Spineless pathetic bastards...

[Shri]

I am talking out of my ass? Ok.

 

[steds]

If you are I am too. Solidarity brother!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Probably something in it, also not helped by some of the backup guys losing form totally so can't afford to rest the big guns so they get extra tired.

 

[steds]

I'm not sure we really have backup guys. They seem to be chosen totally at random these days.

 

[hendrix]

Just a thought, but could it be less that they're "spineless pathetic bastards" and more that they've been driven into the ground? If you look at the batsmen who've faced the most balls & bowlers who've bowled the most overs in international cricket in 2013, you come up with these lists:

[B]Batsman		Balls faced[/B]
Misbah-ul-Haq	3082
[I]Bell 		2915
Cook	 	2626
Root		2529[/I]
de Villiers	2451
[I]Trott		2298[/I]
Clarke		2147
Amla		2021
Sangakkara	1978
Kohli		1956

[B]Bowler		Overs bowled[/B]
Saeed Ajmal	628.4
Ashwin 		557.1
[I]Anderson	541.2[/I]
[I]Broad		517.5[/I]
Jadeja		484.5
[I]Swann		454.5[/I]
Boult		385
Junaid Khan	383.5
Steyn		374.4
Siddle		373.1

If you go back to the start of 2012, Cook has faced 6436 balls in international cricket - over 1000 more than Michael Clarke, whose 5365 is the second most behind Cook. More worryingly, James Anderson's 1209.2 overs is more than any other bowler. The only other to bowl 1200 overs in that period is Graeme Swann, who has passed that mark by one ball. The quicks with the next highest workloads are Broad, with 1057.2 overs, and Steyn with 854.1. It's astounding that England would treat Jimmy like that.

I'm not particularly surprised that some of them aren't themselves.

England play about 3 times as many tests as anyone else.

Good **** from tuk tuk though.

 

[steds]

England play about 3 times as many tests as anyone else.

Exactly

 

[Burgey]

It's not a bad theory, Steds. Victim of their own durability maybe, especially the bowlers.

I didn't realise England played that many more tests than everyone else. I thought the FTP evened it out.

 

[Furball]

It's not a bad theory, Steds. Victim of their own durability maybe, especially the bowlers.

I didn't realise England played that many more tests than everyone else. I thought the FTP evened it out.

England play the most Tests of anyone but it's not massively more than Australia or India.

 

[GIMH]

Looking on the bright side, the Ashes winners tend to lose the ODI series. That's the important thing to take from this shambles

 

[Furball]

I've just noticed that Monty stuck it out for 34 balls, which is about as damning an indictment on the batsmen above him as I can think of.

 

[mullarkey]

Woulda been in my squad.

My XI too, probz, gloves or not.

Lovely, the new Lancashire lad.

 

[steds]

England play the most Tests of anyone but it's not massively more than Australia or India.

It's enough to make a difference, though. England and Australia play the same amount of Tests in 2013, but England played 4 more in 2012. That may not sound much, but that's potentially 3 extra weeks (short a day) of long days, particularly for someone who has to be "on" all the time in the field, like the captain and wicket keeper.

And more than that, it's the timing and scheduling of the games. England's schedule, though not necessarily much heavier, is so much more attritional. Unless they come to England, Australia barely play over our summer, therefore getting the opportunity to refresh themselves. In 2012, they had a nice 4 month break, punctuated by just, what, 3 weeks in England. Come next May they'll get the same, with just 3 ODIs in Zimbabwe between the end of the IPL and the Champions League. When was the last time, say, Cook got a full 2 months with no cricket? Nov-Dec 2011, I'd wager. And if the future tours program is to be believed, the next time he'll get 2 months to himself is Dec 18-Jan 19

 

[Spikey]

I've just noticed that Monty stuck it out for 34 balls, which is about as damning an indictment on the batsmen above him as I can think of.

have you noticed that monty stuck around longer than Stokes, Prior, Swann, Broad & Anderson combined

 

[Furball]

have you noticed that monty stuck around longer than Stokes, Prior, Swann, Broad & Anderson combined

Was kind of my point.

