Trouble at the top

I'm sure that thousands upon thousands of words have been devoted to the problem of England's partner for Alastair Cook at the top the innings. It's been one of the most consistent issues in the England test team since the retirement of Andrew Strauss - and even before, if you consider his poor form in his final year in the side. Three years later, and England are still trying to solve it.

The latest man to fall is Adam Lyth. It's completely expected: despite hitting a century in his second test against New Zealand, in the Ashes he managed just 115 runs at 12.77. But he's just another to add to the list of players given a go in the role, and then taken out of it shortly after. The first was Nick Compton, and with some success. He had did a decent job on the tour to India, a tough place for any player to make their debut, and then hit two centuries in New Zealand. But a lack of runs on return to England, a low strike rate (34.68), and the ascendancy of Joe Root counted against him. Since it's just looked like his face didn't fit in a dressing room where cliques had taken hold. Looking back now with the openers' merry-go-round in full flow, maybe England should have stuck with him. His stats aren't amazing, but it was a decent enough start, and heading into an Ashes series consistency would be no bad thing.

At the time though, I was all for Joe Root. He opened for his county, he's an exciting player, and at only 22 he could be the long term option. Of all the openers tested, he has the highest average. In his second match in the job he scored 180, helping set up a massive victory at Lord's. Problem solved? Well in ten innings, he only passed twenty on two other occasions. When Michael Carberry hit form in the warm-ups ahead of the return Ashes in Australia, a switch was made again. He became the third man to partner Cook in 2013. Carberry made several starts, and was the second highest run scorer for England on their doomed tour - numbers wise, not a most impressive feat, but he did more than the others. His dropping had echoes of Compton's as talk of trouble in the dressing room became louder. He featured briefly in the one day side in the summer that followed, but when the line was drawn under the Ashes and a 'new era' begun under Peter Moores, Carberry was on the other side of the line.

Sam Robson came in - a young player hotly tipped over the previous few years, his England qualification keenly anticipated. He too started strongly with a century in his second test and a fifty in his third, but the runs had dried up by the end of the summer. Again and again he was exposed around his off stump; again England found themselves wanting a new opener. Jonathan Trott returned to the side, but it sadly wasn't to be and at the end of the tour he retired from international cricket. And so the job came to Lyth - another batsman who had made plenty of runs for his county, just like those before him - but still not able to fill the role on the international stage.

So why has the spot not been filled? There's no easy answer. Consistency and confidence in selection is one issue: though all have been given some sort of run in the side, they've still had the pressure of playing for their place - knowing that England can still quickly turn to the next man if they don't do well. It's the sort of pressure that mounts higher every time someone new is brought in - can this man be the one to stick? You might argue that pressure is simply part of being a test cricketer, but it's still not a great environment to be starting out in. There's also the situation players have been faced with: Root, Carberry and Lyth all given their chances on the eve of an Ashes series, the series with the most hype, attention, and pressure English players are likely to face. Many players have struggled in their first forays in Ashes cricket - Cook, Bell, and Anderson may be Ashes heroes now but all found it tough in their first efforts. Might it have been different for Lyth if he had been given more of a chance to bed in, being given the series against the West Indies rather than just two tests against New Zealand? We'll never know. The dressing room environment hasn't always been the best either - it certainly seemed so with Compton and Carberry, though with a new era and influx of new players, that doesn't appear the case so much now.

Maybe the answer is for England to pick one player, and stick with them for an extended period of time. Not just one summer - give them at least a year, see how they go against various attacks and conditions, on different surfaces, and in different match situations. Then make the decision to stick or twist. The trouble is, when the top order is repeatedly failing it's easy to make a change in personnel to bring a change in results. And often the first man in can be the first man out - literally, in this case. At least, for some, the door is not yet closed - while the position isn't sewn up, enough runs can get someone like Lyth or Robson back into contention, and it gives those on the county circuit plenty to fight for.

