The aussie bowling line up is decent.

They have two good fast bowlers in Siddle and Harris.

Other than that though they are pretty average.

Agree. But they are no match for the england saffers at the moment, which is probably why this hasnt be evenly contested.

I have to say though I find ODI cricket so boring. Even watching England, who I love watching at test cricket.

All ODI is is just who can slog the ball hardest. No endurance, no patience, nothing.

Test Cricket >>>>> ODI cricket

England saffers ??

Bell a saffer
or Root
or Anderson
Or Swann

All ODI is is just who can slog the ball hardest. No endurance, no patience, nothing
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didnt see any from aussies either in tests to be honest. Nore some of the other test playing nations.

3. Holding onto 1st test spot

We are not in first spot are we? Thought that SA were no.1

The Ashes is still the best contest made all the beter by the fact that we are able to trounce the Aussies. 18 years of pain does not go away overnight!

cyp,

No but england were number 1, but failed to hold it last year

After the 3-1 thrashing that the aussies got, they did remarkably well and I thought they were well on course to give England a run for their money. They have a nice bowling stock, probably the third best and they are doing their job. Now after ponting and hussey retired everything went into the water.

Australia are still work in progress. England have alot of experiance. Most have played over 70 games so its abit harsh to critisize the Aussies. The 2 teams that are performing atm are Eng and SA and that is simply because they have played alot of cricket.

Overall its becoming a trend now. Most teams are winning by very huge margins, something even the great Australian team wasnt able to do. Speaks volumes on how most teams are not able to adapt to different conditions.

Before draws was killing test cricket, now I think the one sided tests will kill it. seeing a team win 4-0 at home and lose 4-0 away is not something people will enjoy in a long run.

A World Cup would obviously be a high priority going forward. We haven't always took our ODI cricket seriously enough but that's no excuse, it's a competition England have to win sooner or later. In truth we just haven't been good enough at the crunch. Or have often been behind the 8-ball.

The general standard of Test cricket at the moment is average, so remaining near the top shouldn't be too difficult. That then brings us to SA. The only other genuinely very good side, not great but very good.

Series victories over them home and away should be the main goal. However, we don't play them in SA till early 2016 and the return a year later. Utterly pathetic.

That would be a long-term goal. By then a lot can happen though, so that for now has to be discounted.

Therefore simply beating who's in-front of you, winning another Ashes in Australia and yes, perhaps being more consistent on the Sub-Continent will be the objectives. Along with the next WC.

I'm sure we'd love to hammer everyone we play but we won't now nor in a few years time. We're not that good.

Will this England side be ranked with the great Windies and Aussie sides in years to come? No. Not for me. Not a chance. I like what we're doing but that's something different altogether.

They dominated, there are holes to pick at England's standing like SA and I doubt despite what happened in India, that England will beat Asian sides regularly away.

completely agree with you viru. Want to see tightly contested fixtures regardless of format and teams

Agree TGM,

The world cup has got to be up there amongst the top priorities and for that to happen, England need to take the odi series seriously. I just think England (ecb) might be losing that focus with the ashes mania, and the income and advertising it is generating. On-field and off-field objectives can sometimes link – which is a recipe for disaster in my view!
A general point regarding test fixture…. I think the ICC need to ensure that teams play each other consistently and on average once every 3 years. If boards are picking and choosing themselves, then its not really an accurate reflection of the standings and leads to an inbalance we see today amongst test playing nations

cyp,

No but england were number 1, but failed to hold it last year

Understand that mate. Maybe you should have said "regaining the Number one spot and holding on to it for a period of time".

A general point regarding test fixture…. I think the ICC need to ensure that teams play each other consistently and on average once every 3 years. If boards are picking and choosing themselves, then its not really an accurate reflection of the standings and leads to an inbalance we see today amongst test playing nations
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Afridi,

Certainly agree with that. However, as we both well know there's a lot of money involved and sadly for the lesser sides different series get prioritised, for that very reason.

How often do you see the likes of Sri Lanka, NZ or even the Windies nowadays in big headline series, they get a couple of Tests in England and off they go. Supply and demand sadly. As you say there is an imbalance.

Look, I like most enjoy the marquee series and they're often great value. However, better scheduling is required.

The simple fact that, perhaps the numbers 1 and 2 sides in the world won't face each other for over a 4 year gap is simply stupid

England will continue to be superior to most test teams. And to balance it out most of the other test nations.. Will just play more odi cricket.More chace of winning and a bigger pay packet for their associations..
test cricket will be less and less important to countries over than the top 3/4.
Oh and Odi cricket is pants..

TGM – Agree regards to supply and demand and the £££ aspect. However, that should not come into consideration for the icc and they owe it to their members to be playing more and achiving the goal of at least trying to be competitive. But I totally get why the boards see it as an income generator.


Englandwhoelse, T20 is a lottery, I grant anyone that, but ODI certainly is not. Also, you missed out the words “AT HOME” in your first sentence , because when you look at englands away record (esp in sub-continent), there’s not a lot to shout about.

Afridi,

Should've made myself a little more clearer and you're correct that the ICC shouldn't take financial decisions into play, especially to the detriment of all its members cricket.

They are though a quite inept governing body and the likes of the BCCI and ECB will continue to pursue their own interests, or at the least have their own voices heard above others. For instance, have India ever hosted Bangladesh at home in a Test series? Not that I can recall. It would be a whitewash and make very little money for the BCCI, it won't happen.

Is there no news on the Test championship?

Good point about BCCI and ecb.

Not sure if final dates for championship tests have been finalised yet.

We have just won in India, playing 2 tests in sri-lanka.. You have no chance if you lose one game. your going to draw the series. Like what happened when England last toured there.
Teams often struggle away in foreign climes to begin with.

Why would anyone play Bangladesh at test level? they just don't compete and it makes test cricket laughable.

I believe England are going to the west-indies in march for 3 50 over games. After they returned from Australia.God knows why. Theres just been a tri nations in the west-indies (off the back of the icc champions trophy) and now Pakistan are playing the west-indies and South Africa are playing in sri-lanka aswell in an odi tournament..

Why would anyone play Bangladesh at test level? they just don't compete and it makes test cricket laughable.
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I was making an example that, money is the order of the day. They're meant to be a full member yet they hardly play anyone and the tours they do go on are usually very short. They're not attractive to play and they don't make for a good profit.

For the record, I don't believe they deserve full Test membership. They've regressed if anything recently, which was difficult in the first place.

The point stands though.

Bangladesh are giving status by the other subcontinent teams so the Likes of India can have more say at the ICC.
There should be a 2 test tier championship with relegation and promotion. And then maybe Bangaldesh and Zimbabwe can play more test cricket, against teams of their own standard.

That's another fair point, there's simply too much cricket which leads to overkill and a lack of quality.

Pointless series earmarked everywhere you look. I can recall when you waited for a fair while for a good, interesting international game, now they're ten-a-penny.

We go down under later in the year for an Ashes series, then inexplicably we go back the following year for an ODI series. Does nothing for the game.

Certainly, 5 test matches and 3 odi's it use to be England.
Now its 2 test matches in may, 5 odi's in june. followed by another 5 test matches July and August and 5 more 50 over games to finish off in September.. And I missed out the numerous 20/20 games.

Lets hope the test championship takes hold in 2017.. Maybe we could have another test championship in India or Austarlia and play the test matches in the evening.

true point england.