Australia v England, 5th Test, Sydney, 3-7 January, 2014

There's no point in us playing Monty as Cook is reluctant to use him - he's not exactly going to contribute in any other way is he?

That said, he's not going to put his trust in an inexperienced specialist spinner either. The Kerrigan experience is still fresh in his mind. Replace him with a batsman and use Root to rotate the seamers around (as they did at Melbourne anyway), increases our chances of scoring over 250 as well...

Nah, you can't go into a Sydney test without a specialist spinner. If Cook isn't prepared to trust young spinners (or indeed any spinner that isn't Swann) then he should step aside and we can appoint a captain who is prepared to take a risk now and then.

It's a Sophie's choice where you want the Nazis to kill both children but I'd go for Tredwell above Panesar and Borthwick- will keep an end tight-ish, has all round abilities, and is long in the tooth enough not to be broken by the experience. Rankin as third seamer- only because the Aussies have never really seen him before and he'll have a surprise element.

Incidentally I've only returned to the forum now England are trawling the absolute depths- it's probably because I'm some kind of pervert.

Good to see you anyway Tom.

As to selections for the England XI, I'm really not sure.

What I do think is the same as this time 6 years ago. If the current team (meaning also the management team) can't do anything even to salvage a draw out of five, that is a prima facie case for a change in all the key positions.

That detail belongs on the 'Post-Drubbing' thread, I suppose. ...

What about the execs/Chairman at the ECB? All seem to have been very quiet. They're the ones responsible for the schedule (it sounds like sour grapes but 10 Ashes test on the spin is ridiculous, esp. if you're the touring side at the back end) and the dearth of talent in the English game (there's almost no serious test prospects knocking on the door). It doesn't help there isn't an active managing director at the mo. with Hugh Morris about to depart but Collier and Clarke have got to front up. And there's the selectors as well- the Finn, Rankin, Tremlett triumvirate is a ghastly failure.

Eric Air Emu wrote:What about the execs/Chairman at the ECB? All seem to have been very quiet. They're the ones responsible for the schedule (it sounds like sour grapes but 10 Ashes test on the spin is ridiculous, esp. if you're the touring side at the back end) and the dearth of talent in the English game (there's almost no serious test prospects knocking on the door). It doesn't help there isn't an active managing director at the mo. with Hugh Morris about to depart but Collier and Clarke have got to front up. And there's the selectors as well- the Finn, Rankin, Tremlett triumvirate is a ghastly failure.

Are they responsible? How long ago was the FTP set up?

Some people just don't have the gift of leadership. Ali Cook, for all his good qualities, isn't a good captain. It's not for him. The sooner England are honest about this, the sooner we can make progress and move on.

I've still to see a realistic suggestion put forward for a replacement, though...

I'd go for Ian Bell. I've always heard what a good captain he was at under 19 level, and on the odd occasions he's done it for Warwickshire. He's a very experienced international player these days, and maybe now is his time. He can still play the odd absolutely stupendously daft and weak shots with the bat, though. The 2nd innings at Melbourne being a prime example.

I really can't see Chef getting the flick after one bad series.

0-5 is not a bad series.

Henry wrote:I'd go for Ian Bell. I've always heard what a good captain he was at under 19 level, and on the odd occasions he's done it for Warwickshire. He's a very experienced international player these days, and maybe now is his time. He can still play the odd absolutely stupendously daft and weak shots with the bat, though. The 2nd innings at Melbourne being a prime example.

a great Mudge entry for 2013 gold...well a similar sort of colour

Doolan into the squad as cover for Watson. Bollinger released to play Big Bash. NCN still in the 14 man squad along with Faulkner.

Can't we just call the whole thing off?

horace wrote:

Henry wrote:I'd go for Ian Bell. I've always heard what a good captain he was at under 19 level, and on the odd occasions he's done it for Warwickshire. He's a very experienced international player these days, and maybe now is his time. He can still play the odd absolutely stupendously daft and weak shots with the bat, though. The 2nd innings at Melbourne being a prime example.

a great Mudge entry for 2013 gold...well a similar sort of colour

I could suggest that Piers Morgan become England captain and it would barely be laughable when Cook is the alternative.

Henry wrote:Nah, you can't go into a Sydney test without a specialist spinner. If Cook isn't prepared to trust young spinners (or indeed any spinner that isn't Swann) then he should step aside and we can appoint a captain who is prepared to take a risk now and then.

English spin in this series - 10 wickets for 915 runs, average 91.50. Stats to back up the "why bother" argument.

Gary 111 wrote:Can't we just call the whole thing off?

No..

this is a chance to play for redemption...on paper esp now the Chin has gone off in huff, England is far better than an oz team that has one batsman, a crock medium pacer, a vegan paced trundler and midge...and oh yes, an ordinairy offie and aged keeper whothrows the bat and has no footwork with gloves or bat

looking at the cumulative result across the 4 tests to date, it is clear the only way is up for the poms.

While 4-0 is a shellacking, it is the margins that are really telling

In winning the 4 tests to date -
Oz has lost 27 fewer wickets and is ahead by a cumulative 749 runs

Doolan replaces Bollinger in the squad for Sydney as cover for Shane Watson. Harris in some doubt.

What will England do? Prior still sees himself as his country's keeper. Will the Bairstow experiment be short-lived?

Is Broad fit?  Should Rankin and/or Boyd get a trundle?  Will Monty or one of the replacement spinners get a gig?

Meanwhile Johnson enjoyed his confrontation with KP and feels some of the poms are uneasy facing him.

http://sports.ndtv.com/the-ashes-2013-14/news/218827-the-ashes-england-uneasy-about-facing-me-says-mitchell-johnson

Will this post find its way to the original 3-page 5th Test thread which has been going since well before Clotto hit the winning runs yesterday????

In order: Yes, depends what he's meant to be fit for, Boyd and Rankin are the same bloke in the same sway as, frinstance, Tony and Abbott are both the same bloke, and WTF difference is it likely to make?

Gary 111 wrote:Can't we just call the whole thing off?

Rain predicted for the last 2 days if that helps

Is this the ultimate NTR thread?

Australia's batting (and England's bowling) average in this series is 45.38
England's batting (and Australia's bowling) average in this series is 22.96



Compare this to the Ashes 2013 series in England.

Australia's batting (and England's bowling) average in that series was 30.73
England's batting (and Australia's bowling) average in that series was 33.60

OP Tipping wrote:
Australia's batting (and England's bowling) average in this series is 45.38
England's batting (and Australia's bowling) average in this series is 22.96



Compare this to the Ashes 2013 series in England.

Australia's batting (and England's bowling) average in that series was  30.73
England's batting (and Australia's bowling) average in that series was  33.60

Hasn't there been any run outs?

(shrugs) Bowling-fielding average, if you prefer.