I'm legitimately shocked at how many England players have collapsed in a miserable heap at the first sign of aggression from Australia. Anderson has always had queries on his character, but the extent of his reversion to type has been...I can't believe I'm saying this...difficult to watch. Swann. Prior. Alastair Cook's frightened, embarrassing captaincy, the field changes, the throwing of Panesar to the wolves. Even Broad, their "competitor", takes the shape of a man who is enamoured with the idea of grit but doesn't fundamentally get it. Retreating from his stumps to Johnson in Adelaide, which you forgive in isolation. But not putting the hand up for his captain when there wasn't any structural damage to his foot, and the team needed that display of ****ing hardness and togetherness in the face of what was going on. That was poor. Yet he has been the one, Stokes aside, to show the most.
Mind you, who the **** would put their hand up for Cook the way he has handled proceedings this tour?
I expected the aussies to hit back in the return series, but I never in a million years thought they would become the third side to complete the whitewash, which all signs indicate will happen. This tour dollops nasty clods of mud on the career records of more than a few. There was no excuse for not fronting up here. Both teams were exposed to this schedule and the stakes were high both times.
Respect lost all round, on Cook's part especially. A worse display of captaincy across a series I have never, EVER seen. Diabolical.