I'm very happy the way things are going in this Series!!



Can't complain about the results, so far.

Things could be worse; you could be a West Indies fan.

Bell and Stokes did well to see it through until stumps, but there is that feeling of dread that the England tail are a set of dominoes just waiting to fall over. As Sir Geoffrey says, the Aussies aren't a great side, but England appear like a deer in the HIDs. I could not see either side making 150 on that pitch against Steyn, Morkel, Philander, Tsotsobe and Kallis.

I'm starting the think my slightly tongue in cheek prediction might come true!

The wheels are definitely falling off for England. You're going to have to bat for 5 sessions to survive this test...

Well, England can have no complaints. We have been outplayed in every department on and off the pitch.

Interesting how few DRS controversies there have been compared with other recent series.

Before England began their second innings at Perth....

Australia have scored 2152 runs in 6 innings losing 45 wickets. An average of 48 runs per wicket at about 3.8 per over.

England have scored 1050 runs in 5 innings losing 50 wickets. An average of 21 runs per wicket at about 2.8 runs per over.

Little wonder that England are about to go 3-0 down unless Bell and Stokes are still batting at tea tomorrow....

Little wonder that England are about to go 3-0 down unless Bell and Stokes are still batting at tea tomorrow....

If they are and we win Warnie will run around W.A.C.A naked ugh

Let the autopsy begin. Listening to a sports psychologist on Radio 4 and he made much sense, as did Geoffrey!

The bowling attack was lame, Swann was targeted and neutralised. Swing and seam have not worked and Tremlet has lost pace. Then there is Bresenen, but he has been out of the game for 3 months.

Last summer we had a great opportunity to bolster the squad and play a few new/old faces. That was not taken, the only way someone was out of the squad was through injury. None of the current squad have had to fight for their places recently.

If we play the same side in the next test then I will question the management.

So replace Swan with Panesar, you need a spinner and why not give Swan a rest. Peiterson out, he has talent but does not deserve his place. Prior out too, who is Englands back up keeper? Prior has now had to terrible series and yet has never been in doubt for his place.

One thing England miss is an attacking batsmen. There are at least 3 in the Aussie side and it is something that NZ had too. With Pietersons lack of form we have no one that scares the oppo or can score at a run a ball in test cricket. This was a great England side but Cook and Flower had done no succession planning. In sport the master at this was Alec Ferguson, take a hit for a season whilst you get new blood in and then hit the top again a year later. To be fair the fixture schedule has not helped but a bit more flair in selection is needed.

Loved Geoff's comments: "More brain in a pork pie!"

Ok looking at the positives..
Broad is the leading wicket taker and the only bowler the Aussies gave any respect, and that is despite him being booed and spat at wherever he went.

Stokes is a great find and one for the future. And that is it really!

Australia are not a great side but they have done their homework and sacrificed other games in order to regain the Ashes.

I still think Compton should have played ahead of Carberry.

I thought Cook was honourable in his assessment.

The narrative for this series was set last summer in England. England won 3 tests, but we were gifted all 3 wins by an Australian team still uncertain of its ability.

As Agnew said in one of his columns, losing to England in such a manner lit the fuse for the Australian players, coaching staff and public to get very angry and indignant and fuelled the determination to do something about it. Conversely, I think it not only baffled England that they kept getting let off the hook, but it stopped them from comprehending what was coming their way and preparing for a much sterner test. As important as England having one or two excellent passages of play (on deliberately prepared wickets) was Australia combining a bit of bad luck with comical bad judgement.

From Day 1 in Australia, the desire and determination to grind England into the dirt was evident. I can't think of a single session since the first day of the series that could be described as even, never mind in England's favour.

There are one or two positives apart from Broad still being a force; Stokes looks cut out for test cricket, Root has not had a happy time, but he's had the odd decent knock and I think he will benefit from a tough tour and... no, that's about it.

Try as I might, I can't remember the last time that Pietersen stood out and really saved or won a game for England. I know the stats are there, but he just doesn't seem able to do what is asked of him. Time for him to go, I think; I won't miss him.

Trott, I suspect will not return, so we are looking at some profound rebuilding at the top of the order that I don't think Carberry (talented though he is) can provide. I agree that Compton should be getting his kit ready - he is a more natural opener than Root, who needs more time in the middle order or possible replacing Pietersen.

