We are annoyed

The latest ‘Ashes Shambles’ is simply not acceptable, and my impression is that this time the English fans are cross. Even the Barmy Army have expressed a certain amount of frustration which in itself is quite a statement.

Let me just have a little recap of where we have got to from an England perspective. Let us initially go back a little bit to 2019:

• 2019 was been the year of the World Cup. Back then even the most diehard Test Match Fanatic was prepared permit the focus to be on One Day Cricket. Let us not forget that England fans were sick of being ‘World Cup no hopers’.
• Overall in 2019 the Test Match Team got away with it in that they held Australia to a 2-2 draw in the Ashes in England. However, it was the first time England had not beaten Australia at home since 2001, and the year also saw a loss to New Zealand and a number of sub-100 scores. It was a sign of what was to come.

However, 2020 seemed like it was a ‘bright new dawn’. Maybe hindsight is a wonderful thing, but things did seem to be on the way up.

• England beat South Africa away despite a terrible start to the test match series. In the first test match England faced an illness crisis – and it is hard not to wonder about Covid-19 given what was about to happen to the world.
• That South Africa team was not a strong team, and that is more evident now then at the time. However, it was a good series for Dom Sibley, Ollie Pope and Dom Bess. Zak Crawley showed potential, and with Rory Burns coming off a good, though lucky, 2019 we saw an England batting line up coming together.
• England beat West Indies and Pakistan at home. England have since found out how hard it is to be the touring team in Covid times, but England did play well.
• During the Home Covid Summer, the Burns / Sibley partnership worked, though both had very odd techniques. Crawley had been doubtful until be scored 267 in the last test. Jos Buttler also had enjoyed a good summer and Ben Stokes batted well (though both bowling and catching were not so good – he was perhaps understandably distracted by his father’s health).
• England seemed to have lots of bowlers available, and had a logical rest and rotation policy going where Anderson and Broad never played together.

The good form continued into 2021 and we saw evidence of a Joe Root breakthrough as he began his amazing year. England won the first three games of the year. The Sri Lanka side was hardly steller, but the conditions were not easy. The victory against India was spectacular. However, even then, we were concerned about the reliance on Root.

Since that first test match against India, it has been a disgrace. I am certain that it is no coincidence that this is when the Chairman of Selectors was scrapped. The mistakes began in India. Of particular note:

• After 3 victories, the side was changed significntly. I would ssuggest Jos Buttler has not been the same since he went home from India.
• England played 4 fast bowlers in the day night game. England tried a similar thing in 1992 and we know how well that went. But that was where the Anderson and Broad rotation policy was thrown away, and the rotation randomisation begain.

The Home Summer was so poor that I do not want to re-live it here, and so we reach the present day – the Ashes capitulation. And let us note a few things:

• This is not a great Australian team by any means. I think this makes it all the more annoying. They are a good team, but not great.
• The decision making has been incredibly bad. Amazingly so. The selection, the decisions at the toss and in the game…you could pick any number of decisions – the number of basic mistakes both before and during the tour is quite incredible.
• The decision to go into Brisbane without both of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad is as crazy as playing 4 fast bowlers in India.
• The catching is diabolical. We are at the point where if the players cannot catch they need to be dropped. Surely this has contributed to the dropping of Burns – but also his technique was always going to fail down under

But let us come to the worst aspects of all this. Firstly, Selection. Constantly it seems as if they are picking the team for the previous game. If nothing else, look what the home team does – they picked the best bowlers in the first game. Yes, they lost bowlers due injury in the second game, but being 1-0 up made up for that. Whereas England bought in the best bowlers when they were already 1-0 down. Australia also always pick a spinner, without fail.

Worst of all is the lack of progress. Yes, we can easily list endless lists of names. Players such as Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Haseeb Hamid, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Dom Bess have regressed. The likes of Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow are treading water. Even coaches have changed over the years. It does feel a bit too cosy.

Yes, we have to direct some anger at the current coaching team. And even now, Chris Silverwood refuses to own up. He speaks of positives and says he would made the same (*STUPID*) selection decisions again. That is not only totally perplexing – it is incredibly disrespectful to the fans.

Silverwood does need to go and needs to be replaced. Joe Root also needs to step down as captain. But we need answers from higher up. Where is Ashley Giles? Where is Tom Harrison? How many Ashes do we have to loose before the ECB ‘top brass’ changes?

If I hear one more England representative talking about the positives of being 3-0 down…………………..