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Captains aren't nearly as important to the result as they once were.
I don't really know the English situation, but I know for Australia that Clarke is just a company man who does what he is told, and the brains behind the outfit is Lehman.
We haven't had a captain that was in full control of the team since Ian Chappell in the 70s. Since Bobby Simpson created the position of coach we have seen the game plans developed by an older and smarter guy than the on field captain, in consultation with the bowling and fielding coach etc, and the players too, but not nearly to the degree they did in years past.
Lehman has shown how crucial the position of coach is these days. He was dropped into the job just before the first test in England and has had 10 straight tests to work your players out, and he has the measure of all of them now.
In the meantime, your brainstrust don't seem to have come up with a single new idea to take the game to Australia.
I admired Flower as a player, but it's obvious from his comments and inertia during this series that he is an A grade tool and a poor coach.
I think you have a stronger side than Australia on paper.
Pity we are so much smarter than you.

Hold the front page, England win the Ashes!









Trust the women to show the men how it's done.

Looks like Flower's out of the door. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... 14429.html

Looks like Flower's out of the door. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... 14429.html

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/why ... 31xdx.html Shane Warne wants the England coaching job. That's a bit funny when you look back at all the clashes he had with coaches who tried to get him fit in the early part of his career, but he has come to appreciate fitness and training in recent years. He would be an interesting coach. I imagine he would clash with a few players.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/why ... 31xdx.html Shane Warne wants the England coaching job. That's a bit funny when you look back at all the clashes he had with coaches who tried to get him fit in the early part of his career, but he has come to appreciate fitness and training in recent years. He would be an interesting coach. I imagine he would clash with a few players.

Oh, for the love of god, no.

Re KP. Nose; cut off. Face; spited.

Surely there was only so many times he could behave like a spoilt child, before they got fed up and told him to get stuffed.

I've read countless comments about how Pietersen needs managing, but should one man really be entertained in such a way, when he has a long history of being a prick?

Personally, I don't go along with al these people lauding his so-called greatness.... This is not a Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting, Jacque Kallis or even Michael Clarke we are talking about here - Its a showpony, who seems to pick and choose when he wants to turn it on and who has never put together a consistent run of top form at Test level.

He might not be Richards, Ponting, Kallis, but he's still the most talented batsman we have

There's a difference between being talented, and then actually delivering and being a positive part of a team.

There have been numerous sportsmen through history who have been more 'talented' than more successful peers, but the fact they have not had the mentality required at the highest level, as been the key to them falling short.

For evidence of Pietersen's frailties, just watch a dvd of his various dismissals over the years - No doubts, a great talent and had the potential to be a true great in the mould of a Richards, but, in reality, he has allowed his ego to bring his international career to a early finish and will always be remembered as an arrogant showpony, without the backbone to knuckle down for a fight .

23 test match centuries, average of 47 over 100+ test matches. He's not Viv Richards, but you'd back him to get a hundred before the likes of Root, Ballance, Taylor or whoever ends up batting at 4 instead.