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[Buzz]

Sometime when a team has been repeatedly thrashed, it gives them a wake up call as to what is expected.
The mentally strong will react positively (think the England Rugby Tour of Hell all those years ago - lots of those players became world cup winners).
The weak won't play again.
Brutal, but it will be interesting to see the reaction of the players. 

[Vitas Cricket]

Seems like a lot of them saw this tour as a bit of a jolly. Even jimmy Taylor spent most of his time tweeting pictures of himself on sightseeing tours etc.

I'd be thoroughly embarrassed and nowhere near twitter if I was in his shoes.

[alba caerulea]

Seems like a lot of them saw this tour as a bit of a jolly. Even jimmy Taylor spent most of his time tweeting pictures of himself on sightseeing tours etc.

I'd be thoroughly embarrassed and nowhere near twitter if I was in his shoes.

Easy to judge sat at home in the UK. Posting pictures on a social-networking site is hardly crime of the century. I doubt sight-seeing on days off was against the wishes of the management. Seeing different parts of the world when your not working is not illegal and happens on full tours so lets nip that criticism in the bud

Boozing is not acceptable and was punished

As Buzz has said getting thrashed is often the motivation for sportsmen to push themselves to greatness - Alan Border, Roy Keane and Lawrence Dallaglio are 3 off the top of my head I can recall attributing dark days to their future successes. Lets hope it has the same sort of effects on 1 or 2 of this Lions squad

[Vitas Cricket]

Easy to judge sat at home in the UK. Posting pictures on a social-networking site is hardly crime of the century. I doubt sight-seeing on days off was against the wishes of the management. Seeing different parts of the world when your not working is not illegal and happens on full tours so lets nip that criticism in the bud

Boozing is not acceptable and was punished

As Buzz has said getting thrashed is often the motivation for sportsmen to push themselves to greatness - Alan Border, Roy Keane and Lawrence Dallaglio are 3 off the top of my head I can recall attributing dark days to their future successes. Lets hope it has the same sort of effects on 1 or 2 of this Lions squad

I'd be in the nets or reviewing video after getting my ass handed to me, especially if i was someone like Taylor who has already played a few games at international level. If i did go on a pre-arranged tour/sightseeing event,i wouldn't be tweeting about it.

[alba caerulea]

You might but not everyone can work that way, some mentalities need to forget about things in order to focus on the next game/training session which is fair enough. As for the tweeting who really cares? If people like James Taylor didn't put their day-to-day activities online Twitter users like yourself would have very little to read. These are lads not machines, they need to live a life aswell

[Vitas Cricket]

Fair points. I just get the sense that this entire tour was seen as a jolly

[Manormanic]

Does rather look that way; an odd looking Lions squad too if you ask me.  Fair play to Australia though, they sent out their strongest second side and seem to have played very well (though it is probably the only thing they will manage to beat us in this year!)

[ProCricketer1982]

I'd be in the nets or reviewing video after getting my ass handed to me, especially if i was someone like Taylor who has already played a few games at international level. If i did go on a pre-arranged tour/sightseeing event,i wouldn't be tweeting about it.

I'd be doing the same as Vitas. If you get whopped (and not just 'one of the those days whoopped!) then get in those nets and get working on the failings as to continually get whoopped means there are plenty to work on. Plus, these guys are getting paid to play so going out there and getting hammered game in game out, then getting drunk and having paid for jolly's (which if they are team outings they will be!) is not really on. Make the 'jolly's' something ot be earned by winning, not just a given.

Australia seemed to do it right, they put out there second best team and won. Fair play. Hopefully the England set up learn from it or is changed.

[alba caerulea]

I agree with the theory but presumably they have been allowed these trips by the management

Perhaps you have to question the coaches as much as the players if they are under-prepared

[The_Bird]

You'd think after what happened to trescothick overseas they would be encouraged to experience what goes on outside of their hotel rooms. Overkill and over training can be just as bad also.

[Manormanic]

a very valid point - the management line should be to encourage players to develop as individuals as well as as cricketers.

[The_Bird]

Also all of these guys are exceptional cricketers as they play at the elite level in this country, it's all about being in the right mindset mentally to execute that talent when you need to. Any top level sport is about what goes on between the ears.