No I have not gone potty, the second Test at Adelaide was a classic example of 5th day Nerves, and application, and wrong strategy.

This is not with hindsight, but I think Flintoff made a mistake on the Adelaide pitch declaring at 550 - and I said that here and here .

No way was England going to bowl out Australia twice on this pitch, the only suggestion of that happening was when Ponting was dropped in the 30s.

Even so it was a big ask even with Ponting being dropped to take 20 wickets.

England found themselves on day 5 with the ball turning, and a mixture of bad luck- bad batting - bad umpiring, and great spin bowling bundled England to defeat in a game they had dominated 3/4 of the time.

England have to make changes, this side batted OK in the first innings, bowled OK without being outstanding.

Giles and Anderson looked poor, Harmison needed a different pitch.

If England bring in Mahmood for Anderson, and risk bringing in Panesar for Giles, then England might just win at Perth, in fact if they have any guts they have as good a chance as Australia, as good as Australia played on day 5 at Adelaide, England matched them with poor stroke play - and none stroke play.

Another change I would make if it's allowed, is to bring in Key for either Strauss or Cook, these left handers look vunerable, England need good opening stands - Pieterson and Flintoff should NOT be facing a hard ball.

Australia are a very good side - not great like they used to be with Mcgrath ageing, and prone to injury, they are also only 11 human beings, and are beatable - every side is beatable.

England will not beat them with the present attack though, I agreed at first with the selection of Giles - but lets face it, he looks like he is finished, his batting gone also, Anderson has never started.

So England must put some pressure on the Ausies, Giles and Anderson out - maybe Jones, but England must break up that left handed opening partnership of Strauss and Cook, both like I say are vunerable, and allows the bowlers to settle into a predictable line.

Should England win at Perth, can anone not agree that Australia will then have the preassure on them, with England only needing to win one out of the last two Tests.

Anything is possible - but not without making changes to the personel, and make up of this England side.

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Ern

It's a tough call what to do with England. I'd imagine Fletcher and Fred will probably keep the same team. they have obviously decided that this is their strongest team, and will probably stick by them.

I would agree whole-heartedly that anderson has been poor. That said, as is often the case, not playing has given rise to saj Mahmood's stock, as it did to GO Jones in the Champions Trophy. Lest anyone forget, mahmood is erratic and expensive. It's difficult to reconcile on one hand, people slating Fletcher for his brett-Lee-like obsession with the speed gun, then on the other hand, people say mahmood should be picked because he bowls quicker than jimmy.

John Lewis has been mentioned in dispatches, but frankly, I dont see Aussie rolling out a green seamers paradise, and five overcast days, and I'd imagine Ponting and Hussey would love to carve a 75mph trundler all over the shop.

Batting-wise, I'd agree that the openers have to pull their finger out. Cook may well be safer the further away from warne he is kept, but Bell and Collingwood are turning into reserve openers half the time, so soon are the top two back in the shed. 2005 was built on good opening partnerships between Tresco and Strauss, with marcus maintaining an aggresive stand point against the oft-wayward Mr Lee.

Of more concern is the form of numbers 6 and 7 in the england line-up. we are all aware that Flintoff and Jones are capable with the willow, however, especially in Jones case, they look hopelessly out of form, their shot selection has gone beyond poor to diabolical. I am unsure as to whether Read woudl do any better, the last thing we need is number 7 playing on with some cross batted swipes at the seamers, but it might improve on Jones innate desire to ping wide balls at the gully.

Giles has shown he is very rusty. Panesar should be considered, as he may bring some pressure and control, which, if we are not taking wickets, might help frustrate the free-scoring aussie batsmen.

I personally can't see England coming back now, its not the fact they are 2-0 down it is the back breaking way that they went down the second test.

• They need Monty in the side and Giles out.
• They also need to give the captaincy to Strauss.
• Drop Harmison or Anderson, you can get away with carrying one dead weight bowler.
• Im not sure if it is smart to bring in Mahmood, I like Plunkett he seems be a decent bowler that can bowl line and length which McGrath, Clark & Warne have shown is the key to bowling in this series.
• Pietersen needs to bat at three or four, personally I like to see the best batsman in the side bat at three, Bell just is not good enough to bat three and you need a run maker at three not another opening batsman.
• Flintoff needs to always take the new ball with Hoggard, presuming he is fit.

