The Ashes (again)

[Darlogramps]

Borthwick & Tredwell called up

Borthwick landed this morning and may play in Boxing Day test, Tredwell arrives for other test.

Great news for Scotty, his batting is up to the job but is his bowling, to many lose long hops last season.

Shame Onions is not called up also

I think if Onions was called up it would be admitting the selectors have got it wrong....which they have
Its the end of an era for this current team - it was one tour too far for some of
them and I dont think their heart was in it.
Time to build a new team - and I think Flower should go as well - we have got Ashley Giles waiting in the wings and its his time now to help Cook build a new team

Very much agree, I see Mark Wood has been called up for the Lions today also for the Sri Lanka tour, don't think Durham will have many players left come April at this rate

I can see most of the team shortly being from Durham or Yorkshire!

As an aside I hope Prior keeps his place cos I'm not sure Jonny B is a good enough keeper.

I disagree. Prior's head is scrambled, he's out of form with the bat and with the gloves. He's been very poor.

Nothing to lose by giving Bairstow a chance. He keeps/has kept wicket for Yorkshire, so he deserves an opportunity.

I think the team for the Boxing Day test will be: Cook, Carberry (although he's nowhere near good enough for test level), Root, Pietersen, Bell, Stokes, Bairstow, Broad (if fit, Finn or Rankin if not), Bresnan, Anderson, Panesar

I'd like to see Ballance get a chance in place of Carberry, with Root moving back up to opener and Bell coming in at three, but the England selectors are far too stuck-in-the-mud to do anything as radical.

[comeondarlo]

I'm even more certain now that giving the gloves to Jonny was a mistake. He struggles with short pitch balls and Johnson softened him up well!
Bairstow's glove isn't up to international standard and he'll get found out. Should've stuck with Prior, I'm betting these two games (if he plays two) will set Bairstow back a couple of years!

I normally back Yorkies to the hilt but he should never have gone as reserve keeper in the first place

[Darlogramps]

I'm intrigued how you can write off his wicketkeeping when he hasn't kept wicket in a test match yet.

I still don't see the value in playing Prior when he's so blatantly out of form, both with the bat and with the gloves.

I do have doubts over whether Bairstow is a long term solution, but for the time being, I'm pleased he's being given a chance.

After him and Prior who else is there in terms of wicketkeepers for England? Jos Buttler?

[BUSHEAD]

Prior has been horrible since ironically collecting the player of the year award.

For me he is has played his last game for England. Isnt a great keeper and batting well less said the better.

[THE PRINCE OF WALES]

Slappy,who would have your 2nd keeper?

[comeondarlo]

Slappy,who would have your 2nd keeper?

Jos Buttler would have been my 2nd keeper but I wouldn't have dropped Prior in the first place. Whoever the number two keeper is he shouldn't have played unless Prior got injured (as a keeper that is). Prior should have seen the tour out IMO.

I love Jonny B but he's not good enough for test cricket at the mo, it's really obvious to me.

Love to be wrong btw!

[Quakerz]

Well this test series turned out well didn't it?

[BUSHEAD]

The 3-0 in the summer wasnt as convincing as some thought.
The weather saved us on a couple of ocassions.

[Darlo_Pete]

England have been punching above their weight for a while now and the Aussies have shown them up as a distinctly average team.

[comeondarlo]

Lol, Michael Clarke agrees with me about Prior.
I'm undecided whether I'm happy about this!!!

[Darlogramps]

If you believe the press, Scott Borthwick is going to be chucked in at the deep end as spinner.

Really hope he isn't as I don't think he's ready. Kerrigan was more prolific than him in the county season and he got mauled, so I dread to think what could happen to Borthwick. Given he's only 23, if he took a pummelling, it could badly damage him going forward.

I'd stick Tredwell in. He's got more international experience in the one-dayers. Borthwick needs more time to develop.

[Bogratsteve]

Completely agree and understand your thought process but he has been playing 1st class since he was 17 and should be ready by now, he should be bowled sparingly as that is his weakness, batting wise I have no fear of him been more than capable of facing anyone and scoring a few, as good a batsman as Stokes IMHO now.