 

[Debris]

Just a thought, but could it be less that they're "spineless pathetic bastards" and more that they've been driven into the ground? If you look at the batsmen who've faced the most balls & bowlers who've bowled the most overs in international cricket in 2013, you come up with these lists:

[B]Batsman		Balls faced[/B]
Misbah-ul-Haq	3082
[I]Bell 		2915
Cook	 	2626
Root		2529[/I]
de Villiers	2451
[I]Trott		2298[/I]
Clarke		2147
Amla		2021
Sangakkara	1978
Kohli		1956

[B]Bowler		Overs bowled[/B]
Saeed Ajmal	628.4
Ashwin 		557.1
[I]Anderson	541.2[/I]
[I]Broad		517.5[/I]
Jadeja		484.5
[I]Swann		454.5[/I]
Boult		385
Junaid Khan	383.5
Steyn		374.4
Siddle		373.1

If you go back to the start of 2012, Cook has faced 6436 balls in international cricket - over 1000 more than Michael Clarke, whose 5365 is the second most behind Cook. More worryingly, James Anderson's 1209.2 overs is more than any other bowler. The only other to bowl 1200 overs in that period is Graeme Swann, who has passed that mark by one ball. The quicks with the next highest workloads are Broad, with 1057.2 overs, and Steyn with 854.1. It's astounding that England would treat Jimmy like that.

I'm not particularly surprised that some of them aren't themselves.

Has England thought about instituting some sort of rotation policy?

 

[GIMH]

Has England thought about instituting some sort of rotation policy?

When we rested players against Bangas, and in dead rubber v Windies, there was a LOT of criticism

 

[Jono]

Schedule is obviously a factor, but playing a lot of cricket doesn't make you scared of fast bowling. They haven't been exposed to such bowling for a while it seems and are playing it so incredibly poorly.

But the schedule is a problem with cricket, no doubt. Been saying it for years though - no solution likely.

England going through what India did in tour of England in 2011. Just came under-prepared, mentally not up for it, as a team past their peak, lots of players not what they were... and importantly... up against a team far far more hungry and up for the fight.

Only difference is no injuries... yet.

 

[SpofforthLohman]

Just come home now before you embarrass yourselves and us even further.

Absolutely ****ing pathetic!

Looks like half of them have already retired in their minds, no hunger anymore just weak pathetic going through the montions.

Het Gooch you fat unshaven wage thieving slob what in the flying **** are you doing?

The negativity Andy Flower installed and let seep deep into this team has finally got what it deserved, he can **** off to but then its that prat Giles, R.I.P English cricket, our turn to do what you Aussies do and pretend we all don't care and ignore it the best we can.

Mate I feel for you I really do, you now know what it's been like for Australian fans ever since the retirement of the Great Waugh. It isn't fun watching your team disintegrate. Maybe you are right about them being half retired in their minds, they do look tired. Take Mitchell Johnson out and I reckon England would still be killing us. I must admit I can't stand that arrogant Pietersen, he was much more of a team man once but he seems so full of himself now, his attitude has to be a negative for England. Johnson is a godsend for us, an Australian team without at least one express bowler is not usual. A guy like Siddle I am less impressed with but somehow he has the wood on Pietersen who has become Siddles Bunny.
.................... There are some positives for you, young Root has stood tall in my opinion and Bell is going ok. From what I see Root will be England captain one day, I think he has the goods, he has guts thats for sure.

 

[Debris]

When we rested players against Bangas, and in dead rubber v Windies, there was a LOT of criticism

Apologies, sarcasm does not come through well on the internet. Player rotation is a crap idea but you just know there are people out there who would think it after seeing those stats.

 

[SpofforthLohman]

Schedule is obviously a factor, but playing a lot of cricket doesn't make you scared of fast bowling. They haven't been exposed to such bowling for a while it seems and are playing it so incredibly poorly.

But the schedule is a problem with cricket, no doubt. Been saying it for years though - no solution likely.

England going through what India did in tour of England in 2011. Just came under-prepared, mentally not up for it, as a team past their peak, lots of players not what they were... and importantly... up against a team far far more hungry and up for the fight.

Only difference is no injuries... yet.

You hit the nail on the head.about the express pace, For some very odd reason the really fast guys are very rare now, something that seems inconcievable to one who started watching the game in the early 70's. Who is bowling very fast these days (over 146 kph) ???... We have Johnson, the Sth Africans have the best fast bowlers at the moment but not sure at the speed they are bowling at, I haven't seen Steyn play for a long time now..... I imagine any bowler coming at 150 kph at this point in time is a real shock to the system. Take Waugh or Border, they regularly faced Ambrose and Marshall and Wasim and Waqar but todays players rarely get to see it. I know that whenever someone bowled really fast at me I crapped myself yet they weren't approaching Johnson's speed thats for sure. I was a very poor bat at the best of times. LOL