The Ashes - Australia 2013/14

[BirkenheadBlue]

Right.. England were boss .. They then believed how boss they were.. They won loads, but it's slipping.
Now then.. They have got complacent.. And the 'eye of the tiger' has gone.
It's hard to get to the top.. But even harder to stay there.

The supposedly boss players for England are ****ting the bed completely

OK, I get that, but how is it possible to go from talk of us winning 4 or 5-0 over there (and Australia being pretty awful), to being quite THIS bad?! It's unbelievable!

 

[Jeff Jones]

Australia hadn't won a test in it's last 12 or 16 - I forget which - leading up to the Brisbane test.

England had lost once since Cook became captain, I think.

How do you explain that?

 

[scratchnsurf]

Australia hadn't won a test in it's last 12 or 16 - I forget which - leading up to the Brisbane test.

England had lost once since Cook became captain, I think.

How do you explain that?

It's fine margins at the elite end of any sport. Saying that, England are well below par. Swann is horribly out of form and he's a big cog for England. Prior has been out of the races for a few tests and it looks like Pietersen has been sussed. Add to that little depth or variation in the attack and you've got problems. Worst of all, there's not enough character being shown.

Australia have improved massively under Lehman. They are fighting hard, playing to a plan and Clarke is looking a vastly superior captain. There was little difference in the teams in the summer, despite the series result. Australia finished the series with better momentum, and were in honesty the better side for the second half of the series. Add to that a truly fast bowler in top form and you can see why things have gone as they have. The Aussies have been miles better and fair play to them. They've had to take some stick but have come back stronger for it. England are in for a tough few months and some rebuilding is needed. Flower has had lots of deserved praise, but we will see over the next few series if there has been any worthwhile strategic thinking and succession planning by the ECB.

 

[Deloodid]

when the Aussies where over here last, they where unlucky to lose. this was on the cards.

 

[Philw]

OK, I get that, but how is it possible to go from talk of us winning 4 or 5-0 over there (and Australia being pretty awful), to being quite THIS bad?! It's unbelievable!

This is back to the England of old that I knew growing up. So pathetic I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Thank god it's on over there so I'm spared the temptation of trying to watch it. Gonna put a bet on. Come on Aussies, 5-0 this mother!

 

[McBain]

Well it looks like a 2 - 0 lead with 3 to play, and you shouldn't write yourselves off just yet.

You do look jaded, and with a short turnaround on the next test it aint looking good.

Took a massive performance from Mitchell there though. What bowling.

 

[noharmdone]

Cook.. Your brains frazzled lad..
Join Trott...

 

[bluejock]

Captain's knock there from Cook.

 

[BlueLlama]

Captain's knock there from Cook.

About as good as his captaincy tbh

 

[bluejock]

Tremendous batsman.

Terrible captain.

 

[ah11984]

This is horrific, worse than the 90s hammerings to be honest, at least Aussies had a good team then!

 

[bluejock]

4 overs and no one has played a stroke yet, bar Cook and he got out from his.

England won't get more than 200.

 

[neil999]

Still...isn't carberrys helmet cool?

 

[rascal]

All talk of the cricket should be banned until England are good again.

 

[petebeard]

Ill be honest with you, if England lose in Perth I would suggest its the lowest point Ive had as an England fan. I saw 1999 when New Zealand beats us at home. The ashes hammerings were fine in a way because legends were in that Aussie team. Even as much as 5-0 was bad that was a champion team hell bent on revenge who had little things go their way. This is a bang average Aussie team with 4 class performers and to go down 4 times without a fight is embarrassing beyond belief.