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well, now it has finally finished, it has been dissapointing.

our batting has been well under par with no one really performing on a regular basis. our bowling though has shown signs of improvement and we could have done with simon jones to get some extra swing, but oh well.

in the one dayers we performed how i thought. we were never going to win this, but did make us look good by getting it to 3-2.

my intial thoughts were that we would never beat pakistan with the conditions, and i was right.

will have to work hard in india to get a decent result out there.

Possibly also a tour too far following the physical and emotional effort put in against the Aussies? They have had a bit of time to get over that though.

True, on all counts.  A sub-par performance, but to pick up from Ashes Euphoria and suceed on one of the most arduos tours would've been a big effort.  Losing the bowler best suited to the conditions didn't help, and ultimately the lack of experience amongst all the batsmen in the subcontinenet contributed to the all to familiar batting collapses of recent years.  A shame, but who'll rmeeber it when in the 2005 cricket annuls an ashes victory is recorded.

Hmmmm ? A good team would have still come away with a tied test series. England beat Australia on our home patch with favourable conditions. England are not the number 1 team in the world. I will only believe that they are a good side if they retain the Ashes in Australia next year.

NMH

We're playing them next year?! Why did I not know this.

Just out of interest, who do you think IS the best team NMH?

We have India in the new year, feb I think?

Australia still the best IMHO, they've been good for longer, and despite an ageing side look good.  Bringing in new faces recently like Hodge and Hussey, and Jacques for the next game shows good depth.  India and Pakistan are good to, so are South Africa IMHO.  The Asian sides have good home records and struggle away.  I'd put Autrali at the top with Us and some of those I've mentioned in a group which all have the chance to beat anyone on their day, but lack the consistency.

The Aussie depth is all in the batting. I rekon they could put 25 batsmen into any other test team.

But the bowling could turn into a weakness if Warne and McGrath dont make the series next november. I suspect they will.

I still think we are a good side even if we don't hold on to the Ashes next year,prior to this series we had gone on a impressive winning streak and i don't think losing one series turns us into an average side over night.Like most teams it is easier for us to perform at home,the thing the Aussies have done well is winning away consistently too.But they have had the huge advantage of having two of the best bowlers ever playing for them.The bastards :x   :wink:
Personally i don't care too much about being number one.Winning the Ashes back after18 years was all i hoped we would do.And if someone had told me we would regain them back i would have laughed at them,the idea seemed so incredible.But we did it so i have faith in the team and the management that they will learn from the mistakes made in Pakistan and become a better team for having lost.....hopefully :-))(  :) .

The Ashes in Australia are next winter, so late 2006/early 2007. All things going to plan, i'll be there for the majority, hopefully catching a couple of days play with the Barmy Army 8)

Me too, year out travelling coincides nicely with the Ashes (funny that)

You can buy me a pin of your beloved Fosters  :wink:

I think i could stretch to a pin's worth of the Amber Nectar :D

I think that the Aussies are still the best in the world, but the gulf between them at their peak and the rest of the world has diminished. Pakistan (and India) have always been strong on their own patch but range from average to mediocre away from home. A good side to me is someone who can take on the Pakistanis at home and not lose.

The problem I see with England at the moment is that we have a number of Bothams/Gowers - Batsmen who, on their day, and in favourable conditions, can dominate and hit the ball to all parts of the ground. What we don't have is a couple of Steve Waugh/Viv Richards types - People who can grind if they have to, tonk if they have to, but most importantly stay around for days on end no matter what the conditions.

NMH

As for India, they put up a good show in Australia a couple of years ago.

The Aussies dont drink Fosters. Believe it or not, they dont really like it!  :shock:

XXXX?

Not really. VB is number one down under by quite margin.

And I can see why, I love it!  :beers:

Still cant seem to get it in supermarkets yet though.

Ive never tried the stuff.

Part of my leaving present from work (I'm off to Aus in feb) was lots of fosters, I can't wait!?  I think they tend to keep in regional in Autralia, either VB, Carlton Cold or Tooheys are the top brands as far as I know, all lots nicer than Fosters.

Yep, i agree we need Sir Geoff to teach these players the benefits of playing TEST batting,not the smash and grab way of playing that some of our batsmen have indulged in throughout this tour.It worked during the Ashes but they need to learn that you have to adapt in different situations,and tests last five days not four.

i think are major issue in this tour was one bad day of batting - the 5th day of the 1st Test. It gave Pakistan the momentum and they just ran and ran with it so fair play to them. Had we finished the job in the 1st Test I think we would have been looking at a very different scenario now.

My Aussie mate always says 'Why the fuck do you think we export Fosters to the UK? 'Cos no-one here will fuckin' drink it!'

I'll be at the Melbourne and Sydney Tests next winter

As for Australia's depth - I agree but it isn't that great when they're picking the Test match superstar that is Andrew Symonds

Edit: Also..

The selectors are fucking idiots for not picking Bell for the number 4 spot in the ODIs. He's going to be our best batsman for the next 10 years so why aren't we picking him. I have to laugh at all those who reckoned he should have been dropped after the Ashes, shows how much they know.

We missed Jones, S big time. I think Jones, G is really gonna come good in 2006.

Going on his bowling performances I'd take Blackwell as the second spinner to India. If Jones, S doesn't make it then it's between Blackwell and Anderson for a Test spot IMO.

That is a hard one boeta, but i will say blackwell i guess.  :wink:

my thoughts on the tour? well thats obvious isnt it. SHIT!

 :mrgreen: