< 1 minute readGrasp at them. Clutch them. Savour the delightful sensation of straws against palms. England are methodically addressing each of their shortcomings in turn. For some reason the first one they turned their attention to was ‘tail getting blown away by short-pitched bowling’. England’s tail is supposed to be ‘fragile’ compared
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When more of the same fails, try even more of the same – England’s bowling masterplan
2 minute readIt’s not so much that England’s attack lacks pace, so much as that it lacks variety. It also has no left-armer, while the stinging open wound on Moeen Ali’s spinning finger means the team can’t rely on spectacular returns from their tweaker to make up the shortfall. But pace is
Continue readingCraig Overton: first look in Test cricket
2 minute readWe don’t believe you can draw meaningful conclusions from players’ debuts – but we report on them anyway. Craig Overton looks like a big fast bowler. Then he humphs in and dobbles it like a good ‘un. Dobblery is not a craft that is highly regarded in Test cricket, but
Continue readingEngland have (apparently) been lacking motivation
2 minute readThe Ashes, you know, it’s hard to really get up for. Hard to get up at 5am or whatever and hard to get up in the ‘come on, let’s give it everything’ sense too. Or at least that’s the way England have been painting things. James Anderson said the tourists
Continue readingChris Tremlett’s shirt and Jonathan Trott’s listening face
< 1 minute readThe latest instalment of ‘seemingly random screengrabs from ECB videos’ brings us Chris Tremlett busting out of a black shirt and Jonathan Trott either fed up with his cold, pondering his own mortality or drifting off into a coma or something. Just look at the strain on those poor buttons.
Continue readingBringing you the one major highlight from England’s latest gym session
2 minute readThe latest video from the ECB in which a load of people (most of whom you don’t really recognise) mill around a gym is a real thrill-a-minute ride. Sadly, the video is only 44 seconds long so it’s mostly just a bunch of people idly chatting to each other while
Continue readingThe very obvious way in which England can add variety to their bowling, lengthen their batting and improve their fielding
< 1 minute readPaul Collingwood! When a bowling attack’s a bit fast-medium, people always hanker after “genuine pace” – but what about genuine medium-pace? That brings variety too. If Paul Collingwood were to play instead of Jake Ball say, they’d not only benefit from some devastating dibbly dobbly military medium, they could also
Continue readingWe’re pretty sure we know why Jonny Bairstow headbutted Cameron Bancroft
2 minute readYou can fight hard for a couple of innings, but when all seems lost it can become really hard to summon the enthusiasm and make any real effort. You can’t judge people too harshly on what happens in these circumstances. You might consider that a comment on England’s later efforts
Continue readingAre England on the brink of defeat or the verge of defeat?
< 1 minute readJudging by the headlines, this seems to be the main question remaining from the first Test. Brinks are outnumbering verges from what we’ve seen. We’re yet to see a cusp. Despite fielding fewer bowlers than England, Australia have had a greater number of effective ones in this Test. Chris Woakes
Continue readingBT Sport are doing a free daily 10-minute Ashes highlights package
< 1 minute readIt’s Ronseally named The Ashes Catch-Up Show and it’s available on their website from 7pm each day. 10 minutes isn’t exactly life-changing but it’s better than the proverbial kick in the teeth and far, far better than a literal kick in the teeth. It’s also a very dense, action-packed ten
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