The Bell tolls

Yes, I know you're groaning as you read that title; I just couldn't resist. This week, England announced their squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa, and there was one name noticeably missing: Ian Bell. A veteran of over 100 tests, a senior figure in the team, and yet one that has struggled so much for runs over the past two years. The door has been left open for a future return to the side - and the way England's middle order has been, there is always a chance - yet at 33 years old, it's often hard for a player to come back after a drop like this.

Ian Bell has certainly been one of my favourite players for England over the past decade. There's that effortless sense of beauty about his batting, a player you could just sit and watch for hours. Just watch him play a late cut and you'll see that ease of timing, technique, and perfect placement that the rest of us can only dream of. There are those golden periods: the 2013 Ashes where his three centuries were key in the series win; average over a hundred in the summer of 2011, hitting four centuries (one a double) along the way. When he was on song, everything just looked too easy. But there as well was always the frustration. All the talent in the world, but not always the mentality to go with it. His early centuries always came once a teammate already had one on the board, and if there was a collapse he'd rarely be the man to stand up and fight. Of course, he improved with time - his resistance in Cape Town at the start of 2010 showing a different side to him - but it was a reputation that seemed always to follow him around. 118 tests show a fine career, but an average of 42.69 shows he could perhaps have made more of his talents.

And the past two years haven't been so fun to watch. The glorious summer of 2013 gave way to the whitewash of the winter, where Bell wasn't alone in struggling against the Australian bowlers. And since then it has been a mixed bag: odd centuries, odd fifties, but even more scores of nought or one. Mistakes in the field haven't helped either, with more than one dropped catch that has proved costly to the team cause. And so, a drop from the side doesn't come as a huge shock, but seeing him absent from the whole squad was a surprise. There's still the chance for him to knuckle down, make a ton of runs for Warwickshire, and force his way back into the side; but if this does turn out to be the end of his international career, it's a sad one indeed.

Of course, Bell's absence is not the only noteworthy selection or non-selection. Whilst Hales looks likely to be the next man opening alongside Cook, the inclusion of Compton shows the selectors aren't yet closing the door on anyone. With hindsight, they might be wishing they hadn't dropped him in the first place, so long has the search for an opening batsman gone on. It's a good decision: Compton has been one of the most consistent batsmen in county cricket over the past few years, and there's potential for a return at the top or at number three, his position for Middlesex. Gary Ballance also returns, and it will be interesting to see if he has adapted his game during his stint away. Bowling wise, with Wood and Finn both absent through injury, Woakes, Jordan, and Footitt come in. The omission of Plunkett is one that surprises me: after carrying the drinks in the UAE, South Africa is a place that looked made for him, and yet he has been leapfrogged by others. I am though, looking forward to seeing Mark Footitt potentially making his debut - a left-arm option and someone who has had a lot of success in the county game. Rashid also misses out with England very unlikely to need a second spinner, looking set to join up with Jason Gillespie in the Big Bash in Australia.

In the meantime, England's ODI team is on the rise. Whilst the first match saw the collapses of old, coming at both the start and the end of the innings, the next three have brought convincing victories and many impressive performances with them. There was the bowling of Topley in game one, with three wickets in the opening ten overs; Alex Hales's maiden century in the second match; the bowling of Chris Woakes at the death, with four wickets in both the second and third game; the way Taylor (67*) and Buttler (49*) chased down Pakistan's total in the third game, not the highest total to chase but coming to the crease in a far-from-easy situation; and Jason Roy making his maiden century as well in the final match, both openers really starting to flourish. And then there was Buttler.

Jos Buttler played the kind of innings that's still hard to believe, no matter how many times you watch it. He has now twice broken his own record for England's fastest ODI century, coming this time off a mere 46 deliveries. He scored in 360 degrees around the ground - giant sixes down the ground one minute, a four over the keeper's head the next. How can you set a field to that? How are mere mortals supposed to compete with that at all? This is a man who looked so bereft of any form, any confidence during the test series that he didn't play the final match. He could be a different person right now. It's his world, and we're just living in it.

If Buttler looks unrecognisable from just a few weeks ago, England's ODI cricket is looking unrecognisable from the start of the year, too. They're far from the finished article yet, but there's a lot more to be hopeful about than there ever was before. Even if ODI cricket is Pakistan's weaker format - being ranked eighth in the world - for a young England side, an away win in very unfamiliar conditions is a very good achievement. Now they will be hoping this form can extend to the Twenty20 side, with a three match series to come before the World Cup at the end of the winter.

