Australia's Ashes triumph could spell the end for some of England's senior players. - David Lloyd

[vvvslaxman]

http://www1.skysports.com/cricket/news/12933/9077342/ Ashes 2013/14: England should blood youth if seniors don't have stomach for fight Wicket-keeper Prior and gun-player Pietersen are under the microscope. David Lloyd says Australia's Ashes triumph could spell the end for some of England's senior players. Australia regained the urn in emphatic style, their 150-run win in Perth securing an unassailable 3-0 lead with two Tests to play, as England were bowled out for 352 in their second innings despite a maiden century from Ben Stokes. Skipper Alastair Cook conceded that his side had been no match for a "very ruthless" Australia side and Lloyd said the selectors must now decide whether it's time to introduce new blood into the team. "Alastair Cook said the players have either lost form or not performed," said Lloyd. "But he then said the commitment within the team, within the dressing room is absolutely fine. He also said 'we have been found out'. I would say, 'so what now?' "He also said 'we have not been good enough'; the next thing he said was 'we carry on the same'. No you don't! There has got to be a reaction. "England have got a number of days before the next game and the decision for the selectors, the manager, the captain is what do they come up with for the next game? They are 3-0 down. "Do they draw the line under a few careers and say 'thanks ever so much. You've been terrific, you've been brilliant but we start again'? "There are not many areas they can go to. Ian Botham will protect the bowlers all day long and I'm slightly with him because unless the batters get the runs in the first innings it nullifies the bowlers, especially the spinners. But Cook did say that some of them have not performed. Now what?" Stomach Two Tests into his career Stokes tops England's batting averages with 41, having hit England's only century of the series, leading the way from Ian Bell (38) while Kevin Pietersen and Cook average 27 and 25 respectively. Stuart Broad remains England's leading wicket-taker in the series with 14, double that of James Anderson (average 58) and Graeme Swann (average 80). But despite the unflattering statistics - and with seamers Boyd Rankin, Chris Tremlett and Steven Finn and uncapped batsman Gary Ballance waiting in the wings - Lloyd does not expect England's XI to change drastically for the fourth Test, which begins on Boxing Day. "There won't be wholesale changes, of course, and you could argue that eight players will play [at the MCG] - they pick themselves," said Lloyd. "But the wicketkeeper is under the microscope and there will be younger wicketkeepers who could come in and do that job. "Kevin Pietersen is an interesting one. Your gun-player, your best player has been out-performed at number four by Michael Clarke. "The one thing I would say having been in dressing rooms where everything has been reversed is 'are these the best players?' "You'd probably say 'yes, they are' but then you look them in the eye - and how matches they've played - and ask if they've still got the stomach for this. "Or have we got younger players like Ben Stokes - who has been sensational in his first Test matches - who can do the same?" Scapegoat "I think you've got to be very careful in these circumstances so you don't fall in the trap of making knee-jerk reactions and making emotional decisions. "These are some of England's best-ever players. If you are going to drop them, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons - not just because you are looking for a scapegoat. "If you are looking for a scapegoat, you could probably make an argument that says 10 of them shouldn't be playing at the moment." He added: "At the end of the series, you will have a better idea of where some of these senior players are. How much stomach have they got left for the fight now that the Ashes have gone? "Then you've got to make some hard decisions. This is Cook's opportunity to take the team by the scruff of the neck and show some of the senior players who is really in control and in charge of the team. But I would say wait until the end of the series and not halfway through. Watch highlights of today's play on Sky Sports 2. The Ashes Verdict returns at 9pm.

[vvvslaxman]

Hope our batsmen understand this. if you don't put up par score it will make our already poor bowling attack even worse.

[Scarves]

Prior is the lone one I see issues with. They'll get back in form with Sri Lanka and India touring there anyway.

[vvvslaxman]

Prior is the lone one I see issues with. They'll get back in form with Sri Lanka and India touring there anyway.

Australia was relentless. There are some surfaces in this series were not actually helpful for bowlers. Adelaide oval flat pitch, Gabba second innings it was flat. Perth was also flat. It was extra intensity, effort that did not give England a sniff. On these types of pitches Indian bowlers would thrown in the towel after a while. After Anil Kumble and bit of Zak Indian bowling has lost the edge of maintaining intensity on slightly helpful batting surfaces.

[Zanjeer]

Bhainsnan( Bresnan) should be the first one to be sacked.

