In reply to Bellie:
> A bit rubbish isn't it. I hate knocking players, but we just arent competing enough to win. Its no good Joe, James and the like saying "we competed well for three days" or "that fightback shows we can compete in the series". You win by competing every session and winning the crucial ones. One batsman taking the game away from the opposition, or one bowler blowing the tail away before it wags.
The problem is we simply aren't good enough in the batting department full stop and our bowlers aren't suited to Aussie conditions once the swing goes. At risk of looking stupid, I'd bet I could block out an over of 80 mph deliveries that don't move. We don't have that one batsman or one bowler (unless its under lights) for these games. That's the difference between these two sides.
> In the recent series - the oft maligned Ian Bell was a key player in taking the game away from the Aussies in a good few sessions.
I never understood the dislike of Bell, was a handy player despite some patches of poor form.
> Unfortunately we arent doing this. We need to land a few more blows.
> I remember the famous drubbing down under after we had won back the Ashes here. When Freddie the daft was captain. At the start of the series folks stayed up in anticipation. Sports bars were doing overnighters. In the end the bars were empty and it hardly felt worth checking the score.