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Totally agree, although it'll be more difficult than some might think. The point I made referred to what LJ said at the time he/Ashton signed Palmer. If I was him, I be looking for a move to Germany or France. The slower pace would suit him in those leagues.

I’ve also heard he’s on £20k p/w with us. While he’s clearly got talent, he needs more than a full pre-season under his belt (as LJ said at the time) to fulfil his potential. Considering we paid Chelsea £3.5m for him, the deal has to be right up there in terms of our worst ever transfers.

You’re right. It should be “…charged with multiple counts…”. The police have charged him with those offences and he’ll either be cleared or convicted of the offences in court.

Silverwood's the stereotypical ignorant Yorkshireman who can't put his hands up and admit he got it wrong. Every man and his dog can see the selection for both the first two Tests was wrong, and that's not said with the benefit of hindsight either. He wasn't good enough as a Test bowler and is equally out of his depth as a Test coach.

Clueless. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59739472 Silverwood, Lewis, Bobat, and Root (although there's no obvious candidate to replace him with) all need to go.

Oh, I agree with Root trying to assert his authority, even if he never will shake off the public schoolboy who wouldn’t say boo to a goose tag. As far as the batting’s concerned, I don’t think it’s a lack of experience down under at all. Most of these players have played either Tests, white ball, BBL, Lions, or even Grade cricket in Australia before. It’s got more to do with your spot-on final point IMO. These batting collapses have become the norm for England, at home and abroad, and the finger of blame at the ECB. They absolutely are reaping what they sow, and it’s a brain-dead strategy when you consider Test match cricket in England remains their biggest cash cow.

It would obviously help, but for context Australia bowled marginally more balls on a fuller length than us in Adelaide. The difference was their batsmen’s ability to leave the ball. They left 23% of deliveries; we left 17%. I think Root’s trying to deflect blame from our batting fragilities. It’s wholly unrealistic to expect Anderson and Broad to rock up in Adelaide on top form when they’ve played no first-class cricket for months. Plenty of catches also went down. The bowling is the least of our concerns IMO.

Almost as laughable as the suggestion of Steven Gerrard, who a) didn't want to come here, and b) had a £4.5m release clause in his Rangers contract.

I was surprised how tall Root is when he walked past me while I queued up for tickets for the Galle Test in 2018, but you're spot on. Bowling the right lengths doesn't matter at all if you continually fail to get big runs on the board. On Root in Australia, that's 21 Test innings without a ton. He's also now lost 11 out of the 12 Tests he's played Down Under (4 defeats and the draw were under his captaincy).

Exactly. I'd be interested to see if there are metrics out there to measure mistakes resulting in goals conceded, because I suspect Vyner would be right up there. Sure, he wasn't alone in a woeful defensive display on Saturday. But, as you say, he's had more than enough chances now and never seems to learn from his mistakes. For that reason, he won't ever have a future at this level or above. In many ways, he's not much different to Taylor Moore in that regard.

If nothing else, it's nice to wake up and see some application from our boys in this innings, even if that is just to keep the convicts out in the field.

Buttler’s got a good cricket brain and would make a better captain than Root IMO, but he shouldn’t be in the Test XI IMO either.

He’s a professional footballer who’s been named in the starting XI 24 hours before kick-off only to say he doesn’t feel ready to start. That’s refusing to start IMO. Otherwise, I agree with you — tell him he’s starting and he’ll get an hour. It’s not his place to say whether he starts or not IMO. He was available and selected.

Pring refused to play, according to James Piercy.

Spot on. Some turn a blind eye to his obvious failings, possibly because he’s come through the academy. But, as NP says, defenders are in the side to defend and he doesn’t have the foggiest idea about even the basics IMO.

Nope, you’re dead right — and I’ve been saying it for more than a year.

Vyner’s no scapegoat; he’s just shit and nowhere near good enough for this level.

Vyner does absolutely nothing to stop that cross coming in. Pathetic.

Poor decision, but Vyner was caught ball watching again and gave the ref a decision to make. If he reacts quicker, he gets there first and clears.

Surprised they managed to keep hold of O’Brien. I’d have him here in a shot if we could get him, which I doubt. I reckon it’s a 3-4-3 with Benarous on the left.

I’d like to see more of Mahmood, and Parkinson, but not at the expense of Woakes. We need his batting. Back to this Test and if Starc and Lyon were to be taken out, this is a second-string convicts’ attack. The bowling figures back that up.

Surely not. It’s the worst time of day for batting, supposedly. Rain forecast for tomorrow as well. EDIT: they are batting again! ?

Smith would be mad not to enforce the follow-on. I reckon we will be 2 or 3 down by the close. I’m in favour of ringing the changes for Melbourne: Hameed, Yates, Malan, Root, Stokes, Foakes (wk), Livingstone, Woakes, Robinson, Wood, Anderson/Broad. At least that XI has more balance and variation to it. It won’t happen, though.

Root & Malan combined 302-2 in this Ashes series so far. All other England partnerships: 314-24. Absolutely pathetic. The best keeper in England never gets selected. What’s Pope done since getting a ton in SA two years ago? Burns crabbing around has never been up to it. Malan’s been overlooked for too long and gets brought back in when he’s 34. Hameed’s worth persevering with, at least he has technique. I’d rather have Livingstone in this XI, batting at 7 and bowling wrist spin but he can’t even get in the squad. Get Foakes in and maybe Yates. I remember the struggling England sides of the ‘90s, but they were were up against a much better quality opposition. McGrath, Warne, Lee etc compared to Richardson and Neser — no contest. This current crop consistently plays poor shots and is unable to soak up any pressure. We will be following on soon enough. The buck stops with the ECB, but the cupboard is pretty bare.

I think that was when we beat Blackpool at home 5-2 in ‘99. I totally agree with what you said about his impact, and still remember that to this day. He was awesome that day.