[King Tendulkar]

Trott surely cant play again Prior has to go Swann must be given another series me thinks, alternatives not great apart from monty. Monty is better bowler now but offers nothing else. They like swanns alround game Anderson no way, has to have another year to see if in terminal decline People calling for KPs head are nuts. Guy is class. One bad series and knives out. English hate this mercenary and look for any excuse to hammer him. One bad knock and he seems to get hate from english media.

[vvvslaxman]

23enigma ‏@Kevin60379405 4h @MichaelMorgan10 @BumbleCricket Sth African coach, Sth African prima donna batsman. Why would they bleed for England? Already KP Under the pump

[vvvslaxman]

Ian Botham ‏@BeefyBotham 16 Dec “@rob1winner: it's England's batting that's been a shambles so why is all your debate about which bowler to replace?” Bowlers no rest..der !

[bulbul]

India lost 10-1 nothing happened , people expect England players to be removed :phehehe:

[vvvslaxman]

India lost 10-1 nothing happened ' date=' people expect England players to be removed :phehehe:[/quote'] Why the eff Bumble care how badly India loses :giggle:

[GoldenSun]

Prior is the lone one I see issues with. They'll get back in form with Sri Lanka and India touring there anyway.

I bet they'll be hailed as heroes again when India tour :D. I can already envision Stokes, Bell, Cook, and Pietersen slamming 2 centuries.

[vvvslaxman]

I bet they'll be hailed as heroes again when India tour :D. I can already envision Stokes' date=' Bell, Cook, and Pietersen slamming 2 centuries.[/quote'] Until we found one or two world class India will remain as home track bullies.

[diga]

Prior is the lone one I see issues with. They'll get back in form with Sri Lanka and India touring there anyway.

:two_thumbs_up:How is Bairstow's keeping for spinners? No point in playing the oldies now that Ashes are lost.. Eng may as well blood younger players hoping to wrest the urn back in England. I would drop Prior/Bresnan for Bairstow/Rankin

[putrevus]

If Aussies travel to England now they will lose the series 3-0, it is not like Aussies have suddenly become strong. Johnson if someone gives him a hammering will revert back to his old self in no time as Ben Stokes proved it and rest of them are as fragile as they come. Aussies are like many other sides which are are decent at home and poor away from home.

[vvvslaxman]

No matter what personnell you change if you even want to remotely dream about the peaks of 2000s Australia, 1980s England they have to shed this attritional cricket. Aggression both with bat and ball have to be there. This boring 3 runs per over even on flat pitch even when the opposition is down is not going to keep them there for very long.

[vvvslaxman]

If Aussies travel to England now they will lose the series 3-0, it is not like Aussies have suddenly become strong. Johnson if someone gives him a hammering will revert back to his old self in no time as Ben Stokes proved it and rest of them are as fragile as they come. Aussies are like many other sides which are are decent at home and poor away from home.

Quiet frankly England's weaknesses were exploited brutally. Hope other teams pick up from these. Having said that i don't expect "bouncy pitches" in England. There will be pitches with plenty of swing on the offer.

[Scarves]

I bet they'll be hailed as heroes again when India tour :D. I can already envision Stokes' date=' Bell, Cook, and Pietersen slamming 2 centuries.[/quote'] I doubt it because the last thing England want is to lose to Australia and vice versa. Also I wouldn't changing Bresnan at all, he is a good bat and a great bowler. He is like the English Siddle except a better batsman.

[Scarves]

:two_thumbs_up:How is Bairstow's keeping for spinners? No point in playing the oldies now that Ashes are lost.. Eng may as well blood younger players hoping to wrest the urn back in England. I would drop Prior/Bresnan for Bairstow/Rankin

Bairstow is a piss poor keeper compared to Buttler and Davies.

[putrevus]

Quiet frankly England's weaknesses were exploited brutally. Hope other teams pick up from these. Having said that i don't expect "bouncy pitches" in England. There will be pitches with plenty of swing on the offer.

Once swing comes into equation Anderson will be lethal, and these Steve Smiths and David Warners and not to forget front foot plonker Watson will be waiting to become his bunnies. England have batsmen who are better players of swing bowling and other than Harris there is no real swing bowler in Aussie line up.Who knows how long he will last. This was a case of more England losing the Ashes than Aussies winning it.

[GoldenSun]

I doubt it because the last thing England want is to lose to Australia and vice versa. Also I wouldn't changing Bresnan at all' date=' he is a good bat and a great bowler. He is like the English Siddle except a better batsman.[/quote'] Brezy can slog as well :3.. Im glad that we limited the English tail greatly this summer. Bresnan, Swanny, and Broad are capable of dealing some great lower order runs.