Ditto.

Couldn't be much worse.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Sorry for butting in but those are always quite exciting questions.

I think Crawley and Pope are pretty much nailed on England players when it comes to ability within our county system.....Hameed has definitely regressed since he first burst onto the scene and will need to rebuild significantly and for the second time.

When it comes to the 'then who' question I think back to the Hussain era. Back then we were also a very average to below average side in terms of worldwide talent but Hussain took that team and shook it. He made it far less of a 'buddy side' and more hard nosed and a difficult to beat team. I think England could do worse than to look around the county scene to see if that type is around now....Maybe Harry Brooks?.... I don't know....But Root seems to have proven himself as someone's mate rather than their captain.

Root is obviously the stand out batsman of this generation however that seems to have been as an exception to the system the ECB have created rather than because of it.

People talk and moan about the public sector and talk about golden pensions and the like....but the money that some have been paid in English management for the results that been produced just feels so wrong to me...They are the private sector but come across as much worse due to the money levels involved....it's out of synch with how merit/reward should work.

But what motive is there to change when deals ensure that the money is still high....just carry on giving a sad face to the media while the money still flows.

Edited by Stirlingsays (14 Jan 2022 3.45pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

It's younger pace bowlers I would like to see. I know Anderson is good and a hero but it's getting silly. I would like Robinson all day long, and Archer when he comes back, along with Stokes. For an unusual choice, I've been impressed with Mahmoud, who can now bowl at 90, has swing, seam and accuracy. Frankly, can't believe the selectors haven't noticed. Maybe he doesn't even want to play tests? Actually, the whole team look like they don't like tests. That's the first problem. A captain should sort that.
As for Captains, Stokes may say now he doesn't want it, but once Root steps down that could change.
Obviously, it's hard to know, Burns may be a risk that could work. Buttler has done himself no favours, he seems nether a good enough Wicky or Batsman. Something outside the box seems unlikely from the old boys network.

Red and Blue Army!

An absolutely pathetic display by our so called elite players.

What an absolute load of s***e.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

They gave up in at least two of the matches. Management and team have to all go, in my opinion. I used to like test cricket but finding it increasingly pointless. Basically, only India and Australia seem any good.
An interesting one is India, we say the one day game ruins our players. They have just as much one day as us, so do the Aussies. The issue is deeper.
From personal experience, they play a full day, or half a day cricket for PE in school in Australia. In England I rather doubt it. In India, people are born with a bat and ball in their hands. If they can't afford one, they make one somehow. They play anywhere, in any conditions. Then you have England - see much cricket on the streets?
A big question for me is, why don't the Asian population of the UK come through either? There is something going on and I'm not crying racism. I actually suspect family pressure, alliegance and economics are greater factors.
The ECB are to blame for basically never properly coordinating a long term plan.
In my own opinion, neither Rugby Union or Cricket have really grown in the way they were vaunted as to be doing. You still end up with only a few ex colonial teams playing. All the money sloshes around the boardrooms whilst the grass roots never really takes off.
The actual positives of both rugby and cricket is the women's game. Fair play to them, they've improved massively. I sometimes watch England women and never would have done ten years ago.

Red and Blue Army!