Prior is a puzzle - I think he is probably the best keeper, but he is nowhere near where he needs to be with the bat. Although I understand why England do not like to drop players (and generally it is a good policy - in a winning side, at least), this is a good opportunity to look at alternatives in almost every position. Step forward Mr Bairstow.

I wonder if Swann might decide it's time to step down; he has had uninspired series before, but in this one, he's actually been a liability in terms of runs leaked. Can he recover? He'll be very sorely missed if he does go, especially when conditions suit him, but looking for a non-Panesar replacement would be a good plan.

Anderson I can only assume is knackered and raising the motivation to bowl your heart out when the batsmen are giving you nothing to defend must be hard - especially at his age. He might have another year or two, but I think he's played his last Ashes.

Cook? Young enough to recover, as long as he hasn't been burnt out by the captaincy.

All in all, it's going to be an interesting time between now and the next chance we have to win back the urn.

My team for Melbourne.....

Cook
Carberry
Bell
Pietersen
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Broad/Bresnan
Anderson
Finn
Panesar

I'm sorry to leave Matt Prior out, but he just seems shot to pieces - Bairstow's last test innings was a 90 - odd against South Africa who have a much better bowling attack than Australia. Swann is completely ineffective on the Aussie pitches (although he should be back for Sydney) and all the right handers in the Aussie middle order. Finn has to play (as he should have done in Perth) as he can TAKE WICKETS; I don't care if he goes for a few extra runs. I'd sooner him take 4 - 80 in sixteen overs than having Bresnan take 1 -70 in 23 overs. Stokes offers a capable back-up in the seam bowling department, and Finn can charge in in 3 or 4 over spells and just try to blast a wicket or two.

Regarding the batting I can't see any better available than we have now... they just have to do better. Kim Hughes during his lunchtime interview with Agnew made a very sensible point. KP plays great innings but is NOT a great batsmen. Great batsmen (Richards, Ponting, Bradman, Tendulkar) can play match-winning innings but also match-saving innings. KP cannot do the latter when the chips are really down as the ego still has to land somewhere. If one of his hook shots against Brett Lee in 2005 had landed in someone's hands England could easily have lost at the Oval and the series would have ended 2-2 (or if Warne had caught the dolly at slip when he was still in single figures). His innings in Mumbai was magnificent, as was his effort in Colombo, both of which turned the match England's way.....

We are really missing a well Trott. All the best for him, but I don't think we will see him in an England shirt again.

Just as an addendum to my last post, Australia's next Test Matches are against South Africa.... Good luck Clarke et al, but they will be smashed

Trouble is, I'm not sure Finn is going to get wickets even expensively. He's as much of a threat as the good old (bowls to the left, etc) Mitchell Johnson.

Stokes has definitely earned his place for the next 2 games at least. You'd be mad not to play Broad if he's fit, but I'm not sure I'd play Panesar over Bresnan. Root and Pietersen can do the spinning honours (they aren't expending much energy batting) and with Stokes, Bresnan, Broad, Anderson and Finn you've got 5 who can share the punishment. I agree that Prior needs a break. Not sure what he needs to get straight, but clearly something...!

I'll be interested to see how Australia get along against South Africa. Their tails are up and although getting motivated to batter us is clearly no problem, they'll fancy sticking it to SA as well, I'd have thought. You're right that it will be an altogether harder proposition, but you never know. Is Smith still injured?

Jim, Smith is fit and currently playing against India at Joberg... interesting Test Match too. You can catch up with it on ESPNcricinfo with live text streams.

I think we will need one specialist spinner at Melbourne and I'd pick Monty for the hell of it. We will probably need to play Swann AND Panesar in Sydney as it traditionally turns on that wicket. Prior is a real concern; I wouldn't yet think Bairstow has the experience to keep to the spinners on a bit of a bunsen and we really don't want to have to get 27 wickets to win a match.

Maybe now the Aussies have won back the Ashes our guys might just relax and play to their potential

I haven't followed the test series in South Africa, should really take a peek.

Might be worth picking Monty, I'd be amazed if England pick 2 spinners in Sydney, but it wouldn't be the first time!

With the Ashes gone, I'd be inclined to chuck Bairstow in and let him learn on the job. Although England might relax a bit and play better, the Aussies will want 5-0. Unlike England, they do have the ruthless streak, so it will still be hard-fought and competitive.