Disappointments and what ifs

I have mixed feelings about this series, and the 2-0 scoreline. There is, of course, disappointment: the missed opportunities, the what ifs, and the general frustration that the same old problems seem always to be repeating themselves. And yet there's also a part of me who has kept up the optimism, the ‘look for the positives' spiel so often churned out to the media even when, on the face of it, things look pretty bad. This has been a series which I expected England to lose, and which they duly did, yet it wasn't a loss that felt quite as bad as those that have come before.

Of course, the overriding sense is one of disappointment. England were outplayed in all departments; Pakistan with a batting lineup where you felt someone would always get the runs, and a bowling attack always capable of causing England great difficulty. Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, and Younis Khan all hit centuries and scored over 300 runs; whilst Shoaib Malik scored 245 in the first game. Malik also took eleven wickets and topped the bowling averages; Yasir Shah was the leading wicket taker in the series with 15, despite missing the first match; Wahab Riaz could be destructive; Imran Khan somewhat unsung, but effective; and Zulfiqar Babar helping build the pressure by bowling maiden, after maiden, after maiden. In contrast, for England it was tough to see where the runs were coming from beyond Cook and Root, and when they bowled the spinners rarely threatened on the same level as the pacemen - far from ideal in conditions like these. Spin proved a lethal weapon so often for Pakistan, but England's spinners could never let the pressure build. Admittedly the Pakistan batsmen are much superior players of both spin bowling and the conditions, and targeted the spinners, but England struggled for consistency and accuracy. The fast bowlers were excellent, but were left with too much work to do.

It's frustrating, because a lot of the time it seems to be the same old problems coming up again. Whilst I am a fan of both Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, it's clear that they are still a work in progress. England should stick with them, but this series showed that they really will have to learn fast. It's clear that both can be very dangerous on their day: just think of Rashid on the last day of the first test, or Moeen Ali against India last year. But those days have come too far apart, and in between them they haven't been able to at least contain. There's also the batting line up, and that middle order that hasn't really fired all year. Ian Bell has shown some fight this series, but he can't have many more chances left. His duck in the second innings was his ninth score of 0 or 1 this year. Together in that innings numbers 3 to 7 scored just eight runs, three making ducks, and all falling to spin. Several times the batsmen have made a start, got to about forty runs, and then got out. Even Root made three fifties and no centuries. They're just not capitalising. And still England are no closer to deciding who should open the batting.

But still somewhere in there, are the good things. Like how they came so close to winning in Abu Dhabi, denied by the fading light. How England batted long in that game to ground Pakistan down, and to even put themselves in with a chance of winning through a brilliant spell of bowling from Adil Rashid. And how they nearly pulled off the impossible to save the second test, Rashid again showing great character with the bat, him and Mark Wood laying down the anchor. It proved merely to delay the inevitable, but it was still an effort to be proud of. There were the performances of the pace bowlers throughout: Anderson having a sensational record of 13 wickets at 15.61; Mark Wood having his best match yet in Dubai; Stokes taking wickets in Abu Dhabi; and Broad finally coming to the party in Sharjah. There was nothing easy about the conditions they bowled in, but they did the task admirably.

More than anything, it's a series that leaves England with a lot of what ifs. What if Cook had managed to win a toss, and England had the chance to bat first? What if the sun had set just a few overs later in Abu Dhabi, and they weren't left just 25 runs short? What if Finn didn't have to go home injured, and there was an opportunity to rotate with Wood? Instead Wood, too, now finds himself on a plane home, missing the limited overs matches with injury. What if Stokes hadn't been injured during the final test? England would have been able to better manage the workloads of Anderson and Broad, and perhaps he might have helped the lead extend beyond 72. What if the fielders had clung on to their catches, like Ian Bell dropping both Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq in Abu Dhabi? What if Broad hadn't overstepped when he got Shoaib Malik in the same innings? What if Bairstow had taken that stumping of Hafeez in Sharjah?