[Darlogramps]

Completely agree and understand your thought process but he has been playing 1st class since he was 17 and should be ready by now, he should be bowled sparingly as that is his weakness, batting wise I have no fear of him been more than capable of facing anyone and scoring a few, as good a batsman as Stokes IMHO now.

Yeah I agree batting wise he should be okay (can't do much worse than the rest of them have done in the series).

My main fear is that he's used as the main spinner. Sydney is meant to be more of a spinner's pitch than say Melbourne, but I do fear if he's the main spinner. His first class record as a bowler isn't good enough to warrant being main spinner just yet IMO.

[comeondarlo]

If you believe the press, Scott Borthwick is going to be chucked in at the deep end as spinner.

Really hope he isn't as I don't think he's ready. Kerrigan was more prolific than him in the county season and he got mauled, so I dread to think what could happen to Borthwick. Given he's only 23, if he took a pummelling, it could badly damage him going forward.

I'd stick Tredwell in. He's got more international experience in the one-dayers. Borthwick needs more time to develop.

This is the reason why I want to protect Bairstow and stick with Prior.

Cook has just said that Bairstow is keeping his place.

[Darlogramps]

If you believe the press, Scott Borthwick is going to be chucked in at the deep end as spinner.

Really hope he isn't as I don't think he's ready. Kerrigan was more prolific than him in the county season and he got mauled, so I dread to think what could happen to Borthwick. Given he's only 23, if he took a pummelling, it could badly damage him going forward.

I'd stick Tredwell in. He's got more international experience in the one-dayers. Borthwick needs more time to develop.

This is the reason why I want to protect Bairstow and stick with Prior.

Cook has just said that Bairstow is keeping his place.

I can understand that, but Bairstow had already played test cricket in the summer (albeit briefly) and I believe he had some one day experience at international level too.

Borthwick doesn't have any, aside from one meaningless friendly v Ireland where he bowled one over. And now people are suggesting he should be the main spinner v an Australia side who've openly said they'll target him.

[Bogratsteve]

He bowls to many full tosses and long hops currently and could be cannon fodder

[comeondarlo]

The three Bs are in, Balance, Borthwick and Boyd Rankin.
I'm planning to stay up.

Come on England avoid the whitewash!

[Bogratsteve]

Great stuff from the Ginger Ninja Stokes, don't think we will see him back at Durham much in the next decade and a wicket for Scotty after taking some tap, Durham can hold their heads up proud today

[comeondarlo]

He bowls to many full tosses and long hops currently and could be cannon fodder

How right you were but he took a wicket to ease the pain.

Stokes was outstanding and has a long England future, he is the new (more improved) Bresnan.
Yorkshire will gain having him back but I have a feeling that they may turn to Rashid again long term, he had a great season last year. Gain one lose one!
Root will be back opening with Chef in the summer but I'm still convinced that they'll be looking for a better keeper. If Balance does well tonight then I can deffo see a lot of next summers team coming from Yorkshire/Durham

[Darlogramps]

Borthwick went for a higher rate than Kerrigan did in the summer. Confirms what we all suspected, he's not ready just yet.

Carberry isn't good enough for test level and should be ditched after this test.

Root to open possibly, although they may have a look at Sam Robson at Middlesex, who is very handy. Robson could slot in as opener or in the middle order. But a good performance from Ballance in Sydney could see him secure his place in the side.

And yeah, it's terrific to see Stokes doing so well. I just hope he's allowed to develop and people don't get too carried away.

Spinner is going to be a problem position at least for the next year or two. If Borthwick develops as he should, he may be ready by the time of the 2015 Ashes. Kerrigan is also a possible.

Wicketkeeper could be any one of Prior/Bairstow/Buttler. No idea who'll end up getting it going forward.

[comeondarlo]

Borthwick went for a higher rate than Kerrigan did in the summer. Confirms what we all suspected, he's not ready just yet.

Carberry isn't good enough for test level and should be ditched after this test.

Root to open possibly, although they may have a look at Sam Robson at Middlesex, who is very handy. Robson could slot in as opener or in the middle order. But a good performance from Ballance in Sydney could see him secure his place in the side.

And yeah, it's terrific to see Stokes doing so well. I just hope he's allowed to develop and people don't get too carried away.

