We bowled well at their key players in Warner, Smith and Clarke. Stopped them from being too attacking against us.

Mark Wood is good bowler at reserve swing and this pitch look like his type of bowling will be crucial

catches win games Gav. I think this pitch will turn alot on day 4 and 5. Ali will be crucial and Anderson and Wood with their reserve swing bowling

Root's innings was very good and he was very aggressive. But I will be happy with getting over 400 total. Pitch is slow and will suit our bowlers and didn't suit the pace of Johnson and Starc

I understand what you are saying totally tho Alan. I just Rashid could get more Wickets than Ali. If Rashid went 4 or 4.5 a over but pick up 4 or 5 wickets per test then I would be happy with that. Abbey, not going to keep going over this KP issue time after time. Let focus on the players playing for England and around the test squad.

Al, do you think Ali is good enough to be 1st choice spinner? Im unsure tbh. He is good batsman but I think Rashid's bowling is better and he is decent batsman

Rashid would be my first choice spinner. our most attacking spinner in England

Rashid is named in the England squad for the 1st test

Bairstow won the game for England today. Great inning by him. Very pleased for Morgan/Farbrace and the players. Plus very happy we are playing positive attacking cricket in ODI.

Ali is a batsman 1st not a spinner. Rashid can bat at 8 and is the better spinner

I think Rashid should be England 1st choice spinner in the Ashes. he turns the ball and will cause Australia's batsman's problems IMO more than Ali will

Can we get back to discuss the cricket and the ashes and stay on the topic of the thread.

KP isn't going to be select for England. Was a very good player for England but not involved anymore with us. He SHOULD NEVER had played again after his text gate scandal with Strauss and South Africa. I rather focus on the players who playing for England now.

it was joke Al. New Zealand? bunch of amateurs? seriously you need to look at that again. didn't New Zealand reach the world cup final and play cricket in attacking style. plus they have good players like Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Boult, McCullam, Guptill. I expect the ashes to be a very tight between England and Aussies

cracking win for England. so entertaining to watched these 4 ODI's with New Zealand. Kevin who? haha.

Abbey, its about winning each game of Cricket we play in.

What a great today for England. Buttler and Root batting great. Rashid is bowling well and taking wickets.

only scored 2 runs against the red rose tho. haha. but seriously I understand about the cost issues tho. I going to the second day of the 3rd test and the 1st day of the 4th test. not cheap But I'm looking to watching some test cricket tho

Lied to? I don't the ECB ever made any promises did they? play county Cricket? he only played around 3 or 4 games I think. Suits at the ECB are a bloody disgrace? don't think they are tbh I know you wouldn't like what I posted but they are my views

Al, KP is off to play in the Caribbean version of the IPL. so much for him to wanting to win his place in the England team why doesn't KP play a full season of County first class cricket for Surrey and score loads of runs and prove to Strauss/Bayliss that he was to part of this England team. instead he's off to the Caribbean. says it all IMO.

Cook has been England best batsman during this series

New Zealand deserve to win. Played much better cricket during this test. Strauss and Cook are not leaders or winners? Look at Strauss and Cook record as captain. Won alot of series. I also suggest you read what former players have said about Strauss as captain. Alot said he was very good captain and managed them well. Abbey, I expected us to match the Aussies but we do have some problems to sort out. We need front line spinner in the team. My suggestion is Rashid from Yorkshire. I would Ali from the team. Broad, Ballance, Bell form is a concern but none are in the One day squad. So hopefully they can play some county cricket and get some form. I think Trevor Bayliss will have good impact on England. I also see he got the type of Squad he wanted. He wanted a younger squad with good fielders in the squad.

Very good striker. Had 5 pounds bet on him at 9/1. So very happy

He was Sri Lanka coach for 4 years. His CV http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Bayliss

Strauss knows the game very well and would have interviewed ppl and spoken to ppl within the game. Bayliss's CV is very impressive plus what Shane Warne as said aswell. Notice you haven't even said anything about new coach yet