Here is my side

Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Flintoff
Jones
Hoggard
Harmison
Plunkett
Panesar

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

England cant win the ASHES, i cannot see Australia losing all 3 remaining games

England can kiss the Ashes goodbye...

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The Australian Cricket Team - The Greatest Cricket Team Ever

Although england may fight and win one test out of the reamaining 3 it is highly unlikely that they will be able to retain the ashes this year, not after going 2-0 down.

Too much is wrong with the team right now... and changes will have to be made from the top down. They probably wont be made till after the ashes as well!!

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Forget about winning, England cannot and will not even be competitive in the remaining test matches of this series. We will be lucky if matches go beyond the 4th day. England may make any number of selection changes, it will not matter. But in any case, Giles, Jones, Anderson and Harmison should give way to Panesar, Read, Mahmood and Plunkett to bring in a fresh look to the defeated team.

I also believe people are getting carried away with Panesar in their belief that he is the solution to all of England's bowling problems. As I have repeatedly said, left arm spinners have always struggled on Australian pitches and in addition, Panesar is quite inexperienced.

On the afternoon of day 2 at Adelaide, I said England should not declare before 700 otherwise they will lose. The thing with this Australian team is that opponents cannot afford to leave even an inch of possibility for them to bounce back.

I also believe Warne is being given more credit than he deserves for the Adelaide debacle. He has some sort of mental hold over the England batsmen, which they cannot overcome. If you do not score off any spin bowler, he is going to get on top and take wickets.

Would you like to coach england???

Django ?

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I also said get as many runs as possible, that was commen senes on the Adelaide track, a mistake that COULD cost England the Ashes.

I think 'respect' would have been a better word, but in any case England should not have been batting on day 5, unless chasing a total.

Well he would be a ast throe of the dice, I agree he is no Superman waiting in the wings - in truth he is a very inexperienced SLA bowler, who is not even bowling that well in the nets - if Fletcher is to be believed.

I am not sure I would play a specialised spinner.

England hold the Ashes - win at Perth - and the pressure goes back on Australia, as a drawn series would do for England.

England wil find it tough, but that's cricket, Australia where outplayed for most of this match - and won, England should be able to do the same.

Warne did not look a good when he was being attacked, England payed the price for declaring to soon, and shuttting up shop playing NO shots, that's fixable.

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Ern

I don't think they dare keep to the same tea,, worry is if they just tinker - also Flintoff with his sore heel/ankle also comes under the microscope.
Mahmood has impressed in his Test career to date, his stile rate is good, which more than makes up for his average of 33 - he takes wickets/

He is miles more effective than Anderson at he moment, who needs to play some cricket in England.

Agreed he would be given the 'feedom of Perth is he was selected', Hoggard is enough in this team IMO

More of a worry is two left handers opening for England, Cook as done well at times, I would draft Key from the acadomy, and have a left/right opening partnership.

[quote=TopperHarley]Of more concern is the form of numbers 6 and 7 in the england line-up. we are all aware that Flintoff and Jones are capable with the willow, however, especially in Jones case, they look hopelessly out of form[quote=TopperHarley] Flintoff batted as well as anyone in the first innings, #6 and 7 batsmen should have a decent start, coming in with less than 100 on the board is far from ideal, batting problems should IMO be put down the the batsmen, Jones has looked out of form for a while, he will keep his place though i reckon.
Did you really believe Australia would win this at Perth?, no one really did, it will also serve as a wake up call - England have nothing to lose now, a win or a draw is needed to to still say in, and i think they CAN rise to the occasion - the pressure is off to some extent.
- Wont make much difference, he has no experience to speak of, could be worth a try.
LOL why?, he had better learn to ban under pressure first, even when getting runs, he looks ill at ease - it's the squad that's wrong, not the captain - Ponting is still captain after squandering a one lead lead to lose the Ashes in England.
Oh it's smart - he takes wickets, all this talk of him getting carted is in one day cricket.
England have had lots of problems with the #3 position - even Gower could not fill that, but you are right - Pietersen and Flintoff needs a start - Trescothick has been missed - had Trescothick played in Adelaide, the match would have ended ina draw, as he would not have been strangles for runs like the England top order were.
I agree - if he is fit, I am not sure he should be in Australia at all, he also has had no preparation.

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Ern

Anything is possible but history says the series is over.
No touring team has ever drawn or won a series on Australian soil after being 2-0 down.

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" You don't want the truth,you can't handle the truth."