But that was the difference. Pakistan took their chances when they came; England were left with a bunch of missed opportunities and what ifs. Pakistan stepped up when it mattered, like when Wahab Riaz brought England's downfall on the third morning in Dubai, or how the spinners struck them down on the third morning in Sharjah. There would always be a batsmen to stand up and do the job for Pakistan, barring that dramatic final day of the first match. At times it felt like one of that middle order of Younis Khan, Misbah, and Asad Shafiq would always be batting, not giving anything to the English bowlers. In the final test it was Mohammad Hafeez, scoring 151 to take Pakistan clear of the danger, and with Azhar Ali sharing their only century stand for the first wicket. The runs were on the board, and then the spinners could have their fun.

England are left with a lot to do to improve. Next they head to South Africa, only the team ranked number one in the world. It's a place that should suit them better - and especially the pace bowlers - but where the batsmen will face a stern test from the opposition quicks, particularly Dale Steyn. It will be a tough ask for a batting lineup that is still not firing, and who have been shown to struggle against genuine pace before; and it will be a tough place to try and bed in the next opening partner for Alastair Cook (likely to be Alex Hales). The winter rolls on.

The battle is on

England enter the fifth day of the second test facing a battle to survive. Seven wickets stand between Pakistan and victory, with England set a nominal target of 491 runs. Already the captain has been dismissed, troubled by injury. Gone too is his opening partner, Moeen Ali, and the man at first drop, Ian Bell. It's a tough final day ahead.

It will be a tough challenge, but maybe they could do it and survive. Joe Root has already dug in with an overnight score of 59*, and maybe he could continue his one-man mission for England well into the final day. His hot streak from the summer doesn't seem to be ending just yet, and he's shown an ability to shape matches by himself before. Jonny Bairstow is coming off the summer of his life, and though he's still yet to really deliver at test level, he's shown some signs of form on this tour so far. Ben Stokes is a fighter. Jos Buttler must be due a score soon. Adil Rashid is a good player of spin, and having a man with ten first class centuries batting at number eight can only be a good thing in a situation like this. Broad and Wood too are far from being mugs with the bat in hand, and James Anderson is after all a test saving hero - Cardiff, 2009, will be clung on to for as long as possible. England saved a match with six wickets to spare on the final day in New Zealand in 2013, and came so close to doing so with five to spare against Sri Lanka last year.

But probably the more likely scenario is the other one. Pakistan have the bowling attack to cause problems. Wahab Riaz, the left armer, bowling quickly and constantly looking a threat. Yasir Shah bowling legspin on a fifth day pitch. Both coming off the back of four wickets in the first innings. Root can't score runs every innings, and left arm quicks have often been his undoing. Bairstow remains unproven in test matches, his bottom hand is too often taking over, and he's not looked at ease against spin. Stokes had a fifty in the last match, but otherwise has struggled for runs; while Buttler's place in the side is on the line. Rashid is in only his second test match, and Broad, Wood, and Anderson aren't batsmen to rely upon.

The first innings though was the one that got them into trouble. It was another dramatic collapse, from 206/3 to 242 all out. Seven wickets, 36 runs. Root got out, and the whole team seemed to follow - too many falling with rash shots. It's been a problem throughout the year - who gets the runs when Cook and Root are out? Others have had their moments - and Stokes especially has played some brilliant innings this year - but there's not anyone else at the moment who fills you with the confidence that they will deliver on a consistent basis.

Meanwhile, the pressure mounts on those who aren't delivering. I'm a massive fan of Ian Bell, and will always maintain that he is one of my absolute favourite players to watch when on song, but at times in this series he has been a struggle to watch. Off the back of a poor summer, the calls for his drop and the whispers surrounding his future have got louder and louder. He has, at least, been grinding out runs on this tour - a score of 63 in the first innings that wasn't fluent, but that he scored nonetheless, and here he made 46 before a late dismissal. It might just be enough to save him, as consistency in selection so often wins out.

But with Buttler it may be a different story. Changing a wicketkeeper is always a big call, and especially when Bairstow hasn't made the mountains of runs that would really push for the decision to be made. But waiting in the wings is James Taylor, a man up there with Root as one of England's best players of spin bowling, who made the runs in the ODIs against Australia and showed his form in the warm up matches. Last year, everything Buttler touched seemed to turn to gold - that fantastic ODI century against Sri Lanka followed by immediate success in the test team. This year his form has dipped, and since hitting a century in the ODIs against New Zealand he's barely had a significant innings and looks bereft of confidence. A dropped catch and a chance going between him and first slip haven't helped his cause either. Being an ever-present in all three formats for England, I personally would have rested him from the ODI series against Australia from the start - a proper period of rest ahead of a tough winter schedule, having a chance to recharge. Perhaps he could then have finished off the season with Lancashire to get his eye in again before going on tour. Instead it seemed a bit of a half-measure, an afterthought, and one that made it just look like he was dropped from the side.