And so, it will be Alex Hales or Moeen Ali to take on the opener's role in the UAE. With Moeen, it could well be a temporary fix, a move to allow Adil Rashid in to the side as second spinner before Hales takes the role in South Africa; though if successful in the role initially, he might be given the opportunity to really make it his own. Certainly number eight is low in the order for a player of his class, simply caught in a time when England are blessed with all rounders, but without first class experience of the role he would be more of a makeshift option. Hales, meanwhile, has certainly made the weight of first class runs for Nottinghamshire this year and the last, and has proven himself a performer on the international stage. His century against Sri Lanka in the World Twenty20 showed his ability against spin too, something crucial if given the opportunity in the UAE. However, in the recent ODI series against Australia he looked a different player - bereft of confidence and a means to make runs, which might count against him as the series quickly approaches. It'll be an interesting call.

Building a dynasty

Normally on this blog the focus is on the international game, but today I'm turning my attention to county cricket. As a Yorkshire supporter, naturally I've been delighted with the course of the past two seasons as they have become the standout side and have - this year especially - won the County Championship in a dominant fashion. What's more is that it feels like it could just carry on and on, the team looking to have the right blend of youth and experience, and the right mentality and hunger, to rule the county scene over the coming years.

This year's Championship victory has been even more impressive than the last. Several players that were so crucial to the win last year have only played a limited role this time round; the effect of Yorkshire's win last year being to propel several further into the England reckoning. Adam Lyth - last year's PCA Player of the Year after scoring 1489 runs - has featured in only six matches for Yorkshire this year, his form also having taken a hit when available. Adil Rashid has also featured just six times - another blow to lose someone of his all round talents. Jonny Bairstow has featured only eight times through international call-ups, whilst injuries also restricted Ryan Sidebottom to nine games and saw him absent from the early stages of the season. Form with the bat has also at times been an issue - where 2014's win was often founded on a strong opening partnership between Lyth and Lees, this year Lees hasn't always found the same form he did in the previous campaign, and in general runs at the top haven't been as easy to come by.

But there's always been a player to step up at the key time. Jonny Bairstow may have only played eight matches in this campaign so far (with one match still to come), but his form has been nothing short of sensational. 1071 runs at an average over 100, with five centuries and five fifties. His runs often came at key moments: against Middlesex at Headingley where he was the only one to pass twenty, making 125*; 219* in Durham, a record partnership with Tim Bresnan (169*) that took Yorkshire from 191/6 to 557/6 declared; and 108 out of 213 at Edgbaston, to name just a few telling contributions. Of course, he wasn't the only one to step up. Jack Leaning made most of his runs in the early stages of the season, a time when bowlers often rule and batsmen struggle. Tim Bresnan has had his best season with the bat yet, with two centuries and an average over fifty, taking extra all-round responsibility in the absence of Rashid. And at crucial moments, players would deliver. Take Maxwell and Rashid against Durham at Scarborough - a low scoring game with first innings scores of 162 and 156. Yorkshire fell to 79/5 in their second innings, but the two then shared a 248 run stand as Yorkshire won by 183 runs. From then, Yorkshire were pretty much uncatchable.

It's the bowlers, though, who deserve the most praise. You need only look at the results to see the impact they've had. Worcestershire all out for 100, Hampshire for 143, Warwickshire 69, Durham 156, Somerset 110 and 155. In the match where Yorkshire claimed the title, Middlesex were three down inside the first over (though in an extraordinary match, they did pull off a stunning win). Bowlers have run rampant throughout the summer. When talking on Sky the other day, Brooks said that whoever had the ball in his hand was the leader of the attack - and with performances like we've seen it's not hard to believe it. Sidebottom, at 37 years old, has taken 40 wickets from nine games at an average of 17.07, while Brooks leads the wicket chart with 59 scalps. Both Bresnan and Patterson have hit the 40 mark too. Yorkshire have the luxury of rotation as well - when not on international duty, Plunkett can fit in, and the 17 year old Matthew Fisher is also well trusted to do a job. Young all rounder Will Rhodes can also come on and pick up a few. With spin, when Rashid is unavailable, James Middlebrook has been called upon - coming out of near-retirement to return to the club where he began, and taking a more than useful 17 wickets at an average just under 26. There are always options.

