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Who’s to blame then? I’ve just watched the Verdict (Sky TV) and listened to Nasser, Bob Willis, Steve Harmison and Mark Butcher. They were furious about today’s shambles – with complete justification. Apart from the batsmen being inconsistent and reckless, and the bowlers simply not good enough, they pointed out the 20 missed chances in the field during this series. Apart from the batting, bowling and fielding though, England were pretty good.
Bob Willis observed that something has to be done about Championship pitches to improve English spin bowling and batsmen playing spinners. I think you might find a similar observation on this Blog somewhere.
Two names were not mentioned at all, as being in any way culpable: Colin Graves and the born-again white ball advocate, Andrew Strauss. Their cavalier attitude to first-class cricket somehow escapes criticism, despite eight Test defeats during 2016.
Meanwhile, the exhausted centrally-contracted Test players pocket loadsamoney and next play a five-day Test in July. It’s a tough life.
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Hampshire Cricket History 
The other people not mentioned who got things wrong were the three selectors – Batty? Ansari? Duckett? Ballance? Finn?
Comment by pompeypop December 20, 2016 @ 4:32 pmOne would hope that once these exhausted players have had a nice rest till April they will play a few championship matches to try and find some form. But will,they be told they can’t play in case they get injured? We will have to wait and see. Mean while happy Christmas to all.
Comment by Bob Murrell December 20, 2016 @ 7:31 pmBy the tail end of next season we will have turned in some decent Test performances against the ill-prepared South Africa and West Indies sides on home-friendly pitches and everyone will have forgotten about the inept preparation and even more inept performances in India.
And so the cycle continues.
Comment by James December 21, 2016 @ 2:28 pm