Cheers Jim, nice one :)

Lol

I'm sure once the third test has been lost we'll see an uptick in the English performances, especially the batting.

Once the pressure is off. Seen it happen before.

TBH the Aussie's are not just technically better but mentally stronger than our lot.

Yes Bumble!

Hard to disagree with much in this Aussie-perspective article…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59741381

Ha! I just saw that. This article says that Gower, Botham & Holding have all recently left Sky. Have they ‘retired’ or gone somewhere else? I’ve never had Sky so am completely clueless.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59741382

Gower and Botham left Sky after the 2019 Ashes. Botham is working for an Australian broadcaster during the current Ashes series. Gower is supposedly going to be on BT during the next test and has done some work in Pakistan. I heard Holding retired a few months ago but I don't think it has been confirmed yet.

Did you read Pontings blast?

It was aimed at Roots blaming of the bowlers for bowling too short.

As a captain, he said if he thought his bowlers were bowling too short, he would tell them to pitch it up more, its up to the captain to manage his bowlers and make these on field decisions.

He also mentioned that when Root left the field to get a groin strain treated and Stokes took over, the bowlers started pitching it up more.
I don't have coverage here in Prague, did anyone watching at the time notice this?

Come to think of it, they did pitch it up when Root was off.

Yes Mikey retired a few months ago.

Do we think Archer will ever play for England again? Apparently he's now out until at least the Summer.

Yeah, I saw that. Impossible to know if the bowlers were or were not bowling to a/the plan. Either way, either Root or the bowlers are not covered in glory.

Actually, one could argue that it reflects badly on Root regardless - either the plan was dumb or he couldn't control his bowlers, two of which are massively experienced (both in the top 6 for most Test wickets taken).

I've no doubt that Punter is enjoying stirring the English pot but all it does is highlight the absolute rag-tag shambles that is the English touring party - & they've only played 2/5 Tests so far....

Punter’s only stirring in the sense he’s made the comments publically. You know England are in a mess when the Aussie media are damning you with the truth and not just Pigeon’s drunken rants.

The Conner Wickham of the ECB,

I reckon next summer or sometime thereafter

Life will be a lot easier for him just to pick up the dosh for 24 balls in T20 franchises, that's for sure.

Silverwood has said he would pick the same two teams again.

Idiot. We're f*cked. Get rid asap.

Beggars belief

You would have thought that this bizarre statement would be enough to present him with his P45

He will be on the ODI and T20 merry-go-round only before long.

Speaking of the devil.....

Labuschagne has now replaced Joe Root as No.1 in the Test rankings. I suppose congratulaions are in order. If only we could unearth a No.3 like him.