It's a victory founded in part on the strength of the Yorkshire academy, more than ever looking like a production line of budding England players. But more than anything, it's founded in spotting talent and backing it all the way. Players have come from outside the system and flourished - like Plunkett, who has rebuilt himself and is a regular name around the England sides once more, and players like Jack Brooks and Gary Ballance further examples. Young players are given responsibility - Alex Lees filling in at times as captain, only 22 years old; and other youngsters like Leaning (21) and Rhodes (20) backed to do a job with the bat. With the international experience of regulars like Sidebottom and Bresnan; overseas stars like Pujara, Maxwell, Finch (and in the previous year, Kane Williamson); and players regularly in the England side like Root, Ballance, Bairstow (among others) - it must be a brilliant environment for a young player learning their game to be in. Jason Gillespie, Martyn Moxon, and the rest of the staff and players have created a culture of success and a winning mentality, and the players are thriving.

There's still room for improvement. The success of the Championship is yet to transfer to the shortest form, something both Yorkshire and Gillespie are desperate to make more of a statement in. Though they reached the semi-finals of the fifty overs tournament this year, they put in a disappointing performance in losing to eventual winners Gloucestershire; whilst in the Twenty20 Cup they failed to progress past the group stage. Over the winter, Gillespie shall be coaching in the Big Bash and hoping to expand his Twenty20 knowledge, whilst David Willey has already been signed for Yorkshire next year - a definite statement about Yorkshire's desire for a limited overs trophy. It looks a signing to benefit both sides - Willey surely to benefit from playing in the first division and alongside another highly successful left-armer in Sidebottom, whilst his Twenty20 knowledge and fierce competitiveness will bolster the Yorkshire line-up across all competitions. He will have to fight to feature in the Championship, but competition for places has only served Yorkshire and their players well so far.

But at the moment in the longest form, it's hard to see Yorkshire's dominance being broken. In the past two years, they have lost just two matches, both coming at Lord's: where an inspired Chris Rogers chased down a total well over 400, and when dramatically bowled out for 134 after securing the title on the first day. Since Gillespie took over in 2012, they've lost just the four games. And this year, they've been more dominant than ever before - a record total of points with a game still to go. Other teams have been left to battle it for second. Next year, Yorkshire will be hoping to be the first team to make it three titles in a row since the 1960's. They will be the favourites to do so, too. Long may the success continue.

The Comeback Kid

This series is going a long way to abolish the concept of momentum. England's four day victory in Cardiff, followed by an absolute thrashing at Lord's, and now another England win in a mere three days. Each side see-saws between looking ascendant and lurching into a new crisis, the questions raised about the England team after Lord's now pointing accusingly at Australia. It's difficult to predict what might come next.

The star of the show at Edgbaston has been the England bowlers, and particularly the return of Steven Finn. Steven Finn, the youngest English bowler to fifty test wickets, the man with all the height, pace, bounce, and talent, but whose career has been haunted more by the bad days than the good. Steven Finn, dropped when England's leading wicket taker in Australia in 2010, the lingering feeling that he would always deliver a four ball convincing selectors more than his strike rate. Steven Finn, clipping the bails during delivery so often the ICC intervene with a new rule. Steven Finn, no longer trusted in the closing stages of the first Ashes test in 2013. Steven Finn, deemed unselectable even when England were at their lowest, coaching having failed him. But this time it was the Steven Finn England had been waiting for, dismissing Smith and Clarke in both innings, taking five wickets in the second. Bowling with genuine pace, bounce, and always looking threatening, and just having the knack of picking up a wicket. The odd four ball might still be there, but so is the wicket threat.