Spinner is going to be a problem position at least for the next year or two. If Borthwick develops as he should, he may be ready by the time of the 2015 Ashes. Kerrigan is also a possible.

Wicketkeeper could be any one of Prior/Bairstow/Buttler. No idea who'll end up getting it going forward.

I totally agree with you about Stokes. That's why I was very careful to say he's the next Bresnan rather than Botham/Freddy.

[THE PRINCE OF WALES]

there are some good youngsters coming through,the spinning dept Bortwick,`kerrigan and very good youngster Andrew Salter at Glamorgan.We still got Monty and Tredwell.Keep Cook as captain and has Andy Flower taken England as far as he can? Be intresting what Botham and co opinions on Flower.

[Bogratsteve]

there are some good youngsters coming through,the spinning dept Bortwick,`kerrigan and very good youngster Andrew Salter at Glamorgan.We still got Monty and Tredwell.Keep Cook as captain and has Andy Flower taken England as far as he can? Be intresting what Botham and co opinions on Flower.

I think he has to go, he inherited a great team and kept the momentum going but now he seems lacking in ideas and when the chips were down brought guys like Finn & Tremlett over instead of a younger bowler and Onions.

I think the Stokes decision was a fluke for him.

We have some great players in the county teams who are young and hungry, time to ship the likes of KP, Bell and Prior out and maybe Anderson.

Would like to see Nasser or Vaughan brought in as Coach but there to young and won't be considered.

[loan_star]

Like it or not but KP was one of highest run scorers this tour. Prior is still the best W/K we have and Bell, although he had a bad tour, was outstanding this summer. Anderson is still one of our top bowlers. Is it right to ditch them all when the rest of the team have been poor too?

[Bogratsteve]

Like it or not but KP was one of highest run scorers this tour. Prior is still the best W/K we have and Bell, although he had a bad tour, was outstanding this summer. Anderson is still one of our top bowlers. Is it right to ditch them all when the rest of the team have been poor too?

You are right in terms of what they have been but I think most of them will retire through 2014 at various stages, maybe I'm to early with sacking them off but the hole they will leave will be massive to fill and if a new coach comes in he will have problems with getting them motivated after this defeat.

We will see but I expect one of them to go within the next week.

Don't agree on Prior though, we have far better keepers who can bat also

[comeondarlo]

Like it or not but KP was one of highest run scorers this tour. Prior is still the best W/K we have and Bell, although he had a bad tour, was outstanding this summer. Anderson is still one of our top bowlers. Is it right to ditch them all when the rest of the team have been poor too?

I'm with you LS, it's not time to panic. Changes are required but not wholesale ones. We've already lost Swan and Trott and I struggle to see how Bresnan gets his place back cos of Stokes, that's enough for now.

We need to give a lot of credit to the Aussies, who were top notch especially the bowlers. They took England apart piece by piece and I hate to say this (cos I hate him) but Warner got right under our skin (I know he did mine, far too much to say for himself!). Hopefully what goes around will come around.

Finally I can think of only two players that have come out of this Series with any sort of
credit, Stokes and Broad; but let's not panic they haven't all become bad players overnight.

[loan_star]

Don't agree on Prior though, we have far better keepers who can bat also

The problem is though, a lot of these potential Prior replacements shine at county level but are found wanting at Test or ODI levels. For every good game they have, they 2 or 3 shockers. Prior to his credit doesnt often have bad games, either his keeping is excellent or he gets vital runs. Its his batting that has let him down this summer, just like almost everyone else.

[Bogratsteve]

So fast forward a month and Swann, KP has gone, Flowers also........

Think this may be the last for a while until the new coach Giles sorts them out

[TSQuaker]

Slightly disappointed with the KP decision. He's been a top player for England and is still probably our top batsman. Strange decision,

[Bogratsteve]

TBH i'm happy with it, we need a settled team and introduce some youngsters now otherwise we will be stuffed in a year or two, get Trott back fit then put Stokes in KP's role and the top order looks good

Cook
Carbs?
Trott
Bell
Stokes
Root
Prior/A.N.Other
Bres/Onions
Broad
Spinner
Anderson