. This was a poorly thought-out squad. Onions should certainly have gone - the best bowler in England last year, criminal that he was omitted. Compton should also have gone, he'd done little wrong. They should have had a proper reserve keeper - Davies probably - and should have had a closer look at whether Trott was up to it. Flower admitted they knew he was struggling so it seems ridiculous that it was thought that Ashes series was the right place for him.

Yes, Australia have been better prepared and better managed, but they spent the summer tour tinkering with the team until it was as good as it could be. England selectors chose to ignore the problems and are now paying the price

Yes,it was a squad that was running pretty much on past glories. No one other than Root really staked a claim to be in the team at the expense of a senior pro, so there was little real competition for places. Prior, along with several others, need to get home and throw all his gear in the cupboard under the stairs and switch off from cricket for 2 months.
Then they need to refocus and either say they want out or get stuck in to pre season with their counties. All of them must play every game for their counties they can barring injuries. Then we start with a clean slate and pick a team on merit.

 

[Gwylan]

Yes,it was a squad that was running pretty much on past glories. No one other than Root really staked a claim to be in the team at the expense of a senior pro, so there was little real competition for places.
Then they need to refocus and either say they want out or get stuck in to pre season with their counties. All of them must play every game for their counties they can barring injuries. Then we start with a clean slate and pick a team on merit.

And Root's average is boosted by the 180 he got at Lord's - where he was dropped while he was single figures. I'm not however disputing that he's a good prospect. Ballance may well be too - but if he can't get into a side that has only reached 250 once in its 1st innings, when will he be ready?

I totally agree they need to establish some form in county cricket though. Let them show they're worthy of their place. Let them show some hard graft on the circuit. And if Figjam wants to earn money in the IPL rather than fight for his place, let him ... but tell him that he's finished in test cricket.

 

[vegster]

And Root's average is boosted by the 180 he got at Lord's - where he was dropped while he was single figures. I'm not however disputing that he's a good prospect. Ballance may well be too - but if he can't get into a side that has only reached 250 once in its 1st innings, when will he be ready?

I totally agree they need to establish some form in county cricket though. Let them show they're worthy of their place. Let them show some hard graft on the circuit. And if Figjam wants to earn money in the IPL rather than fight for his place, let him ... but tell him that he's finished in test cricket.

Very true about Root re that one big score. After that he was fireproof for all the Ashes Tests. Yet Australia picked a plucky unknown spinner in the form of Agar, who played amazingly in his opening Test but was soon very quietly dropped when he failed to build on it.

 

[Mackenzie]

He will shoulder some of the blame, his form with the bat and gloves has been dire. I'm a big Prior fan but he's had a shocker.

 

[Arkwright]

Really? The idea of a squad should allow choices if players lose form or to pick players for special conditions.Picking three tall fast bowlers who can't even get a game on the fastest, bounciest pitch in test cricket. If they're not good enough to play in Perth, they shouldn't be in the squad. Tremlett, Finn and Rankin were described as "three tall drink waiters" in the Observer yesterday - a perfect description.

There's also no specialist alternative opener in the squad, so Carberry (who's been worked out by the Aussie bowlers) has to struggle on and no real reserve wicket-keeper - it's clear that Bairstow isn't trusted (and with good reason).

I'd say the opposite of you: I think the selectors should be getting much more flak. This was a poorly thought-out squad. Onions should certainly have gone - the best bowler in England last year, criminal that he was omitted. Compton should also have gone, he'd done little wrong. They should have had a proper reserve keeper - Davies probably - and should have had a closer look at whether Trott was up to it. Flower admitted they knew he was struggling so it seems ridiculous that it was thought that Ashes series was the right place for him.

Yes, Australia have been better prepared and better managed, but they spent the summer tour tinkering with the team until it was as good as it could be. England selectors chose to ignore the problems and are now paying the price

I agree about the three quicks not getting a game at the WACCA the problem was they never got any form or even the chance to get any form due to a lack of warm up matches. The problem is that the selectors are not prepared to gamble and therefore the side has become too settled.

With reference to Carberry, he is a good County player in Division 2 of the County Championship and hardly ever comes up against a quality quick bowler, Compton playing at Somerset is more use to Aussies style wickets as Taunton is similar to The Oval and should have been called up when Trott sadly left the tour party.

As I previously said the problem is the gulf between County and International cricket and hence the lack of competition for places.

 

[Brian Parsons]

It would be wrong to single out a scape goat following this fiasco. I have for many years thought that the problem with English cricket is it is still steeped in the class system, old school tie, did Daddy play for his county/country. Following a another calamitous test series many years ago Bob Willis and a famous brewery went in search of a pace bowler playing village/minor county cricket. There search found a blindingly quick lad playing in Lancashire but guess what because he did not have the pedigree no county would sign him, so with that attitude England is going to be in the doldrums for many years. We need another John Snow someone who regarded batsmen with disdain and if it meant bowling the ball through them to hit the wicket then so be it.

 

[vegster]

It would be wrong to single out a scape goat following this fiasco. I have for many years thought that the problem with English cricket is it is still steeped in the class system, old school tie, did Daddy play for his county/country. Following a another calamitous test series many years ago Bob Willis and a famous brewery went in search of a pace bowler playing village/minor county cricket. There search found a blindingly quick lad playing in Lancashire but guess what because he did not have the pedigree no county would sign him, so with that attitude England is going to be in the doldrums for many years. We need another John Snow someone who regarded batsmen with disdain and if it meant bowling the ball through them to hit the wicket then so be it.

I remember Snowy ! I think he scored 76 in a Test against Australia and included in that was a 6 hit back over either Lillie or Thomson's head. He got some verbals for that and some nasty balls for a number 9