England Chasing 354

I think they're a very poor Australian side,

Sadly, our middle order makes John Crawley and Graeme Hick look like all time legends. And i'd say this is our worst team since the awful humdrum 90s. We simple can't bat time to any degree in testing conditions, we've minimal true pace for bouncy wickets and we don't have a spinner. If we had a proper spinner, we'd have had a shot at that test.

As it is, we'll lose 5-0 easily... and sadly, the team know it. I don't think Root is the way forward as captain either. But seeing as the rest of our team are on the brink of being dropped or nearing retirement, I'm not sure who would replace him.

Finally, the coach. I've been highly unimpressed with him since he commenced. For me, he may as well be employed by Australia to ensure we lose and get worse. His remit seems to have been to improve the one day team, which I think he may have managed, but the test team has gone backwards significantly. Whether that's under coaching, or whether the batting coaching is inadequate (never rated ramprakash as a player, unsure of his coaching abilities) or whether we've just a very weak mentally fragile series of players.

At the end of this series if it is 5-0, I'd be inclined to change coach, and i'd probably look no further than Jason Gillespie.

 

We've got a weak captain. He needs to bat at three like other countries do with their captain and best player. That his average is half in Australia that it is overall shows his struggles when it really matters. His conversion rate from 50 to 100 is very poor compared to the real best players in the world. People thought Mark Ramprakash was the best person for the job of batting coach, with his international record making him in no position to be really handing out advice. Our senior players who have been around longer and bat higher for their counties like Ali and Bairstow should do. Newbies to the team are under pressure coming in so high knowing they need to score to stop us being around 100 for 4/5. Cook hasn't had form all tour, Broad isn't what he was and when Anderson retires we are screwed in the seamer catergory. We will be much better for the limited overs stuff when we have positive players like Stokes (hopefully), Hales, Buttler and Plunkett.

 

We have half a top six batting line up and half a bowling attack. I wonder if the Aussies would leave Stokes out in the same situation. Unless we include him for the 3rd test, it's going to be 5-0 again.

 

Not disagreeing he should move up but Kohli and Smith both bat at 4

 

Smith bats four, Kohli bats four, De Villiers batted at four last time he played a Test and Du Plessis bats at five!

 

Like others have said, Kohli and Smith bat 4 and captain you plonker.

 

I was on about Kane Williamson as in the captain of the country we go to next. But the top five should be something like Cook, Stoneman, Root and then Bairstow and Ali. Senior players protecting the newbies.