Oh well. Swann will not be playing in Melbourne as he has just retired from ALL cricket with immediate effect..... more to follow on the news

I had a feeling this was coming, though after the last two tests. Typical Swann to do something unexpected and headline-grabbing. I have nothing but admiration for him - although I expect some will be critical of the timing.
End of an era - maybe KP will call it a day too...

Yes I tend to agree about KP, he's got his 8k runs and has proved fairly conclusively that he needs to prove himself rather than the team.

Might as well go, difficult though it is to imagine cricket without his unique flair, while the whole team and its appearance of blasé-ness has a clear-out.

It's alarming to think that we have so few batsmen to call upon but I'd be interested in blooding some who have nothing to lose:

Cook
Carberry
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Ballance
Stokes
Bresnan
Broad
Tremlett
Panesar

1'd have really liked to see James Taylor in this set-up.

Having said this it can't be said that the selectors have ever shown signs of adventure, something which seems to have gotten into the team itself.

Hm, maybe a case for retaining Pietersen...

Graeme Swann has taken an apparent swipe at his former England team-mates saying unnamed players are "up their own backsides"

Well there's a cat amongst pigeons!

Let me see.....KP, Broad...for starters?

The wheels are not only falling off, the nuts are probably cracked

England could have done with some of those yellow pointy things on the wheels...

Swann claims it was nobody in the current England team. However, I can't imagine who else he could possibly mean; he's not referring to Sri Lanka...

Well, I think today's result says it all. Test cricket is a pitiless environment that relentlessly exposes weakness. Physically, but overpoweringly if you are not in the right place mentally.
I don't think suddenly banishing all 11 players will solve anything - it would just make us look like North Korea - but some players clearly need a break from the "game". The toll of "working" so hard for so long on what is (whatever the media may say) a sport has left England's players empty. Whilst they were winning (and last summer's Ashes really should have sounded the alarm), there was enough adrenaline to keep it all going. The desire of the Australians and their ruthless battering of the tourists in this series quickly blew away any residual enjoyment England were deriving from playing cricket. I totally understand why Swann left when he did.
I'm not sure how to re-discover the fun that fuels sport, but I'm sure the England management team will have the players working hard on it tomorrow morning...

That was almost unbelievably poor. Australia got 40 for the 10th wicket. Our last 5 scored less than 10.

The only good news is that after Sydney our next test isnt till May June...

86-1 to 87-4
173-5 to 179 all out

8 wickets for 7 runs, most of which were given away. Allowing Lyon to take five without getting the ball off the straight is unforgiveable. Bresnan's shot would have got me dropped from Linton Park 2nd XI.

The highlight of this Test was watching Piers Morgan being WELL sorted out by Brett Lee in the nets two hours after giving it large on TMS saying how he was going to smash him everywhere and accusing all of the England batsmen (Trott and Swann included) of cowardice. YouTube it and giggle

I don't remember sensing this much humiliation even in the bad old days of 46 all out against the Windies in the Caribbean all those years ago.

Is anyone suggesting skullduggery here? Of the sort in which a certain former SA captain was alleged to be involved?

I must admit when I saw the way in which Bell got out first ball, the thought certainly crossed my mind. The "shot" was so feeble it almost looked deliberate.

I think this speculation could give match-fixing a bad name.

At this rate we'll have a forum quorum.

Oh well, here we go again. It looks as if Carberry will be dropped and Root put up the order to open; don't agree. Bairstow will keep wicket again, and Ballance will be given his debut. Borthwick will also be given a go, but for goodness sake he is a part-time leg-spinner and could go for lots of runs on a traditionally spinner-friendly wicket. Anyone for Tredwell instead? The jungle drums are also going for Rankin instead of Bresnan. Anyone for Finn?

The team will be

Cook
Root
Bell
Pieterson
Ballance
Stokes
Bairstow
Borthwick
Broad
Anderson
Rankin

and should be (in my humble opinion)

Cook
Carberry
Bell
Pieterson
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Tredwell
Broad
Anderson
Finn

Come on England!! (and Wales, South Africa, New Zealand)

Well bless my soul. I have no Idea what to think. But I think we might just lose...

Omg, Carberry instead of Root......that's a poser.

Root fields, bats a bit and bowls sometimes, Carberry bats well, deliberately

The other changes - why not, only one match too late.