Of course, we shouldn't be getting ahead of ourselves with this England team, heaping the expectations on when many of them are still newcomers to cricket in this part of the world. Before the tour, I was expecting defeat - and just hoping the response wouldn't be too harsh on them when it happened. It's not that I'm excessively pessimistic, just that away wins at the moment are like gold dust, and Pakistan have made the UAE their fortress. Many teams have travelled to the UAE and come back with nothing, and many England teams have faced Pakistan away and come back with nothing. England's final day performance in the first test just really got the hopes up. And it's the frustration that a batting collapse cost them so badly again.

Pakistan have of course been excellent. Misbah with a century in the first innings and a fifty in the second, Younis Khan with a fifty in the first and a century in the second (passing 9000 test runs in the process); several others chipping in with fifties along the way. They've put the pressure of the scoreboard on England, batted them out of the game, whilst the bowlers have delivered too.

Now the challenge for England is to survive. It's not an impossible task, but it's one they will really have to fight for.

Test and toil

It would be fair to say that this match hasn't been the most thrilling example of test cricket. It has been a grind: a test of players' perseverance in the heat, of bowlers who toil away on a pitch with so little in it for both pace bowlers and spinners. Already, Pakistan have amassed a giant total: 523/8, spearheaded by 245 from Shoaib Malik, playing his first test for five years. Only cramp and fatigue could beat him, the hours at the crease finally taking their toll. Alongside Asad Shafiq (107) and Mohammad Hafeez (95) the damage was done, the batsmen in for the long haul while the opposition were left to be punished in the sun.

England though are setting themselves up for a similar response. So often the pressure of the scoreboard can see a side instantly crumble when they get their turn with the bat, the psychological effect of a large total and fatigue from so many overs in the field taking their effect. So far, at least, it has not been the case. England's new opening pair were successful on their first outing, making a rare century stand on the first attempt. Moeen might not have been as fluent as he can be - but bowling thirty overs will do that for you. The captain though led the way, playing a typical, calm, Alastair Cook innings - and just like Shoaib Malik, looking in it for the long haul. Rarely was he in any trouble, making his way to 168* at the end of day three. On the way, he passed 1000 runs for the calendar year as well. The troubles of the previous two years look firmly in the past.

For Ian Bell though, it felt like his problems were only continuing. Already on the first day he had dropped two catches - drops that proved highly costly, being of Hafeez and Shafiq. Somewhere in the background, the questions and rumours about his future in the side were getting louder. Lingering as well were the memories of the 2012 tour, where Bell made just 51 runs in six innings. The innings was a battle. The scoring rate was slow as he struggled to find his method of scoring runs against the spinner. Against Zulfiqar Babar, his strike rate was just eleven. But gradually things did improve. He found a way to rotate the strike, and in one innings managed to beat his total from 2012 - 63 runs, before falling to Wahab Riaz at the end of the day. His best form might still be far away, but this innings should have provided an important psychological boost.

For England's bowlers though, it was nothing but hard work. Ben Stokes did eventually end up with the very respectable figures of 4/57, though they mostly fell towards the end of the innings as a declaration approached (and the less said about his over of off-spin, the better). All the wickets fell to pace, as well as the two dropped catches and another almost-wicket, denied as Broad's foot overstepped the line. It's not the first time England have been denied by a no-ball this year, and it's a frustrating issue: firstly, as the umpires aren't calling many of the no-balls being bowled - often just checking when the wicket falls; but mostly because England are overstepping that line too often. The umpires should definitely do more, but it's an issue the bowlers need to resolve the most - because they are the ones who get punished.

