As far as I can see KP, Prior, Swann are the first players where decisions need to be made.
In the next two or three years, Anderson and Carberry will be moved on too and Bell won't be far behind them. Don't think Trott will ever play Test cricket again unless he can sort himself out in the time for the summer. He's 32.
Cook, Broad and Bresnan will become the old heads in the team.
Like Buttler as a player but he's too raw to go straight into the test side. If we use Bairstow as a stop-gap keeper over the next 18 months whilst Buttler beds in and gets ready to play test cricket, the ginger Yorkie might be at a stage where he can play as a specialist batsman at 5 or 6.
KP is done in my opinion and there are serious question marks about Prior although I would be too hasty about dropping him because he is a good influence in the dressing room . Apart from that who else has done their time ? Trott & Bresnan possibly ?
Bresnan will bowl better in English conditions as will Anderson come to that.
I am getting all teary over here at the thought of poor old Riviera sitting there on Christmas Night watching a dead rubber with his cold sandwiches and a beer!
As for Melbourne, I'd love to see major changes but that's not the way English cricket works, especially on an Ashes tour.
I very much doubt KP or Prior will be dropped but Anderson might pick up a 'stress fracture' and miss the game with Finn coming in, Swan might miss out too.
Do people feel a few of the players are really coming to the end of their International career and well past their prime or has it simply been a case of everyone playing badly at the same..in the biggest series of them all?
Its been quite interesting to note than whilst there has been criticism of Andy Flower most of the finger pointing has been directed at the players.
The major difference between the sides this time, in my opinion, is that too many of our batsmen have batted as if they were playing T 20 and got themselves out.
In contrast the Australian batsmen have mostly shown much better discipline so the English bowlers have had to work hard to get them out in adverse conditions not as suitable to their styles as those found in England.
The major difference between the sides this time, in my opinion, is that too many of our batsmen have batted as if they were playing T 20 and got themselves out.
In contrast the Australian batsmen have mostly shown much better discipline so the English bowlers have had to work hard to get them out in adverse conditions not as suitable to their styles as those found in England.
Have a look at both teams run rates and you might change your mind about England playing like a T20 side. At times we were bogged down and way too negative . Especially the likes of Root and Cook
They really are mouthy when they win. I don't hear a peep out of them otherwise. I'll always offer congratulations to them when they've won, they don't if we beat them, they just bitch and moan. Thick bastards.
It's so true if they win it's because how good they are if we win it's because of the DRS or how bad they are, also if one of our players scores a big score if they were dropped or missed for any reason they harp on about they should of been out and if because of the bad bowling fielding is the reason not because the batsman did well but the other way round it's all about the players.
Guardian sport have just tweeted it so I'd be surprised if it's not true. Been a great spinner for English cricket over the last 5 years but needed to be one of a few moved on in the near future.
It may well be his reaction to being told that he wasn't going to be playing on Boxing Day. By all accounts he was going to make this announcement after this Ashes series.
Apart from the bond of playing top International cricket for a number of years together, the one other common denominator that KP, Anderson. Prior, Trott & Swann enjoy is that they all have young families.
They are also financially secure and probably, when they come face to face with some hungry Aussies the realisation is that they simply don't have the heart for it.
So who exactly is our back up spinner to Monty 'cos there simply isn't an obvious candidate.
And whilst our tail has hardly wagged recently, with Finn/Tremlett/Rankin or Onions in the line up followed by Anderson and Monty we might as well declare at "7 down".
Surprised to say the least - although if he has been dropped for boxing day that may have precipitated it. Swann has a big ego, and as said above he's probably financially secure so the prospect of battling his way back in or drifting back to the county circuit won't appeal.
Although there hasn't been anything tragic like Ken Barringtons untimely death, this tour will go down as cursed as the 1980 Windies expedition.
To be honest he's had it easy over the years.great bowler and can bowl in conditions that suit him but if it doesn't turn then his ordinary.he got Sussed out by the Australians and they ripped him to shreds.surprised that he's retired because I honestly think he should of finished the job and announced it after the 5th test.still thanks swanny and thanks for the memories.
Poor show to be honest doing it in the middle of a (albeit lost) away ashes series. They are not boxing they are playing cricket they all took the applause when it was going well so have to take a bit of rough stuff when it comes.
The right decision and the right timing, the series is gone and he knew his time was up so why delay it.
