Since
the defeat a lot has been written in the media, said on social networks and
discussed over a few pints in the Cottage Inn; it seems that everyone has an
opinion, including me.
But
I am not here to rip in to selection, individual performances, who should play
in Adelaide, lets look at the positives……………………………. Ok, let’s rip in to them or
should I talk about flower arranging instead!
What annoys me the most is that I tried my
best to stay awake through these cold winter nights either listening to TMS or
watching the coverage on Sky. All that practice I done in arranging my sleep
pattern, don’t the England players know what sacrifices us dedicated supporters
go through for the sake of English cricket.
The news of Jonathan Trott leaving the tour
because of a stress-related illness has certainly put the game into
perspective. The comments of David Warner saying Trott’s display was “poor and
weak” and he had “scared eyes” was certainly disrespectful at the time they
were made, it has now added more fuel to flames the next time these two meet in
under a fortnight’s time. On this occasion Warner has certainly got it horribly
wrong. Trott has certainly made the right decision to return home, and I hope
to see him back in an England shirt whenever he is ready.
With Trott on his way back to the UK, his
departure has echoes of the 2006/7 tour where Marcus Trescothick left the tour
for the same reason, and England went on to lose the series 5-0. The backbone
of the side was horribly exposed during the first Test, now it is surely
broken.
Trott along with Alastair Cook, Kevin
Pietersen, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson
have been the main cogs in this well oiled Test side in recent years. After the
first Ashes Test some of these cogs have seemed to have got rusty. Swann and
Prior are not working like they were 12 months ago; the batsmen, who have
wonderful Test records, are not going on to score big runs to take the team
total over 400; and the bowlers are no longer performing as a unit.
On the subject of bowlers, Stuart Broad. Why
does it take some awful journalism to pump him up and make him unplayable?
Surely pulling on an England shirt should be enough, not some shoddy newspaper
articles.
Time for wholesale changes? Well someone has
to take Trott’s place at number three, probably Ian Bell will be promoted and
one off Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow or Ben Stokes will go in at number six.
Apart from that I wouldn’t do much more, but Prior needs to step up his game
before it is too late and the Ashes are lost. Who is in the performance squad
that can put pressure on his position, well none other than former Somerset
player Jos Buttler. Food for thought?
The first Ashes Test was a great advert for
Test cricket, how a game can suddenly change in one devastating spell, shame it
was Mitchell “porn star tash” Johnson and Australia, during an Ashes Test. Can
England bounce back, let’s hope so.
On a domestic front, great to see James
Hildreth appointed Somerset vice-captain for the 2014 season, richly deserved.
Trescothick will still lead the County for another season and with David
Nosworthy ringing the changes on the coaching front – Andy Hurry moving
sideways, Dave Houghton and Jason Kerr taking up batting and bowling coaching
positions respectfully - the 2014 season already beckons to be an interesting,
but exciting one. It seems that Nosworthy is going to be more hands on in the
day to day running of the team.
Ok, 5.27, time for a Thatchers or two before
skittles.
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