But for the spinners, there was no reward at all. Adil Rashid finally made his test debut, a debut I have long been shouting for, but it hasn't been one to remember at all. With 0/163, Rashid is now the holder of a very unwanted record - the worst bowling figures by a test debutant. Bryce McGain, the fellow legspinner Rashid 'beat' on the list, never played another test - though Rashid will surely play the remainder of the series, and hopefully on pitches more receptive to any sort of bowling. When it all goes right, he provides a real threat - a valuable asset to a bowling attack, adding that element of mystery. As it was, Pakistan were comfortable. Rashid went at 4.79 an over, with no maidens, and Moeen Ali went at 4.03 with just two; Pakistan could not be contained. Maybe it might have gone better for Rashid had he been given that opportunity in the Caribbean at the start of the year; certainly it still looks like a missed chance, with him now making his debut on a pitch where any bowler would suffer. For now his debut is another chapter in the book of England's struggles with legspinners.

Really though, no bowler would be able to find much success on a pitch like this. While I still wouldn't rule out a dramatic England collapse (it is something they excel at, after all), the most likely result in two days time looks to be a draw. The bowlers are doing an admirable job keeping up the hard work - a special mention must also go to Wahab Riaz, who looked capable of making something happen if sometimes erratic. But right now there's little more they can do than keep up the hard work.

The moment to shine

Sometimes you have those players who you feel slightly over-protective towards. These players are often from the county you support, or just players you've really taken to - be it their style of play or their attitude to the game, their character. For me one of those players is Jonny Bairstow, making a return to England's test side this week ahead of his Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance.

Bairstow for Yorkshire this year has been simply brilliant. Five centuries, four fifties, an average over 100, and a strike rate around 80 have made him the standout batsman in the first division, and the man Yorkshire have relied upon in their campaign to retain their County Championship title. When called upon by England for the final ODI against New Zealand, he delivered in style, his 83* taking England from a hopeless position at 45/5 to the winners of the match and the series. With England's batting lineup so often finding itself in perilous positions, there can be few surprises that a change was called for, and that Bairstow was the man to get the call. He couldn't do much more to earn another chance.

Yet Bairstow's test and wider international career has, so far, been a frustrating one. Flashes of brilliance - a match-winning 41* on ODI debut, a 95 against South Africa at Lord's - have been just flashes, with Bairstow dipping in and out of the side. Perennially a squad member, perhaps, but not doing enough to hold down a regular place in the side. It's that status of being a squad member that has been so frustrating to watch when such a fan of his. The Champions Trophy in 2013 sticks particularly in the mind: after some good performances with the bat during the preceding tests against New Zealand, it was then around a month with no action before the Ashes series. Surely a young player would be better served playing regular cricket than carrying around the drinks, never making the team? He's not the only player it's happened to, and it won't be the last, but there was a lingering frustration at his subsequent dropping from the team before the end of the series. Bairstow returned during the whitewash, but with the series already gone, there was very little to be gained for anyone coming into the team in such a situation.

Of course, it can't all be a blame game. Though his career has at times been stop-start, he hasn't made the most of his chances when he's had them. Just four half centuries in fourteen games are the obvious proof. When he did have his longest run in the side in 2013, whilst often getting himself in, he passed the fifty mark just twice - and then not going past 70. The technique can be questionable too - first struggling against the short ball, and after overcoming that having difficulties facing those full and straight, not playing with a straight bat when he needs to. It'll never be textbook, a technique that opponents will be able to pick holes in. Yet cricket is a game of character just as much, and when Bairstow is at his best he plays with self belief - and that's something he should have in abundance with his season so far. He's being given another chance to crack test cricket, and England will sure need him to.

Bairstow's not the only man in the side with something to prove. It's an odd thing to be saying about someone who has played 112 test matches and scored 22 centuries, and yet it's very often said about Ian Bell. Bell, a senior figure in the team, supposed to fill the void left by Pietersen, but whose average has only been scraping 30 over the past two years. Bell, a man expected to be at ease at the number three spot but still averages just under 40 in the position. A man equal parts beautiful and frustrating to watch. With Ballance out, Bell is moving up to number three again. It's a spot he should have the talent and the game to succeed in - a more positive player from the outset than Ballance, who can score quickly once settled, but can also get bogged down. But Bell never has quite made it his own. There might be few harder times to take a shift in the order than when out of form and the team has just taken a crushing defeat, but Bell has to take this moment and make his impact felt. His career may even depend upon it.

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.

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.

