Ashes 2013/14

[Alexander's Horse]

He's averaged 80 per wicket here, maybe he wants to avoid more damage. Also could be a sign of strife in the team. There are reports Flower won't survive.

A loss to the game, the reaction here has been shock. Swann was a very respected player and popular with Australian crowds.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

The best English spinner in more than a generation. We have nobody even remotely close to replacing him.

[Alexander's Horse]

he does look rather like a rat leaving a sinking ship though

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

He won't be the last. My money is on KP and Prior retiring from tests at the end of the series.

[Alexander's Horse]

Prior had a shocker keeping in Perth

KP married an underwear model, yes he is capable of anything

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Arsebiscuits.

Well it's all set up for an entertaining last innings. This is Panesar's chance to show he's worthy of being our first-pick spinner.

[Alexander's Horse]

They gave him the honour of bowling them to oblivion.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

What that day proved is the following-

1- Panesar can't claim to be our first-choice spinner
2- Even though he's in shocking form, Prior is still better than Bairstow
3- Cook is making some very odd decisions with the bowlers

[Alexander's Horse]

Cook didn't have many runs to play with.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

They might still be playing, but the post mortems can start now.

Cook isn't a convincing captain. He can stay in the side, but new leadership is required. The captaincy decisions invariably fell into one of two categories- "over-cautious and negative" or "bafflingly odd".

Ben Stokes was the one silver lining from the series. He looks a good bet for the future.

Broad and Anderson didn't disgrace themselves, but (with the exception of Stokes) every other bowler wasn't up to standard.

Carberry isn't Test standard. Compton and Cook to open, please.

Any other selector suggesting bowlers should be picked by height rather than form should be shot on sight. It was so, so predictable that we'd be missing Onions.

Bairstow isn't good enough. If Prior is finished, pick a better purist keeper and to hell with the batting.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

And now, the most depressing statistics from the tour.

Cook's batting average- 24.6
Bairstow's batting average- 12.25
Panesar's bowling average- 85.66

The only England bowler good enough to get into the Australian side was Broad, and with the arguable exception of Stokes none of the batsmen would. And don't even mention the wicket-keepers.

[Alexander's Horse]

If one side is too dominant it spoils the summer.

English team in for major rejuvenation I'd say. Stokes won respect. Broad was good. Quite a few players just didn't adapt to the conditions or should retire now. There must be a question mark of Kevin P.

Whereas the Australian team stabilised, which hasn't been the case for quite a while. We have the nucleus of a good young team to take on South Africa.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

The worst thing that could happen for England would be to beat Sri Lanka by setting lush, green pitches, and thinking everything's got better.

[MikeJohnsons]

whatever Australia won the series.:-)

[Alexander's Horse]

As good a time as any to post this little gem