Paul Collingwood

Have been travelling the last few weeks and hence no update - delighted though to see Paul Collingwood help steer England to the CB win with some excellent batting, catching and useful spells with the ball. From down and outs to winners in short order and with KP to return and seemingly a better idea of what is the first choice side and batting order we now have cause for optimism ahead of the World Cup.

The Aussies by contrast seem to be fumbling having now lost two more games against NZ- shame.................

The Positives

Well surely we must have a decent game soon- perhaps we are saving ourselves for the World Cup.

Otherwise it is only Anderson, Lewis (told you so), Panesar and Loye's sweep off the quicks that can be the positives from the shambles so far...........................

At last a win

Thanks mainly to Flintoff. Did not get chance to watch the game except early this morning when NZ started well but were pegged back by Anderson bowling well. In mid innings Collingwood and Panesar seemed to work well in tandem.

The batting though has to be a concern with the strategy post KP seeming to be everyone to push and nudge except Freddie who will blast.

Doubt the Aussies would have left it to the last ball and England need to find more aggression at the start- Craig Spearman has started innings for Gloucestershire explosively as has Tres for England. Without either not sure we have the capacity.

Awesome performance..........

from the team at Holland Framery in River Valley Road, Singapore, who framed our momentoes from the trip to Perth absolutely superbly. Shirt, bats and my pictures look great - the only dicsussion to be had is where will they hang???

Not even a whimper...............

So that's it 5-0 and the Australians deserve their celebrations- though since England did not stretch them past lunch they may finish early. England have been outplayed. The last two Tests have shown that the Jones/Read debate is pretty much a red herring, that at present Mahmoud lacks the control required at this level and that Panesar is not a panacea. It is the bowling that has really cost England in this series with Hoggard top wicket taker with 13 and in putting their faith in an inexperienced, raw pace attack the selectors got it wrong.

Let's hope Marcus Trescothick recovers for next summer as the opening partnership has not fired and his name at the top of the order would make a deal of difference. If Harmison can rediscover his venom then adding Tres at the front of the innings and omitting Mahmoud would probably be all the changes needed for next summer. Though on seamer friendly early season wickets Lewis for Panesar would make sense and when Monte returns later in the summer performances should decide who is left out.

On to the one-dayers, where lets hope we are more competitive.

England wilt, then crumble................again

Despite the ideal start to the day when Anderson removed Hussey England end day 3 facing a fifth defeat and with little realistic possibility of winning this Test, absent something remarkable from Pieterson. At 195 FOR 5 England were on top but first Gilchrist and then Warne dominated the bowling and took the game away from them. Gilchrist was wrongly given out caught behind off Anderson and at 327 for 7 one thought England could still win the game. But Warne, who had a let off when caught behind off the glove, getting the benefit of the doubt, off Panesar simply cut and pulled the game Australia's way.
Once again the lower order has been the difference with Australia's bowlers more penetrating with ball and more able with bat.

England close on 114 for 5 just 12 ahead and while Pieterson is there I guess there is still a chance but given the prior performances of England's tail it seems defeat shortly after lunch is the most likely outcome.

and Langer makes three

Two more retirements that I would expect before England next face the Aussies, in Hayden and Gilchrist. Cause for optimism as no one within the England squad should do likewise.

New Year starts slightly better.............but lack of control has been England's key downfall

A week ago as we left for Penang Australia stood at 84 for 5 and England had a chance at the MCG. When I was able to get internet connectivity after the Taiwan earthquake Hayden, who should not have been at the crease, but was thanks to two very poor decisions by Rudi Kurzen and Symonds had blastedAustralia out of sight. England's second innings collapse was almost inevitable and one can see why the selectors wanted to include Giles for his batting early in the series.

Again today Australia showed that once they capture 5 wickets England are finished. Mahmoud is clearly well out of his depth at 8. It is surprising that Dalrymple was not included for this Test as he would at least have helped shore up the lower order and with Flintoff finding some form England might have passed 300. While the bowling would hardly have suffered.

Throughout the series England have been unable to exert any pressure and from Harmison's first ball they have lacked control. Hoggard and to a lesser extent Panesar are the only two bowlers to emerge with credit. Simon Jones absence has been a major factor as neither Mahmoud nor Anderson have been able to unsettle the Aussie batsmen. By contrast, except in the 1st innings in Adelaide England have always had to fight for each run as McGrath, Clarke and Warne have found line and length from the off. England unsettled the Australians in 2005 with pace and bounce but this time the hostility has been replaced by waywardness. While slow pitches have hindered England a lack of discipline in the bowling has been more costly.Umpiring decisions have not helped with Strauss and Bell both suffering,while Hayden's let off's in the 4th Test had a major bearing on the match. England have been outplayed and well beaten.
On the batting side Marcus Trescothick has clearly been missed as he might have taken the game more to the Aussies from the off. Pieterson has been the one batsman to dominate and to look confident and have an air of permanence at the crease. Few though could argue with England's batting line up.

The bowling has been the major problem and for me Panesar should have played at Adelaide as well as Giles, with Anderson omitted as he like Mahmoud has been much too expensive. Hoggard needed more support, while Flintoff and Harmison needed someone to establish some pressure to enable them to prosper. Jon Lewis would have been a better bet for this series than either Mahmoud or Anderson.I hope he proves it in the one dayers............

As we prepare to leave Penang Harmison strikes to remove Hayden and Australia go to tea at 109 for 2.

What price a collapse before we land??

Well hardly a collapse but with Ponting run out by Anderson and Clarke caught behind off Harmison at 180 for 4 England are in with a chance. Hussey though is still there and we know what Symonds can do so early wickets tomorrow are a necessity.