England showed yet again that they are notoriously slow starters in the Test Series that matter, and yet again they showed they play their best cricket at the back end of a series (away on the sub-continent). Thankfully they had the opportunity to 'save' this series, as at other times it is about saving face v Aus.
England needed this to make ammends for their botched performance at Headingly, and nothing short of this emphatic victory would have sufficed! Sure this was a great result, but they need to keep sight of their performances in the rest of the series to keep this in perspective.
Realisticaly SA played into England's hands in this one, and England still have some ways to go b4 they can look at repeating this performance throughtout a series against the better sides.
The batting lineup still needs a few teaks etc in the lower order following retirements & injury, but the Top & middle is probably set for a few years yet.
Their bowling is still decimated from the Ashes, but they now have some depth & experience to work with, especially when those injuries recover & are available again.
Flintoff is a concern, so often the 'entertainer' or 'saviour' with the bat, yet his Test bowling average is now 50 - look out AA!!!!!! If the England bowling attack does not improve, if Flintoff does not improve his bowling, and once the likes of Caddick & Hoggard become available I wonder how long he can be 'carried' in this team?
A good result no doubt but lets not get carried away - if nothing else this series has shown that neither of these sides are realistic challengers to the Australian dominance yet, and there is still some ways to go b4 they can realistically think of themselves as such.
England needed this to make ammends for their botched performance at Headingly, and nothing short of this emphatic victory would have sufficed! Sure this was a great result, but they need to keep sight of their performances in the rest of the series to keep this in perspective.
Realisticaly SA played into England's hands in this one, and England still have some ways to go b4 they can look at repeating this performance throughtout a series against the better sides.
The batting lineup still needs a few teaks etc in the lower order following retirements & injury, but the Top & middle is probably set for a few years yet.
Their bowling is still decimated from the Ashes, but they now have some depth & experience to work with, especially when those injuries recover & are available again.
Flintoff is a concern, so often the 'entertainer' or 'saviour' with the bat, yet his Test bowling average is now 50 - look out AA!!!!!! If the England bowling attack does not improve, if Flintoff does not improve his bowling, and once the likes of Caddick & Hoggard become available I wonder how long he can be 'carried' in this team?
A good result no doubt but lets not get carried away - if nothing else this series has shown that neither of these sides are realistic challengers to the Australian dominance yet, and there is still some ways to go b4 they can realistically think of themselves as such.
