International one day cricket, is now just another slightly longer form of 20/20. It is just smash it as much as you can.
I know that people want to be entertained, but there seems very little control.
Even test matches are quicker than they used to be.
Dare I say this, but I could be wrong… We are looking in pretty good shape!
Typical bloody England. Yet again totally unable to use up their full 50 over allocation
What a great turnaround for England.
As for the criticism of 50 overs becoming a slog-fest, I have no problem with that. “Old” 50 over cricket used to be letting rip for a few overs but making sure you plodded along at 4 or 5 an over for the middle overs, and set around 250 or so. 250 these days is likely to be at least 100 off, and I’d much rather see risks taken for boundaries rather than prodding for 30 overs and nicking singles.
Insane scores these days. Love it. Even shuts up Piers Morgan
Yep, as Piers says (ad nauseam) we’re missing Pietersen.
Totally agree, if you are setting a total, yes 350/400 is required now, but when you are in control like we were, right from the start of the innings, it would have been pretty bad if we threw our wickets away, when we did not need to.
But it very good when it comes off though 
I think it’s fair to say we’re still a very long way from the finished article. We’ve done perhaps the easiest thing, changing the mind-set of defence first to attack. While we’re in the ascendancy and on flat pitches, that’s entirely right. The true test will come when bowlers are getting something from the pitch, and choosing the right time to attack and the right time to defend. England teams in the past have failed to do that; either getting skittled out for a low total or plodding through at 3 or 4 an over.
Turning the mentality around will probably mean that we’re due occasions when we’re just too brazen about swinging the bat. But at least the turnaround has been quick and there’s proper distinction now between good Test match players like Cook and Bell, and good top order ODI batsmen.
I still fear greatly for the Ashes, I just can’t see our bowling attack regularly taking 20 wickets inside 5 days against the Aussies.
I don’t think we’ve got a hope in hell in the Ashes.
I have not great expectations for the ashes, we are well off the mark as a test side. We need to build a side for the next ashes, but Australia are so strong again, after they had to rebuild.
It it does seem odd that we were so bad in the World Cup, now look at us… We could do with the World Cup now.
In a series that has been a slog fest, the bowling of Finn & Wood was a different class today. Wood looks to have the makings of a great Test Bowler (just think he should have played in WI as I think he isn’t quite ready for the Ashes). There are finally some good looking youngsters coming through. Stokes is not yet consistent, Willey looked like he could swing a Duke Ball.
The issue with the Ashes is the form of Ali, Ballance & Bell and we really don’t have any ready made replacements pushing to come in with the xperience needed. I understand why they took Trott to the Caribbean, but I think that more than anything will cost us the Ashes as the only form & experienced batsman we have now is Morgan, and much as I love watching him, it will take a hellva leap of faith to bring him back to face Starc & Johnson in the Tests.
Should Root bat 3 in the Tests? hmmm. Adil Rashid as our Test Spinner? Hmm
I’m in the we’ll get walloped camp but think the ODI team can scare them in a couple of matches
It’s amazing what a difference a change of attitude and approach can make.
I guess credit must go to Strauss. I dare say he’s allowing himself a wry smile when he thinks back to the national newspaper polls, little more than a month ago, that showed the vast majority of the cricketing public thought that he was wrong not to bring back KP.
@DP why cannot we have two spinners on the field at the same time, Rashid and Ali (on form) would certainly restrict the runs that the Aussies are currently getting.
Thought I would add to the bottom of this for the 20/20… Wow, just wow. Last 5 wickets for 4 runs.
England win by 56 runs!
Cracking result this evening, watched the last hour.
Two tweakers vs the Aussies I agree with. Just not yet convinced that Rashid & Ali are both Test class. (But we don’t have much else in the tank tbh)
As for the fast bowling is Ben Stokes actually good enough? Wood, Anderson, a tweaker probably Ali then Broad, the new kid, Finn and Stokes> Hmm
Bit like the top 3. Players ARE coming through just not convinced they will pick the right ones or the ones they pick will be ready
Interesting times