Ashes 2017/18..

Day 4 was 42.2 degrees in the stand and 55.7 in the middle at lunch, Smith knew what he was doing, when he declared our players were so dihydrated the medics could not get their Body temps down and not enough fluids in the 10 mins between innings, no wonder they collapsed. Players were still felling the effects on day 5, not only Joe Root in hospital a few others as well.

Day 4 was 42.2 degrees in the stand and 55.7 in the middle at lunch, Smith knew what he was doing, when he declared our players were so dihydrated the medics could not get their Body temps down and not enough fluids in the 10 mins between innings, no wonder they collapsed. Players were still felling the effects on day 5, not only Joe Root in hospital a few others as well.

It was hot out there. I'm surprised bairstow didn't spontaneously combust!

Ballance has been dropped for New Zealand,must have brought the wrong drinks out.

Ballance has been dropped for New Zealand,must have brought the wrong drinks out.

I think it must be hard for someone like balance to try and keep yourself in form in the nets certainly off the back of a bad run. I'd guess it's a different mind set than someone going in on debut, you've nothing to lose. The coaching staff might be looking at him in the nets and his technique might be all at sea. To be honest, against the Aussie quicks, unless he'd seriously revised his initial "trigger" as the ball is bowled he'd be a walking wicket.

Some don't tour very well. Finn was sent home early last time out he was, in the words of the coaching team, unselectable.

EDIT: while I'm at it- we play to much cricket, its arguable more than other teams. Forgetting the T20 and Odis (of which there are plenty - certainly last year with the champions trophy) from July 2017 to August 2018 we would have played South Africa, West Indies, Australia, new Zealand, India and Pakistan.

Something is wrong there. By the time Joe root gets back from NZ he would have been on tour for over 5 months.

Englands top order needs to be addressed, to many left handers, Lyons got more lefties out than right handers Balance, the back up batsman a left hander also.....just a thought.

I would have taken Liam Plunkett as a fast bowler, and he can bat a bit.

Yes 5 months on tour is a very long time to keep focused. The Aussies played all their cards correct . Used temperature and off field antics to the most useful much better than us lot .Aussie batsmen and bowlers were on top form for most of the games and got tactics spot on . Anderson will be ready for a break I would imagine . It must have been a severe learning curve for Root as well . Ballance could be done at international level , couldn't even keep us supplied with drinks .

Every 2 overs drinks were brought out for the Aussies, not so for our boys, our medics should have been ready to send out Ballance with drinks the same plus, their bowlers had drinks coolers at places on the boundrey where they was fielding so they could hydrate between overs.

Every 2 overs drinks were brought out for the Aussies, not so for our boys, our medics should have been ready to send out Ballance with drinks the same plus, their bowlers had drinks coolers at places on the boundrey where they was fielding so they could hydrate between overs.

The aussies have been better at managing heat for decades. even in Bothams ashes of '81 their bowlers were going off the pitch to "change their shirt" and take on fluids and cool down!

Coaching team on this tour havent covered themselves in glory. Livingston is the only change in the test squad batting lineup whcih given how badly we've batted is a surprise. The problem for the selectors is that most have showed a flash of skill or technique or temprement so it must harder to drop one - really you could have dropped all of the top 6. But we have to get a few out of the comfort zone without going back to the revolving door selection policy of the 90s.

---------- Post added 11-01-2018 at 13:22 ----------

Yes 5 months on tour is a very long time to keep focused. The Aussies played all their cards correct . Used temperature and off field antics to the most useful much better than us lot .Aussie batsmen and bowlers were on top form for most of the games and got tactics spot on . Anderson will be ready for a break I would imagine . It must have been a severe learning curve for Root as well . Ballance could be done at international level , couldn't even keep us supplied with drinks .

Anderson is straight into the commentry box for the ODI stuff - his kids must forget what he looks like. I'd have him and swann at least informally talking to young bowlers or the lions squad. We're missing a trick here.

Not taking Plunkett was a mistake,big guy,with a big heart,he would have got some bounce with his height,and that would have made some difference.

The kookobura doesnt swing about,Oz conditions arent like india,where theres some humidity and the ball will do a bit even in the heat and on a seemingly flat wicket.

jake ball and Wood are both quick,but niether are accurate enough & conceed easy runs,for sure they will both take wickets,but at a mighty cost in runs.

Once anderson hangs up his boots,broad wont be long after,& to be fair,Broad hasnt bowled well enough for a few tests series now,I watched him against SA and he looked ordinary,but those two will be tough to replace,TRJ & Woakes will be the main attack possibly,with either JB or wood as third bowler,this young spinner needs one hell of a summer!!

I dont fancy us in NZ either to be honest,theyve got a decent attack and their batsmen are pretty handy,their main strike bowler is better then Starc!

Not taking Plunkett was a mistake,big guy,with a big heart,he would have got some bounce with his height,and that would have made some difference.

The kookobura doesnt swing about,Oz conditions arent like india,where theres some humidity and the ball will do a bit even in the heat and on a seemingly flat wicket.

jake ball and Wood are both quick,but niether are accurate enough & conceed easy runs,for sure they will both take wickets,but at a mighty cost in runs.

Once anderson hangs up his boots,broad wont be long after,& to be fair,Broad hasnt bowled well enough for a few tests series now,I watched him against SA and he looked ordinary,but those two will be tough to replace,TRJ & Woakes will be the main attack possibly,with either JB or wood as third bowler,this young spinner needs one hell of a summer!!

I dont fancy us in NZ either to be honest,theyve got a decent attack and their batsmen are pretty handy,their main strike bowler is better then Starc!

I think if we'd played NZ before the Aussies I'd fancy our chances but we are tired and all over the place mentally and there aren't many new faces coming in. I'm hoping we'll take 20 wickets and not embarrass ourselves with the bat.

Being interested in cricket, but certainly no expert.. how come we manage to thrash the aussies at one day cricket.

We've got better one day players. We've got two quick who can bowl 90mph (one of which went round the park for no wickets in the first two matches). We've got a leg spinner. We've got destructive batsmen who are learning to build their innings depending on conditions. Most have IPL or big bash experience - you'll learn playing along side great players. I'd guess all of the odi squad have been tried at test level and the big names like Morgan and butler just haven't been suited to it.

We've a team of match winners who beat a proper full strength Aussie team despite losing a quick bowler after 8 deliveries. As much as our test side is all at sea our ODI side is looking very good. Credit to bayliss.