• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

New Feature: England's Woes

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Cricket Web - Features: England's Woes

Three years ago, England were on top of the world. Ashes holders after an impressive win away from home, they had a settled unit pushing ever-closer towards the #1 Test ranking. But in 2014, the Ashes have been surrendered, the team is fragmented, and the slide down the rankings has been dramatic. Dan McGrath looks at what went wrong.
 

the big bambino

International Captain
Yep good write up. I think you can over analyse the causes since such a sudden drop is usually precipitated by misstep tripping over an unforseen hazard; that being Johnson. I know its not a strict comparison but just look at the 2 ashes results and note the difference that Johnson's selection effected. Johnson is actually a rare type of bowler in cricket's history being genuinely fast and a left armer. Maybe it was the line that upset the English or the fact that they had played him before and hadn't really developed a plan to counter him as he usually beat himself.

I don't think England are weak against pace as they have duelled competitively with SA. They were just surprised by the element Johnson was able to bring. Johnson in his current phase is a little like Waqar when he 1st began to dominate. He will take a little figuring out. Eventually plans will be developed for him and not just the English bats who failed against him will be better prepared in future imo.
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
It started with the dropping of Compton.

From 2009 through to early 2013 we had consistency in selection and a clear plan, dropping Nick Compton 3 tests after he made back to back hundreds was the first time I thought WTF are these guy's doing. Then we had Root bungy jumping through the order, we had the Kerrigan **** up, we had the bowling attack for Australia whose main criteria for getting on the plane was that you were 7ft tall......form and Championship wickets were a minor detail.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
It started with the dropping of Compton.

From 2009 through to early 2013 we had consistency in selection and a clear plan, dropping Nick Compton 3 tests after he made back to back hundreds was the first time I thought WTF are these guy's doing. Then we had Root bungy jumping through the order, we had the Kerrigan **** up, we had the bowling attack for Australia whose main criteria for getting on the plane was that you were 7ft tall......form and Championship wickets were a minor detail.
To which you can add them disappearing up their own arses after they reached number 1. For all the justification about the conditions in UAE (OMG that nasty man is actually spinning the ball ....) I don't remember too any other teams being whitewashed out there. Probably because other sides actually had some sort of a game plan for dealing with this sort of thing. Thereafter, the win in India was the only impressive performance in about 18 months, but the players were either too limited or too arrogant to take any of this on board. Truth is Aus would have beaten this winter even without Johnson. Maybe not 5-0, but anyone actually watching the series in England should have seen it coming.

And, as you say, selection has been increasingly silly lately.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Selection has been all over the place basically since Collingwood retired. We just didn't notice for a couple of years because we had a successful, settled side. As soon as we've needed to make changes, we've thrown any logic out of the window.
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
Selection has been all over the place basically since Collingwood retired. We just didn't notice for a couple of years because we had a successful, settled side. As soon as we've needed to make changes, we've thrown any logic out of the window.
Don't think I necessarily agree with that. Sure our No 6 spot has been an issue since Colly retired and we've tried a few candidates there, but the blokes they tried were worthy even if they didn't work out. But that's not crazy selection.......crazy selection is dropping a bloke like Compo who whilst not setting the world on fire was still doing a job....a good job.

Compo and Cook put on 4 100 opening partnerships in Comptons 9 test career........I'd have to check but I don't think we've had a single one since he was dropped. But as well as tossing him out too early the move also ****ed up Root who was settled and doing a good job at 6.

I honestly can't think of any selection shockers before the dropping of Compton, since then they have been plentiful.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Selection is a bit of a thankless task - the players get the credit when the team is winning and the selectors get it in the neck when the team are losing, but then that's the nature of the beast - so I'm prepared to let them start with a blank slate this time, but win or lose this summer if they don't show some faith in Kegga they'll get roundly slagged off by me every chance I get
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Selection is a bit of a thankless task - the players get the credit when the team is winning and the selectors get it in the neck when the team are losing, but then that's the nature of the beast - so I'm prepared to let them start with a blank slate this time, but win or lose this summer if they don't show some faith in Kegga they'll get roundly slagged off by me every chance I get
My issue with the selectors is the fact that they clearly don't know what the **** they're doing.

During the summer, James Taylor and Graham Onions were part of 13 man squads, which would indicate to me that they were the first in line for a batting spot and bowling spot respectively. Neither player featured at the Oval when spots opened up, and neither went on the plane to Australia.
 

Top