Swann said what we could see, that being that he could no longer bowl the way he used to so he called it a day.
Takes far, far more guts to do that than to do what that greedy little prick Ponting did and cling onto your place for two years even when your batting is shot to pieces.
This is by far the best thing for the team, not only does it give Panesar the next two Tests to show what he can do but it also forces the issue with other senior players like KP.
Very selfless move from Swann, a great career and also a great bloke.
Not impressed at all. As way of punishment for being pony for at least the last 3/4 years he should have been forced to finish the series in my humble opinion.
Don't see it as being best for the team retiring half way through a series even with it being 3-0. Should of retired before the series and let them take monty plus one. Selfish act
Not impressed at all. As way of punishment for being pony for at least the last 3/4 years he should have been forced to finish the series in my humble opinion.
Pony for the last three to four years, are you out for a laugh?
In the last four years alone Swann has...
Played a key role in home AND away Ashes victories - leading wicket taker just last summer.
Helped win us a Test series in India for the first time in 30 years.
Won us the Test in Durban against the leading team in the world.
Won us the Test in Colombo to draw the series with Sri Lanka.
Been ranked as the leading spinner in world cricket by the ICC.
Become the second most English spinner in Test history after Underwood.
Don't see it as being best for the team retiring half way through a series even with it being 3-0. Should of retired before the series and let them take monty plus one. Selfish act
A "selfish act" would have been to carry on when he knew he was retiring and to play another couple of seasons taking his very well paid central contract.
Comments
In the next two or three years, Anderson and Carberry will be moved on too and Bell won't be far behind them. Don't think Trott will ever play Test cricket again unless he can sort himself out in the time for the summer. He's 32.
Cook, Broad and Bresnan will become the old heads in the team.
Like Buttler as a player but he's too raw to go straight into the test side. If we use Bairstow as a stop-gap keeper over the next 18 months whilst Buttler beds in and gets ready to play test cricket, the ginger Yorkie might be at a stage where he can play as a specialist batsman at 5 or 6.
There has to be a plan for the future now.
As for Melbourne, I'd love to see major changes but that's not the way English cricket works, especially on an Ashes tour.
I very much doubt KP or Prior will be dropped but Anderson might pick up a 'stress fracture' and miss the game with Finn coming in, Swan might miss out too.
Would definitely move Bell to 3, bring in Ballance for KP, Bairstow for Prior, and Monty for Swann.
We need fresh attitude and to look to the future - Stokes has been the one highlight.
Its been quite interesting to note than whilst there has been criticism of Andy Flower most of the finger pointing has been directed at the players.
In football it would be very much the opposite!
In contrast the Australian batsmen have mostly shown much better discipline so the English bowlers have had to work hard to get them out in adverse conditions not as suitable to their styles as those found in England.
Shocked.
Apart from the bond of playing top International cricket for a number of years together, the one other common denominator that KP, Anderson. Prior, Trott & Swann enjoy is that they all have young families.
They are also financially secure and probably, when they come face to face with some hungry Aussies the realisation is that they simply don't have the heart for it.
And whilst our tail has hardly wagged recently, with Finn/Tremlett/Rankin or Onions in the line up followed by Anderson and Monty we might as well declare at "7 down".
Although there hasn't been anything tragic like Ken Barringtons untimely death, this tour will go down as cursed as the 1980 Windies expedition.
Don't believe it is right to quit mid tour except for health reasons.
Bottler
Swann said what we could see, that being that he could no longer bowl the way he used to so he called it a day.
Takes far, far more guts to do that than to do what that greedy little prick Ponting did and cling onto your place for two years even when your batting is shot to pieces.
This is by far the best thing for the team, not only does it give Panesar the next two Tests to show what he can do but it also forces the issue with other senior players like KP.
Very selfless move from Swann, a great career and also a great bloke.
Not impressed at all. As way of punishment for being pony for at least the last 3/4 years he should have been forced to finish the series in my humble opinion.
In the last four years alone Swann has...
Played a key role in home AND away Ashes victories - leading wicket taker just last summer.
Helped win us a Test series in India for the first time in 30 years.
Won us the Test in Durban against the leading team in the world.
Won us the Test in Colombo to draw the series with Sri Lanka.
Been ranked as the leading spinner in world cricket by the ICC.
Become the second most English spinner in Test history after Underwood.
That's "pony" is it? Really?
He took the unselfish route, not the selfish one.