England have not in my opinion been convincing for a period of about 18 months.Yes they have won tests but the batting particularly has looked very brittle. Pietersen looks like someone who cant be bothered with test match batting and is a walking wicket and has been not only in this series.Cook badly out of form and Carberrys little cameos are not good enough.Without the stability of Trott and Bell its looking grim.Even the bowling which has got us out of jail so many times is failing to produce.
I just get the impression Andy Flower even before this series looks as though he is not as keen/focused as he once was.
Granted MJ is bowling really well but surely we can put up more of a fight than this.Is this going to be a period of time similar to Australia where we are in the doldrums after being number one?
Shambles
posted on 7/12/13
Yes. The signs were there within a year of winning the Ashes in Australia. Compton, Root and Bairstow have all failed to step up and the old guard have become increasingly inept - Bell aside (but only since the summer).
Jaded, disinterested, disjointed
There is no transition happening as we lurch towards the bad old days. Flower, Gooch and Cook are just going through the motions now. There is no vision and there are no contingency plans - they will bumble on until their contracts are up for review and will no doubt keep their cushy positions due to there being no suitable alternatives.
Once the glory hunters from 2005 get used to it - there is a lot of rage from fans who weren't old enough to suffer what many of us have over 3 decades - things will settle down.
Our golden generation did us proud, but the next one might be another decade away (same as Australia). In the meantime, test cricket continues to darken under the lengthening shadows of highly paid pajama cricket.
Only two more Ashes series in 6 and a half years after this one - it has been devalued and the break will do the game some good.
posted on 8/12/13
Cooks gone for 1 in the 2nd innings, total joke
posted on 8/12/13
Sure has - disinterested.