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[WalkingWicket37]

What has happened to broad? His ton against Pakistan made him look like a player with huge potential to be an allrounder.

Now he looks like a bunny, lucky to get into double figures?


Anderson was night watchman not long ago, but there's no way you'd send him in on current form?

And swann(although retired now anyway) used to slap his way to 30plus for fun at the ne of most innings.


How can 3 players abilities drop so dramatically (less so for Anderson) in such a short period of time?

Are the being coached correctly?

Are they being coached at all??

[uknsaunders]

Vaughan says you can't blame Gooch for the poor batting. Despite being one of my all time hero's I totally disagree and can't see how he can stay. Our lower order batting has been appalling for sometime and that has to be down to him as they don't play their cricket anywhere else other than with England. The Aussie's last wicket put on 40+ and yet our entire lower order get skittled time and time again. As soon as Bairstow went you knew we wouldn't get to 200 but even I didn't think it would be that quick and lame. 

Sorry but Gooch is there to improve the batting, he's the batting coach. Whatever he is doing it's not working and it's technical as much as mental issues. Why JB with 2 years of test cricket is still bringing the bat down crooked is a mystery. I find it interesting that 3 of the players that started in the Fletcher era - KP, Cook, Bell are still our most reliable batsman. Albeit Cook is heavily influenced by Gooch. Ultimately it's converting starts that has been the issue for the top order - always a sign of good bowling pressure imho, look no further than 2005 for another example of not converting starts. The lower order has been a shambles but they should of seen it coming after the first test and acted on it. When Broad started test cricket he could hook as well as anyone, now he just craps himself. The most stupid thing is on paper Bres/Broad ought to be better than Johnson/Harris, but not this series.

The biggest issue is the lower order will start to be picked on batting ability - ie. borthwick for monty, and this will weaken our bowling options.

[smilley792]

Are they being coached at all??

I saw a piece on sky during the warm up, where pietersen was coaching Finn.

Which does ask your question, do the proper coaches bother with the bowlers at all currently?

[WalkingWicket37]

I saw a piece on sky during the warm up, where pietersen was coaching Finn.

Which does ask your question, do the proper coaches bother with the bowlers at all currently?

I'm reading Jimmy's book at the moment and he says there is a buddy system where a batsmen works with a bowler on their batting.
Jimmy was paired up with Alistair Cook as they were both left handed. So there is a possibility the lower order don't get formal batting coaching, and work solely with their buddy.

I'm wondering if the bowing works the same way too, will we soon see Finn playing the switch hit, Jimmy batting for days, with KP bowling 85mph bumpers and Cookie swinging it round corners 

[uknsaunders]

I might be old fashioned but I'd have them devoting several hours a day on their batting with a coach. I don't remember many of our Olympic medallists getting a mate to coach them now and again.

[csnew]

Thought boycott had it spot on:
"They think they're better than they are, they've won three series against ordinary Australian sides and they think they're world beaters."
Wasn't too long ago that the skysports commentators were comparing this England side to the great West Indies side.

Few easy test series coming up should help prop the averages back up.

[Vic Nicholas]

. The most stupid thing is on paper Bres/Broad ought to be better than Johnson/Harris, but not this series.

In whose deluded mind???

Bres/Broad have NEVER been better than Johnson/Harris. Only someone ingesting industrial quantities of hallucinogenic drugs would think so in the first place.

Sweet Jayzus you guys are deluded.

[joeljonno]

Harris is injury prone and Mitch can be a tad wayward at times. Broad and Bresnan can be more accurate.

Taking everything bowling wise into account, I think they way Mitch has bowled and the fact Harris has been injury free, that'll always be the better pick.

I'd say Harris, Broad, Johnson, Bresnan most would pick. If you wanted pace, move Johnson up

[iand123]

In whose deluded mind???

Bres/Broad have NEVER been better than Johnson/Harris. Only someone ingesting industrial quantities of hallucinogenic drugs would think so in the first place.

Sweet Jayzus you guys are deluded.

On paper just like he said that's who!

Haven't seen stats myself but as uknsaunders said I'd guess they would suggest (remember that doesn't prove anything) broad and bres have better stats than Harris and johnson going into this series

[joeljonno]

I saw a piece on sky during the warm up, where pietersen was coaching Finn.

Which does ask your question, do the proper coaches bother with the bowlers at all currently?

One batting coach, squad of 18-20.

That is very little time to spend with someone if you are spreading yourself that thing.

As Cook, Pietersen etc are needed to practice bowling that much, it makes sense in that regard.

Whether it works in practice, that is a whole different kettle of fish.

[iand123]

Having watched pieces from the other ashes series in aus of late the England batsmen "bunnied" with a tailender. Not sure if this still happens buy would explain the KP/Finn stuff

[ProCricketer1982]

One batting coach, squad of 18-20.

That is very little time to spend with someone if you are spreading yourself that thing.

As Cook, Pietersen etc are needed to practice bowling that much, it makes sense in that regard.

Whether it works in practice, that is a whole different kettle of fish.

True, it's not like that's all they do in life... Oh wait. Not enough time is not a reason, if it is they should work harder and more hours

[uknsaunders]

In whose deluded mind???

Bres/Broad have NEVER been better than Johnson/Harris. Only someone ingesting industrial quantities of hallucinogenic drugs would think so in the first place.

Sweet Jayzus you guys are deluded.

I was talking about batting ability, if you read my whole post correctly.

[Buzz]

I think Goochie will have to fall on his sword after this series, the batting has gone backwards during the last 18 months. nice guy. daddy hundreds are great, but the technical weaknesses aren't being fixed. average first innings scores have evaporated. it is clear to see and has been said loads of times.

[joeljonno]

True, it's not like that's all they do in life... Oh wait. Not enough time is not a reason, if it is they should work harder and more hours

So, are you saying that the proper batsmen shouldn't get more time than the bowlers?

Squad of 20, work for 10 hours a day, that's 30 minutes each per day to work with your best batsmen.