So England won the toss and choose to bat. No problem there...the right decision. A wobbly start but a good total, despite a slow scoring rate. The problem with such a slow rate was the time factor and by the end it could prove important. As it goes, we were outclassed. In every aspect. Here's the verdict:
Andrew Strauss 5/10
Just 48 runs for Strauss. 2 catches. He seems out of touch although his dismissal in the 2nd innings was a bad call. If you look back to the last Ashes series Strauss was there right in the middle of everything, taking catches, scoring runs and generally taking the game to the Aussies.
Alistar Cook 5/10
I'm impressed generally with this guy but so dissapointed that he has failed to find the form he had when we first saw him. 36 runs and no catches just isn't enough to justify his inclusion.
Ian Bell 8/10
A class act this one. He has a real talent and is totally fearless. 86 runs & 3 catches. Shame about the mix up run out. It wasn't his call and he was caught napping.
Paul Collingwood 9/10
Humble Pie. This guy is good. I have long doubted him as suitable for Tests but he has real mettle and a wide collection of strokes. A very decent fielder and if his form continues I will end up comparing him to the very great Derek Randall. 228 runs (his 22 in the 2nd innings was possibly better than the 206!) and 1 catch...good one too!
Kevin Pietersen 7/10
I so wanted KP to suceed. He has something about him and could be one of the greats in the future. His ability with the bat has no real equals and the development of his off spin is vital. One day he will be classed as a true all rounder. His 1st innings was impressive and it was only his unflinching confidence that let him fail in the 2nd. Subsequently he let us down badly.
Andrew Flintoff 5/10
Great man, great bat, great bowler...crap captain. He hasn't got a true cricket brain. In the 2nd innings he should have attacked them from the start; had men around the bat and pressured them. When he did start using his brain it was already too late. 38 runs and 3 wickets show that whilst his effort is unquestionable his execution remains wanting. We expect more.
Geraint Jones 4/10
11 runs and 3 catches. Not good enough.
Ashley Giles 2/10
Brought in as a batter. What a joke. 27 runs, 2 wickets & 1 catch. Oh, and that drop. Send him home.
Matthew Hoggard 9/10
He has a real good work ethic and it shows when he bowls, fields and bats. A real strike bowler that can change a game. 4 runs & 8 wickets. Good lad.
Steve Harmison 5/10
Find some form and get it stable. We can't rely on him to have a good day every 3 or 4 years. If he is good enough to be in the side then bowl him and make sure he is in form.
James Anderson 2/10
Send him home.
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4 comments:
Most people will probably examine our 2 innings batting card for the answers to this miserable defeat, but the real answer lies in our 1st Innings bowling card.
We dawdled through our overs, allowed hours of toothless bowling and passive defensive fielding and took far too long to get the wickets.
This Test will be used by coaches for the rest of time as the complete lesson in why test match cricket is won with the ball not the bat.
Indeed....
Giles' dropped catch really did cost us the Test. Just as Warne's dropped catch in the 5th test in 2005 cost the Aussies the Ashes!
It wasn't even very difficult.
Giles should hang his head in shame and know that we all blame him. He had two hands on it and still shelled it. If you watch the replay he wasn't even paying attention until it was too late!
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