But as another piece falls into place in the England puzzle, another one slips out. James Anderson will be missing the next test match with a side strain, and it wouldn't be surprising if he were to miss the rest of the series as well. It's a big blow for England, losing the leader of their attack and to do so with the next match taking place at Trent Bridge, traditionally the swing bowler's heaven. Anderson has too been excellent during this match at Edgbaston - taking 6/47, his best Ashes bowling figures, and going a long way to dismissing Australia for 136 and setting the tone for this match. The bowlers were finally presented with a pitch offering something for them, and Anderson reaped the rewards - movement not necessarily from swing, but from seam. In his absence Mark Wood, rested for this match, will likely return to the team with others such as Footitt, Woakes, and Plunkett also potentially in the mix (fitness allowing for the latter pair). But they'll be big boots to fill.

The careers of Steven Finn and James Anderson also present an interesting parallel. Though different types of bowlers, their careers have followed a similar trajectory. Both burst onto the scene at a young age, special talents that were recognised early on, but both also faced great periods of tinkering with their actions in attempts to solve their supposed flaws. For Anderson it resulted in injury, for Finn a complete loss of confidence - every time something was 'solved', a new issue emerged. And Finn now is a similar age to when the decision was made to stick with Anderson for the long run. I'm always cautious about getting ahead of myself, and especially so with Steven Finn given the constant ups and downs we've had to go through, but England will certainly hoping that the trajectory now will be up, up, and up.

Australia are now looking the team in crisis, and England on the ascendancy. Test cricket is a funny game. But as well as England bowled, the Australian batting was worse. In the first innings, only Rogers offered any resistance, his experience batting in English conditions coming to the fore. Three batsmen were out attempting the leave. In the second innings they put on a better show - Warner scoring a brilliant 77 from 62, Nevill digging in with 59, and Mitchell Starc also making a handy 58. But much of the damage had already been done. Now the axes are being sharpened in Australia's corner: Clarke, though he won't be dropped, is now facing questions about his future beyond the series; and Voges is looking close to the chop. And whilst Johnson has been a constant threat (those deliveries to dismiss Bairstow and Stokes simply exceptional), it might not be a surprise if Siddle were to join him at Trent Bridge, a ground where he should be well suited.

England are on the ascendancy now, needing just the one victory to regain the Ashes, and based on this performance they just might do it. But given how topsy-turvy a series this is proving to be, who knows what will happen next? A lot will matter on how England can cope without Anderson, and on how both teams bat - each side having shown their fragility during the past three matches. For England, Adam Lyth in particular is one who will be under a lot of pressure if picked for Trent Bridge, another two low scores coming in this match with the feeling that time might be running out for him.

England have put the nightmare of Lord's behind them, and have earned themselves the upper hand in this series. But don't bet against there still being a few twists in this tale.

Defeated and dominated

Well, what a difference a week makes. Last week England were heading to Lord's, full of optimism after an unexpectedly convincing victory over Australia in Cardiff. This week they walk away from Lord's having come crashing down to earth, after suffering a humiliating 405-run defeat and capitulating on the final day. Turnarounds are not often faster or more crushing.

The pitch wasn't to blame for England's shocking batting performance, but it certainly had a big impact on the match. Whether it was a purposeful decision to make the pitch slow to negate Australia's bowlers or not (they may say it wasn't, but the order may well have come from higher up), it was a terrible decision. After England's talk of an attacking 'brand' of cricket, and of playing with self confidence and self belief, this was a move that betrayed that ideal. And in negating Australia's strengths with the ball, they only served to numb their own impact. Stuart Broad in particular bowled superbly in Australia's first innings, picking up four wickets, and England generally didn't bowl badly - there was just very little they could do to stop it being so easy for Australia. Only one wicket fell on the first day, Rogers and Smith racking up the runs with ease; Warner must have been left kicking himself after throwing his wicket away, seeking to dominate Moeen Ali.

