But all is not lost, these dire moments can be good for a team. When a storm devastates a forest the best form of management is to clear the debris and let nature take it's course. Remove dead wood and give time for new trees to establish themselves. So here are my reasons to be cheerful.
1) Ben Stokes
What a class act this young man is. At only 22 he has a long career ahead of him and although it would be wrong to put too much pressure on him now the signs are good. He isn't a Flintoff style of all rounder, he is a batsman first, bowler second. The most well know of that type would be Jacques Kallis. Not a strike bowler by any means but an effective one. With him in the side there should be 4 other bowlers to share the load anyway.
If Stokes carries on improving England have more attacking options, making it easier to play a second spinner and still have 3 seamers in the side.
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| Stokes hit a superb ton down under to outline his credentials |
This may be unthinkable to some but if the broom is to sweep clean then he must be put out to pasture, at least in the longer form of the game. It is clear that KP isn't a team player anymore, if he ever was in the first place. I refuse to believe that some of the shots he has played in certain situations were stupidity because he isn't a stupid man. More to the point he has previously played the sort of long and viscid innings needed, he seems to choose not to. KP the entertainer needs his image, nothing else matters.
You might get away with it in 50 and 20 over cricket but in test matches you need a team spirit, a togetherness that gives you that little extra. I don't believe he has it, time to say goodbye.
3) Were not actually this bad
You don't become a bad team overnight and this England team most certainly aren't this bad. Form is temporary, class is permanent and in Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad they have two of the classiest bowlers in world cricket. Broad is probably the only senior player who can hold his head high, or at least not be hopelessly embarrassed.
Captain Cook will find form again, he is too good not to. Remember this man is England's leading century scorer and he is only 28 years old. It has amazed me that Ian Bell is getting stick, he has been undone by good bowling mostly and after his summer exploits to suggest dropping him is madness.
Of course there are challenges. Matt Prior's form is probably the most worrying, the batting was almost excused while his glove-work was faultless. Now that isn't the case he is in danger, but again, I am not worried. Bairstow and Buttler are both around the squad and are the likely long term options for the role.
Some short term pain may be needed to make some changes but it will be worth it in the end. And chin up, as someone who grew up during the 90's you have no idea what depressing is if you missed that era.
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