The Ashes

[maehara]

As it was called on Twitter yesterday: #pomnishambles

About sums it up. Can we play England now, please?

[totoro]

With the series gone maybe a chance for Gary Ballance to debut at the MCG ....

Doubt it though since Stokes is playing well ......

They suggested during the coverage that they could possibly drop Pietersen for Ballance or Bairstow. Not a bad idea; will make it tough for Pietersen to get back into the side, but they are similar players IMO. They just might need to reshuffle the line-up.

Cook
Carberry
Bell
Root
Ballance
Stokes
Prior / Bairstow
Bresnan
Broad (if fit) / Rankin
Swann
Anderson

Don't know if they will do it though. They are a stubborn bunch, and usually don't make changes unless the pitch requires it.

[zcfoutkast]

Next Test: robson, carberry, bell(c), root, turncoat, bairstow(wk), stokes, bresnan, finn, rankin, monty

Cook could do with time out. Playing on won't do him any good. Shielding him will. I fear persisting with him on the face of a possible 5-0 drubbing amidst low returns from him will only serve to deprive the world of cricket a potential record breaking run scorer in future, and damage him further. His personality is not built to endure and triumph over such. That in-form youngster they've stolen from the Aussies can be brought in on short notice.

I reckon if they task Finn to go all out pace in short bursts, considering Stokes is there as relief, he can cause havoc to relaxed Aus batsmen.

KP deserves time out so his arrogance can be taperred. Prior should be retired. They are paying for overworking Anderson. He needs to be dropped because the others can't do much worse, but he'll be back.

I've always rated Carberry. Why he was never the frontline reserve batsman will remain a mystery. Nice to see almost everyone singing his praises as just about the only positive for England in this tour. Despite his injuries, he deserves to have had at least 30 Tests by now. No way Compton, Taylor, Root&Bairstow should have ever been ahead of him. I think he would've plundered way more runs than the latter 3 youngsters from the middle order! Anyway, no use fighting the system. Best make the most of it now in the short window till retirement.

Anyway, you won't see me complaining that the poms are being humiliated!

I wasn't around at the opportune time to employ my first use of this particular smiley here(no prizes for guessing), so witnessing thes boys being hopelessly bullied so much to 3-0 at this point is rather fitting!

[jaybro]

I'm hearing Ballance will debut tomorrow ......

[jaybro]

England bring in the Irishman and The Zimbabwean Boyd Rankin and Gary Ballance to debut at the SCG .....

[maehara]

England bring in the Irishman and The Zimbabwean Boyd Rankin and Gary Ballance to debut at the SCG .....

7 English, a South African, a Zimbabwean, a New Zealander, and one Northern Irish. I think they're playing more English players than usual...

(Yes, I know that's flogging a dead horse. But it's still fun to point out...)

[jaybro]

I never get sick of pointing it out

[CrimsonAvenger]

This must be the least count of South Africans in the England playing XI in years...