Compare this Lord's pitch to the one against New Zealand earlier in the summer, one that offered enough for the bowlers but on which batsmen could still score the runs and at a pace - the two were worlds apart. Here there was no even contest between bat and ball - once Australia won the toss and batted, they found it plain sailing. The pitch for the first test in Cardiff was also poor, with barely any carry and Joe Root at slip sometimes standing so close he needed a helmet; a pitch symptomatic of a system where all five days need to sell out for grounds to survive (though the match still lasted just four). It's not a good excuse, and one that at Lord's is completely invalid. And if they did want to dull Australia's bowlers, with that final innings they obviously failed.

England should have performed better with the bat, and there can be few excuses for such a display on such a pitch. There was an inevitability that something like the first innings would happen - the pressure of such a large score can do funny things, even on a surface like this; and Cook (96) and Stokes (87) at least led a recovery of sorts. But 312 on a pitch like that is still not good enough. The top order let England down again. It's the recurring nightmare of this year, a list that is far too long: 34/3, 52/3, 38/3, 123 all out, 30/4, 74/3, 62/4, 43/4, 73/3, 30/4, 103 all out. The odd failure can be forgiven, but a set of scores like these points to a significant issue to be addressed. Cook, Root, and Stokes won't save England every time. Though I've backed Lyth repeatedly, he'll have to buck up soon or England will be looking for another new opener. Ballance too, despite scoring a crucial 61 in the last test, keeps getting out in the same old ways, and his position is looking increasingly perilous at number three. And for all his experience, Ian Bell has simply not been making the runs, a fifty in the last match barely masking a set of scores that looks like some sort of binary code.

Between now and the next test, there will be a lot of speculation, a lot of knee-jerk responses and calls for change to the England side. They do at least now have some time to regroup, recharge, and recover - time to clear their heads and for the bowlers to rest up. The same eleven that all contributed in some way to such a vibrant victory in Cardiff was the same eleven that were so comprehensively beaten by Australia at Lord's. At Cardiff the cracks were covered up, and a catch that could have made all the difference being dropped and allowing England to take charge. At Lord's the cracks were exposed: the weight of overs over back to back test matches catching up with the bowlers, the fragility of the top order looking even more problematic.

Will there be changes? A bit of a rest may do the bowlers good, though rotation may become a factor later in the series with Finn and Footitt being in the selectors' thoughts. For the very top of the order though, it's hard to find someone really pressing a strong claim. Lyth is likely to be given another chance, only having had four matches so far - but he will need to show better judgement, less flashing at balls he doesn't need to hit. Ballance and Bell are more precariously placed, the possibility also there for a reshuffle of the batting lineup with the weight of Root's runs at number five. Jonny Bairstow is piling on the runs for Yorkshire, and James Taylor has just made a timely century for Nottinghamshire - and a double at that. Neither are proven options at test level, but nobody out there is (Pietersen can be ignored, because it's not going to happen). The selectors won't want to panic, and it would have to be a punt - but it wouldn't really be a surprise if a change was made.

And so, the series is level at 1-1. The defeat may have been crushing - so, so crushing - but everything is still all to play for. There is still a way back from this, and England have fought back from humiliating defeats to win the Ashes before: Lord's, 2005; Headingley, 2009. This match was a disaster, and it can't be glossed over - they are better than this and they let themselves down. This time off could be a blessing, time to recharge and recover and then come back out fighting, and maybe stunting the momentum Australia have gained. But they will simply have to be much better.

Pre-Ashes Optimism (Or why England might do better than expected)

I'm optimistic ahead of this Ashes series. There, I said it. It might be foolish, looking at the form guides and looking over results from the last 12-18 months, but the optimism has sneaked in there somehow. And even so, it's a fairly pessimistic sort of optimism - I'm not sure I'll see England winning the Ashes this series, I just think they'll do better than expected. That they do have the potential to cause problems for Australia, that it won't be a simple walk in the park. Maybe it could even be a draw.

