Team for Perth Cook Carberry Bell Pietersen Root Stokes Prior Bresnan Broad Finn/Tremlett/Rankin- can't make up my mind? Anderson No spinners needed,Root and Pieterson to turn their arms if needed. Can't see Ballance or Bairstow playing.
If you are playing four seamers you don't need Stokes aswell so perhaps swap him for Ballance or Bairstow.
Ballance gets a score today. Dare we risk him instead of Stokes? Are 4 seamers enough? Do we drop Prior for Bairstow? Do we play any spinners? Questions questions questions..............
Had Aus in trouble and they've got out of it again. For this game: I just hope that we can bat for a long, long time and wear the Aussie bowlers out in this intense heat. Block Johnson for a few overs, he'll soon lose a bit of pace.
Reasonably good day for England, finished off Aus quite quickly and good start to the batting though were slow and nervous after Carberry fell. Tomorrow could see England get near the Aus total or we might collapse and be 150 behind. Better position than in the first two tests whatever happens.
My moneys on a massive batting collapse on an epic scale but I have been known to be wrong from time to time.
England collapse to a first innings deficit of 134, 3 batsmen fell to the old ball, no fight whatsoever. If we bowl out Aus cheaply, we may have a chance in this match. I think Aus will be going for their shots knowing that they only need 170 or so to put this match beyond England. Expecting carnage.
We have been in numerous good positions when bowling in the first innings to Australia in each of the first tests, thats a positive. The fact we have let them off the hook each time is a negative. Where as Australia have had us in near enough similar positions and then hammered home the advantage. I don't think huge changes are neede, but this is Australia's 2005 moment. We need to rejuvenate this side with a couple of players like Ballance and Stokes, it may take time but its worth it in the long run.
A positive: Swann was bowling well today taking a wicket and getting a catchable edge and a couple of stumping opportunities. Shame Prior was asleep.
Can't see Prior staying in for very long tomorrow, it will soon be over. Another positive: Stokes sounds a decent player and he's only 22. He's a player who plays for himself, not the team so who's up for dropping Pietersen? What about Swann and even Anderson?
All 3 have been poor.As senior players they must take a great deal of responsibility for our poor show. As the Ashes are all but lost,take a punt with Bairstow for Prior. Ballance for Pieterson,Rankin or Finn for Anderson,Monty for Swann. Can't be much worse.
This player sounds a fine batsman and he bowls spin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moeen_Ali#2013_Season Looking ahead.
We'll be back but I do think it's time to make sweeping changes i.e. drop: Pietersen, Prior, Swann, let them go back to their counties next summer, bring in Onions, Moeen Ali and Taylor. Keep Anderson for the home tests but drop him for the next tour.
I hate loosing,but its the manner in which we lost. With the exception of Stokes,Carberry and Broad the rest have been pathetic. Pieterson for me has finished,Trott will not play again, Prior needs to improve his batting as his keeping has been rubbish. Anderson and Swann are OK in England but should never tour again. I have defended Cook's captaincy on numerous occasions but he must be more attacking.