1 week to go. I'm anxious. Australia are a team on the up, England have peaked maybe. Australia seem more hungry just now, we are going to be undercooked I think. More pace and bounce suits the Aussie batting style.
The big issues:
Can Johnson bowl on the cut strip? He has the weapons to take 3-4 wickets in a burst and change a match-but will he keep it together?
Will Watson/Warner (and others) make the switch from the one-day thrash mode and occupy the crease long enough to score big?
Can Harris stay fit?
Do Australia have a spinner? Do they need one?
Can Trott and or Cook play those long innings again like last year? One or the other has to find that sort of form again.
Is Petersen fit? Prior? Bairstow is a second team keeper by all accounts....
Will our back up seamer (Finn for Brisbane at least I reckon) and Swann be able to keep control when the Aussies go after them-as they surely will.
My prediction is a nip and tuck 2:1 England but could go either way. I have a sneaking suspicion that Broad is going to respond to the stick he'll get by playing a blinder, and Johnson will splutter. I also reckon Root is better placed at 6 and might make some important runs. Swann at no.8 is not a bad 'tail' either. I'm also glad that Onions is playing cricket not so far away and can be aclled upon...
Whatever. I love cricket being around again.
Bruce
Posted on: 22 December 2013 by Bruce Woodhouse
I'm not suprised he has retired but the timing and the manner of it mid-series makes me scratch my head. It is hard not to think of rats and ships. I don't understand how he could not have stayed on tour and at least been a positive force in the squad even if he did not play. Look at it from Australia's point of you and they must be feeling they have claimed a scalp. Perhaps his relationships within the squad had deterioated so far they felt it best he left?
All bad. Cook is going to require astonishing concentration if he is going to keep it together for two more games.
Bruce
Posted on: 23 December 2013 by MDS
Yes. The timing doesn't look good from the team's point of view. It will be a real test of the team's spirit, and Cook's, to see if they can avoid a 5-0 whitewash. The Aussies will surely be wanting one.
Meanwhile a lesson in what can be achieved in a fourth innings from the South Africans. So nearly a new record.
Posted on: 23 December 2013 by King Size
Originally Posted by MDS:
Meanwhile a lesson in what can be achieved in a fourth innings from the South Africans. So nearly a new record.
Yes, but in typical SA style they decided not to risk it and played for a draw instead. Australia would have gone for it!
Posted on: 27 December 2013 by Bruce Woodhouse
So far so good; another lost toss but a rather un-australian wicket may be giving us a foothld in the match
We've had the Aussies 5 or 6 down before and they have slipped away but might be nailing it this time.
This Aussie top order is not half as good as they think they are. Haddin is a huge late order asset but he may have run ot of partners before doing too much more damage.
Bruce
Posted on: 04 January 2014 by MDS
5-0 now inevitable. Depressing and rather embarrassing given the hype before the series. Now what?
Sports media doing their usual i.e. called for the players, coaching staff and management to go. While I think it's time to drop some of the senior players, inc Pieterson, and give some of the youngsters an opportunity I'd be inclined to stick with Flower, Gooch and co. Their track record prior to this series is good and I think many of the players have let them down. I'd also keep Cook who is still young. Hopefully the taste of a heavy defeat will be something he'll learn from, as Clarke seems to have done, and he'll come back stronger and harder as a result.
Posted on: 04 January 2014 by Arfur Oddsocks
Thank God that's all over, had a restless night so put the radio on to listen in....it felt rather like a mercy killing in the end.
More misery to follow in the one dayers I fear.
Posted on: 05 January 2014 by Bruce Woodhouse
The definition of optimism; continuing to switch on an inervals through the night in the vain hope of something positive, some sort of spirit, any glimpse of past competitiveness.
Oh well, I'll get better sleep now.
I think Australia have bowled superbly. I think they have given no quarter to a batting team woefully sort of confidence and form. Fair play to them, but they are not as good as we made them look.
Sport psychologists will pick over this series for yeare to come. A model of how a team can disintegrate mentally and then technically over 5 dreadful unremitting rolling nightmares. This is not a bad side, but it is utterly bereft now and more careers will end on the back of it.Just for fun does anyone care to pick the side that starts the first of the Test matches for England in 2014?
Cook
Root
Bell
Pietersen
Ballance
Sam Robson
Bairstow
Stokes
Broad (capt)
Anderson
Panesar
Personally I'd ditch Bell and I think Pietersen may vote with his feet. Compton to open again-or is he just too dour? Carberry exposed this winter but may get another go. I think Cook is a world class bat and we hobble him with captaincy but Broad the only possible option. Will Finn ever get out of the mire? Onions must also come into consideration for English conditions. He must be utterly grateful to have been overlooked this winter!
Bruce
Posted on: 05 January 2014 by crackie
England lost these games more than Australia won them I am afraid.
The real acid test will come against SA. With Kallis retired it will be a great series I think.
Posted on: 05 January 2014 by Komet
If you're serious about wanting to win a test series, setting a new world batting record, geting two batsmen into the top six, and averaging 13.5 runs per over for the game, why not move to New Zealand? 
