with style.
England really put on the style to be whitewashed by Pakistan in the recent three match test series in the UAE.
I mean they really had to go some to lose the final rubber after skittling the hosts for less than 100 in the first innings. What’s it been over a hundred years since a team did that and still lost. This England side they don’t mess about, grad defeat from the jaws of victory and then go the whole hog.
But they’ll take the positives
.
Well it looks like one has already come about Ian Bell being dropped from the one day squad. So in reality this test match should be the last time we see him in an England shirt. Never mind he couldn’t pick Ajmal’s doosra it was just there was no one’s coat tails to ride on. Without Strauss, Cook, Trott or Pietersen softening up the attack he was never gonna do anything that would require leading from the front. Actually being a leader, never gonna happen.
Never mind this he’ll have to sort it out before Sri Lanka
, he’ll have to get used to being back in the county game and realise that’s his level. Milk some easy runs like Ramps and Hick.
What are the chances? After all his media chums even though have actually been honest with the 2/10 he’s been getting will be screaming for him to be back. Pietersen is someone who should be joining him, for a bit not permanently. Unlike say Cook when he was going through his bad patch before the purple one it’s not form or class that’s KP’s problem it’s head and ego and that needs slapped down with a dropping to get it back in shape. If you don’t kick it into shape it’s gonna be more and more that’s the way I play
in that godforsaken whiny voice.
So that and Broad’s bowling in difficult conditions for a pace bowler, 13 wickets at just under 21, and the return of Monty with two five-fors in his 14 wickets at just under 22 apiece – in the 25 overs more he bowled than anyone else in one game less.
Was funny hearing/reading crowing Indian fans going on about England not winning away from home. Well they can -Ashes in Australia anyone? – just not in subcontinent conditions. Whereas India don’t win anywhere bar home.
Is international test match cricket up to much if the world number ones can be whipped so easily in two series like this and England’s last?