I know I have a habit of letting myself get sucked in, of getting my hopes up before the main event. I did it before the World Cup, and I certainly did it before the last Ashes (though perhaps with slightly more justification). I really can't help myself. I don't think England are just going to roll over and die in this series, I don't think Australia will find it easy at all. I've seen enough this season, enough to give me that bit of hope and believe that England can compete and spring some upsets. Of course, Australia are the massive favourites, coming in off the back of a World Cup win and having won the last Ashes with a whitewash. They have the number one batsman in the world in their armoury in Steve Smith, a bowler who gives many players nightmares in Mitchell Johnson. They have the players who can get under England's skin, players who will come at them hard, bowlers who can genuinely swing the ball and cause the batsmen heaps of problems, and batsmen who can and will pile on the runs. Australia have won four of their last five test series and England just one - and much of their progress since the last Ashes has been of that 'two steps forward, one step back' variety. Most pre-Ashes predictions have been favouring Australia, and, on the evidence, it's not difficult to see why.

So why am I optimistic about England's chances? Well this time, I think that step forward could be the start of something more. Over the series against New Zealand, there seemed to be this new attitude around the camp - this greater sense of self-belief that we've been waiting for. It was especially visible during the ODI series, albeit with a largely different group of players, but in the tests too there were signs - the approach of Root and Stokes when England fell to 30/4 on that first morning springs straight to mind. Players like these, Jos Buttler being another, are the sort that can really make this happen. Root is the sort who is always busy at the crease and can easily wind up the opposition just existing, whilst Stokes and Buttler have that X-factor, the ability to turn games around and win them by themselves. Leading the bowling attack are proven performers in Anderson and Broad (Broad can be a bit off and on, but against New Zealand, he certainly looked on). Mark Wood, though inexperienced, has really impressed me and is another that has that something about him, an ability at times to make something out of nothing (though it might be best to wrap him in cotton wool, too).

And, importantly, the captain is making runs again. Cook can lack in tactical nous and innovation, but he can make up for that in part by leading with the bat. When he makes stacks and stacks of runs, England often do well, and it will be crucial that he can do this. Lyth has got off to a good start in his test career with a century but has still played just the two tests, and Ballance and Bell have been struggling for runs of late - so Cook really has to lead that top order. With Australia having an off-spinner in Lyon and England having a lot of left handers (including all of that top three), avoiding early inroads will be important and Cook will be a big part of that. And if Lyon can't get at new batsmen, then England should be able to take advantage and press the attack.

There are though many areas that can be improved upon. The thing that has caused perhaps the most frustration in recent months has been the fielding, and specifically the catching. Catches were going down in the slips especially, and at times it seemed like an epidemic - one person drops a catch, and everyone else follows. There have been mistakes with the bat and the ball, errors of judgement that can be accepted from a team where many are still learning on the international stage - but the amount of drops recently has been inexcusable. I'd really like to see Adam Lyth join the slip cordon, having been doing the job brilliantly for Yorkshire, though England seem to be doing it on experience rather than, perhaps, merit. There are also questions over spin too, after a few poor tests for Moeen Ali and with the man waiting in the wings, Adil Rashid, not yet trusted by the captain and without test experience.

England will have to be at their best, their absolute best, to get that sniff. They really need to start the series well and not be walking away from Cardiff having been defeated, and letting themselves be drawn into a rut. Because maybe they can spring some upsets, and maybe things won't go so smoothly for Australia. Maybe Chris Rogers, playing his final series, might then be playing with one eye on the end; maybe Steve Smith will have problems up at number three against the Dukes ball, and maybe Mitchell Johnson will struggle again when it's in his hand. Maybe the players aren't quite at their best right now: Haddin has struggled for form recently, and Watson looks set to be preferred over Mitchell Marsh when the latter is perhaps more deserving of a place. The retirement of Ryan Harris for Australia is also far from ideal, having been such a brilliant performer who will be greatly missed from the international stage. Maybe then there are the odd chinks in the armour for England to poke at.

