Bopara spend too long trying to save his arse rather than win the game. Dabbing singles was not the tactic with 12 balls left. There were two or three balls he could have cut for four with not much difficulty. Jordan at least looked like he wanted to try the right shot.
We looked like we wanted to lose that match and we succeeded. That was truly depressing, because it says something about character and judgement.
He's played 100 ODI's and he STILL doesn't take the bull by the horns and is ALWAYS a ****-up about to happen. His dismissal may have been freakish, but for me he's always been an unlucky player. Just something about him that I don't like... yet England management apparently DO like. I presume Carberry can finally come home now after sitting on his arse for the last month?
The thing that has always been in Ravi's favour before this series was his bowling. It can be pretty handy in ODI cricket, and since Collingwood retired he's really only one of two guys (the other being Luke Wright) who can offer that seam bowling option in the top six, if selected. And you need a minimum of five bowling options in ODI cricket, you can't get around that. But now we have Stokes (at last! I've been banging that drum basically since his Durham debut!). Suddenly Ravi's bowling isn't as important any more. And someone does need to make way for KP going forward (and maybe others too. Hales to come in? Taylor maybe?).
What an innings from Bopara. In a losing cause though. England make 200/9 off their 20 overs but the Aussies made 213/4. Bopara finishes on 65 not out off 27 balls with 7 sixes.
Same old story this morning. Another wrong team selection for the pitch. Dernbach continues to be utter **** everytime he plays. The so called "in form" players like Lumb & Wright play **** when they pull on an England shirt. As far as the test side goes, Andy Flower has just resigned.
KP can **** right off . If as I suspect Flower said it's him or me , and they have said " Ok good bye then Andy " , the board want shooting !!!
I can understand us losing some games against the Aussies, but I cannot understand how we can go from a top side to crap in all formats in a matter of months. Makes no sense.
Well making that sort of demand is what got KP sacked as captain so if Flower said that he's an idiot. Personally I think his departure is more to do with the culture and atmosphere within the team. Flower is a very intense individual and there's plenty of evidence of (excessive?) micro-management of players. That sort of approach doesn't always work and can lead to players losing the ability to think for themselves, something that a few people seem seem to think has happened with the England team.
It's been coming, the cracks have been there for over a year, but I don't think anyone expected a wholesale collapse on all fronts at the same time. Think the selectors need a good look at themselves, often seem to pick players not suited to certain wickets/conditions. Plus there continues to be these "favourite players" that get chance after chance. I know Botham goes on and on about there being far too many "support" staff that just get in the way around the players, but he's probably right. Australia have taken it "back to basics" and think that's what England need to do
I think so too. I would like Vaughan to be able to get involved in some capacity or even Nassar, both have great cricket brains. Just don't let Nassar, advise on what do do if we win the toss.
