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[123*]

I'm with you there Thomasina - we seem to be failing in all places against what I feel to be a reasonably good side!

In the terrible 90's when the Aussies and the Windies were bumming us regularly, there were a few candidates who stood out amongst the wreckaage for grit and determaination (particulalrly against pace)  Athers, Russell, Robin Smith, Alan Lamb - and some of theme weren't even bloody English!

Something has changed either in the coaching, or the motivation techniques to enable them to 'grit it out for England'!

Anyway, that's the blood-letting, I only hope the powers that be are willing to do something about it,and to get some of these talented youngsters in to see if they are up to the mark-


Robson
Chopra
Ballance
Taylor
Buttler
Foakes
Borthwick
Vince
Ali
Rankin
Topley
Harris
Roland-Jones


and many more I have forgotten - that's a massive pool to start working with!

Stoneman, Wood and Overton are three more lions players.

Anyone got any idea what Onions has to do to get a gig? Other than sign for Surrey or Middlesex obviously!

[The_Bird]

Spot on Nick, Cook can improve as a captain.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Which all begs the question: does the academy system produce mediocre cricketers?

[procricket]

In football it inevitably does

[lewis_faulds]

Tbh a captain is always going to be slated when they are losing and praised when they are winning. It's just cricket!

[FattusCattus]

I'm not so sure you can discount all change Nicky S.

Is Carberry the future? You have to replace Bairstow with a proper keeper, and many media reports suggest Monty's action is very ragged at the moment - he certainly doesn't take many wickets, and we don't want a Paul Harris situation.

However, changing 2 or 3 personnel and having a coaching shake-up must have a galvansing effect.

It's all very well saying we were 13 tests unbeaten, but that was not a good team performance in the English summer and the signs were already beginning to show.

Also selection -with the performance squad out there, why the need for 3 gigantic quicks and no specialist reserve keeper in the main squad?

[joeljonno]

I'm not so sure you can discount all change Nicky S.

Is Carberry the future? You have to replace Bairstow with a proper keeper, and many media reports suggest Monty's action is very ragged at the moment - he certainly doesn't take many wickets, and we don't want a Paul Harris situation.

However, changing 2 or 3 personnel and having a coaching shake-up must have a galvansing effect.

It's all very well saying we were 13 tests unbeaten, but that was not a good team performance in the English summer and the signs were already beginning to show.

Also selection -with the performance squad out there, why the need for 3 gigantic quicks and no specialist reserve keeper in the main squad?

Bairstow is a very competent keeper, and how many times does a reserve wicket keeper actually get used? Very little. Who could have imagined Prior getting dropped? All in all, I think it was a technical gamble, as there are options to call up from the A team if needed. Bairstow has been on the verge of the England squad for a long time and deserved a spot for his batting alone. I guess to bring anothe keeper, you would have left Ballance or a bowler behind.

[Gingerbusiness]

Piers Morgan for the final test?

I want to see him hit a few more times!

[123*]

I saw every Durham County Championship game this year and without a doubt the best keeper was Chris Reid, obviously England won't go down this road however over the last few years Mustard, Reid and Foster have looked a lot better than Bairstow. This is my opinion on watching them live btw not what I've seen on TV.

[jamielsn15]

Good read this for those who think throwing kids in is the best way forward.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/10541165/Ashes-2013-14-Now-is-not-the-time-for-any-more-changes-for-England.html

probably worth bearing in mind that Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have had to and the West Indies have chosen to, with several players averaging mid 20s.

[Gingerbusiness]

Stoneman, Wood and Overton are three more lions players.

Anyone got any idea what Onions has to do to get a gig? Other than sign for Surrey or Middlesex obviously!

He's another one who is 'steady' in English conditions - Bit like Bresnan.

I feel sorry for him - he has done nothing wrong. In a different generation, he would have got 50-100 caps.

Jon Lewis (going back a few years) being another who missed out on the basis of a strong generation of fast bowlers.

[procricket]

He's another one who is 'steady' in English conditions - Bit like Bresnan.

I feel sorry for him - he has done nothing wrong. In a different generation, he would have got 50-100 caps.

Jon Lewis (going back a few years) being another who missed out on the basis of a strong generation of fast bowlers.

Glen Chapple

[123*]

He's another one who is 'steady' in English conditions - Bit like Bresnan.

I feel sorry for him - he has done nothing wrong. In a different generation, he would have got 50-100 caps.

Jon Lewis (going back a few years) being another who missed out on the basis of a strong generation of fast bowlers.

70 wickets at 18 in CCD1 is not steady at all, bowls 90mph and does a bit with it, proven at international level, how Bresnan gets a game above him is unbelievable!

[Number 11]

What we should have done a while ago is pick the best squad we could and then pick a direct replacement for every player.
Rest a few first squad players for one test in three or four to blood the replacement players. This would give a constant rotation, resting the main players (especially with injuries) and seeing what the replacements can do. If the replacement is a dingbat then choose another.

What's actually happened with England is too small a selection, too many games, too many injuries and having Trott, Prior, Swann and Cook etc burn out all at once.
Carberry should have played a couple of tests in the summer along with Panessar (or other spinner)

[smilley792]

What we should have done a while ago is pick the best squad we could and then pick a direct replacement for every player.
Rest a few first squad players for one test in three or four to blood the replacement players. This would give a constant rotation, resting the main players (especially with injuries) and seeing what the replacements can do. If the replacement is a dingbat then choose another.

What's actually happened with England is too small a selection, too many games, too many injuries and having Trott, Prior, Swann and Cook etc burn out all at once.
Carberry should have played a couple of tests in the summer along with Panessar (or other spinner)

Wasn't that what they did with woakes and Kerrigan? And they both failed?






Bring Ravi bopara back, he can bat at 6 and be our 4th seamer.......