Or maybe I'm desperately clutching at straws. I have a lot of hopes for this team - maybe they're inexperienced and unproven, but there is a raw talent there. They won't find it easy and they will lose games - but I really hope the press don't hound them when they do because it is a work in progress (I have been as critical as any in the past, but this is their greatest test yet). And if they do play well, they might just sneak something out of it. As unlikely as it might seem, I don't think it's completely out of the question. The optimism has found its way in.

Safety first?

It isn't exactly news to say that English cricket is, on the whole, very conservative. We saw it at the World Cup, we've seen it in test matches; we often see it in the way they play, and in the team selections. There's generally that fear of something different, the reason why we could never see someone with the technique of a Malinga come through the system; or why when we get an exciting young player, an instinct usually prevails that they are 'not quite ready' to step up to that next level.

We've seen this instinct in full force during this series against the West Indies. I will try my best not to keep harping on about it and repeating myself, but it was another instance where England had the chance to try something new and inject some fresh blood, and went for the safe option instead. I have nothing against Trott being back in the team, I am a big fan - but this series could have been an opportunity to go for something different and look to the future with Adam Lyth, have a look at him ahead of the Ashes later this year. And it would have provided something a bit different, a contrast of tempo to Alastair Cook. It's a similar story with Rashid and Tredwell - the steady, reliable option winning the battle rather than that extra touch of adventure, though Rashid is still said to be in contention as a second spinner for the final test. The safe option is understandable given that neither Cook or Moores' jobs have never been entirely secure and they won't want to risk too much, but why not just give it a go and throw them in?

On the field the safest approach usually wins out too - we rarely see an attacking declaration, going that extra mile to secure a draw before thinking of the win; the batting can lack aggression, or at least opportunities are taken as late as possible; when they're in the field, there's often too much hesitation, not enough initiative. Even as England won the Ashes 3-0 in 2013, it just wasn't the most inspiring cricket - a strategy more of grinding the opponent down rather than necessarily exciting the fans. Of course they shouldn't be completely gung ho and completely forget about defence, it just might be nice to see a bit more edge, a bit more fun. It's finding that balance between being entertaining and achieving the results they should. The problem though hasn't been exclusive to Cook's captaincy, more a legacy of conservatism following the team as they go.

The problem isn't just in test cricket. Of the many complaints whilst England struggled through the World Cup, this was one we heard again and again. Part of the problem is the traditionalism of the English game, test cricket always remaining the priority. Whilst test cricket is my favourite format, and probably is too for the large majority of English supporters, it doesn't mean that the others should just fall by the wayside. Tests - and most particularly the Ashes - remain our number one, whilst Australia prove themselves more than capable of managing all three. In the short forms, England just haven't kept up. The thought is still to build a platform, have that solid base to begin with. It can help in England, where the ball does more early on - but it's not always the way forward when they're travelling, or even all the time they're home. Plus there's that constant focus on statistics and the par score, playing to a plan rather than adapting to what's in front of them. It's a conservative way of play, a safe option in formats where there isn't room for one.

England do have young, exciting players, but when they're a bit different from the established norm it seems to strike fear into the hearts of management. Alex Hales scores a brilliant Twenty20 century, puts himself firmly up there with the best in the world and surely becomes a shoo-in for the ODI team, but a new series comes around and the opening pair is Cook and Bell. By the time Hales' chance came round, he was being played out of his preferred spot in the order and the confidence wasn't quite there. Jos Buttler scored an incredible ODI century, one of the best there's been for England - but straight away he's told he's not 'quite ready yet' to be given a go in the test side. Now he's in there, playing well, you wonder why we had to wait.

It's part of the reason why the squad announced for England's trip to Ireland looks so exciting. Hales, Vince, Roy - all have been the names everyone's been talking about over the last year, the new generation to get the fans going. I do have slightly mixed feelings about the squad as a whole - Ireland have a right to feel aggrieved, it being very much a second string side and another marker of England's lack of respect - but it will be interesting to see how some of these players go on their first taste of international cricket. Maybe it's a sign of things to come. But it's a culture problem as much as anything, so it will still be a long - but safe - road ahead.

England ahead, but opportunities missed

It's been a lovely few days - the sun is shining, the county season has begun, and test cricket is back as well. As much as I will lap up all forms of the game, test cricket will always be my number one. And it always feels that way for England too - this may well be part of the reason why we lag so far behind in the short forms, though this is not the time for me to delve down that road again.

That said, the conservatism found in the one day format was still present in selection as England returned to the test arena. Being a Yorkshire fan, I will freely admit that I am heavily biased in this respect, and seeing four out of six Yorkshire players in the squad wearing bibs did not make me happy. Where this tour could have been an opportunity to look at players like Lyth and Rashid, the old guard was maintained with Trott and Tredwell preferred. The arguments were of course made - Rashid having a poor Lions tour and Tredwell outshining him in the warm-up 'matches'; but it was also a man who helped bowl his side to victory in the county championship last year, and one who had to leave his county to be able to even play first class cricket. It can always be a risk selecting a legspinner - they will go for runs and they do have to be captained well - but, it just would have felt more exciting, offering that element of mystery to the side. But then I am also scarred by memories of Rashid carrying the drinks around for England for months, before returning to Yorkshire with his form lost somewhere along the way. In any case, it now looks like Moeen Ali will soon be fit and back in the side for the next match, effectively nullifying the whole issue. 

With Trott and Lyth, the situation is a bit different. Trott is an experienced and proven test performer, and like the majority of fans I was very happy to see him back in an England shirt. Still, it was a great chance to have a look at Lyth at this international level, and he is a player who would inject a bit more life into a top three often seen as rather stilted. I see the reasoning in selection, but also feel an opportunity may have been missed. Really for me, it was just tough to see Yorkshire's leading batsman of the previous year left off the teamsheet whilst they stuttered in their first innings against Worcestershire. But in any squad, there are always players who will miss out - it's just the way it has to work. It was just unfortunate that it was so many from one club, and that the tour has been crammed in and clashes with the start of the county season. The few matches of the season where all counties can have their international stars turning out have all but disappeared.  

As it was, England struggled after being sent to bat on day one. The top three all fell cheaply, and soon the score was 34/3. In stepped Ian Bell. Of course it's not so surprising these days to see such innings, but you always remember the batsman he used to be - scoring runs when the team does well, crumbling when they are in trouble; not stepping up to the occasion as he did here. Two century stands were shared - first with Joe Root (83) and then Ben Stokes, playing a fine attacking innings of 79 on his return to the side. And England had dug themselves out of a hole, from a first session where the West Indies dominated to afternoon and evening sessions where the run rate reached four and at times five an over. When Bell was dismissed by an absolute jaffa from Kemar Roach with just an over left on the first day, the score was 341/5. The recovery had been made, and as ever with Bell it was simply lovely to watch.  

Naturally, England didn't make the most of this position. The decision to send in a nightwatchman was, quite frankly, bizarre - Stokes played out the last over, and rather than having Jos Buttler starting the second day, it was James Tredwell. He may have three first class centuries to his name (and I must add that, as I may be being quite harsh on him in this post!), but I certainly know who I would rather be watching. As it ended up, Buttler was dismissed for a 22-ball duck and England were all out for 399 - a good score, but another missed opportunity.

After two days though, England can count themselves as ahead in this match. West Indies find themselves at 155/4 at the close of play, lucky not to be five down - Jermaine Blackwood (30*) saved by Stokes' foot overstepping the umpire's line. The fightback has been underway though, a partnership developing with Chanderpaul (29*) after falling to 99/4 - and even at 40 years old, he remains a most prized wicket, always a challenge to dismiss. England fans and players will be eagerly hoping for more wickets for James Anderson - now only three away from passing Botham's record 383 for England, and all the while playing in his 100th test.