A World Cup Disaster

England won their second game of the World Cup today, but their only reward was a plane ride home. Their World Cup campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, and once again we're left having to pick up the pieces at the end of a series. With every tournament comes the same story, repeating itself again and again.

So much went wrong that it's difficult to know where to begin. In the media there are some blaming the players, some blaming the coaching staff. Really, they're all to blame. The players haven't put in the performances that they have the ability to do. And the management have been far from inspiring. So here's me trying to put into some words the many areas where this tournament went wrong for England.

The signs were there from the start. Confusion, panic. England played their warm up series against India with their full World Cup squad, playing Bopara in the side and Taylor up at number three, and Chris Woakes opening the bowling rather than Stuart Broad. For the first match this suddenly changed. Sure, Bopara's performances weren't really justifying his place in the side, but all it did was give an image of confusion and fear to their first opponents, Australia. England had months of preparation, playing nothing but ODI cricket in the build up to the cup, and still managed to go into their first match not knowing their best eleven. Was this in part a legacy of their demolition at the hands of Mitchell Johnson the previous winter? Well this time it was a different group of players and mostly a different Mitchell, but Australia still inflicted the damage. One match down and England were already battered and bruised, the tone of the cup was set. It was only going to get worse when they faced New Zealand in the next match.

I feel like I've written a lot on this blog about the experienced players letting England down. It happened again here, with the bat and with the ball. Ian Bell continued with his cardinal sin of never going on and making the big score after making a start. His stats don't look bad on the face of it: an average of 52.40, England's top scorer with 262 runs from six innings. But it doesn't tell the full story: three fifties, no centuries; a strike rate of 77; England team totals of 231, 123, 260 - and even on the two occasions they made it to 300 they should have got far more. And, with Bell getting himself in, he should have got the big score that could have made that difference. Instead he took up time at the crease with not enough end result. Though at least he got runs: Morgan made 90 runs across five innings, and half of those came in one innings. Both now have uncertain futures in the England side: Bell may well not play ODIs again, whilst Morgan's form over the past year and even further back as not been good enough to deserve a place. I thought captaincy might spur him back to his best, but after a century in the first game of the tri-series, he's been as bad as ever.

And it's a similar story with the bowlers. James Anderson averaged 49, Stuart Broad 63.50. Those two bowlers with the most experience, supposed to be leading the attack, could only take nine wickets between them. It was, admittedly, a struggle all round for the bowlers - and perhaps the biggest casualty of all was Steven Finn. Finn is another whose stats don't look bad on the surface - England's leading wicket taker with an average of 25, and a hat trick to boot - but these just don't tell the real story. He's been in and out of the side more times than you'd think possible, and it looks like another spell out of the team is going to come again. He's just not the bowler he could be, and who knows when he will.

But it's just as much a matter of mentality. The modern game has left England behind. Players full of creativity at their counties look stunted on the international stage, thinking too much about the numbers and 'par scores' rather than focusing on the game in front of them. There is no such thing as a 'par score' any more, and this World Cup has shown that as scores well in excess of 300, 350 have been scored like never before. But from England and Peter Moores we get statements like 'we’ll have to look at the data' when they fail to chase down 275. Stop playing to the numbers and let the players express themselves and enjoy their cricket, then they might score the runs they're capable of. Stop thinking of 300 as being a good score, why not dream big and go for at least fifty more?

Somehow we went into this tournament with a fraction of hope. But it should have been more than a fraction. The Ashes were moved, we got a solid, ODI-only schedule in the months leading up to the tournament - and then this happened. Our aim became just to reach the quarter finals. And we didn't even do that. George Dobell has put this into better words than I can, writing after the defeat to Sri Lanka:

The Ashes were moved for that? England have built for four years for that? They have played six months of nothing but ODI cricket for that? Players and coaches were sacked in the hope of reaching a quarter-final? Never in the history of England cricket has the bar been set so low.

It sums up a lot of my thoughts really. We have a home World Cup in 2019, and we have to give ourselves a chance. Does this mean a change in management? Quite possibly. Certainly there'll be a change in personnel for the team, questionable futures lying ahead for many and with others waiting in the wings for their chance in the side. There is a core of good young players in the team, who with four years extra experience, should be able to pose a threat. What we don't want is a repeat of this time round - a year out and a large chunk of the team disappears, for many reasons, and a change in captain on the eve of the tournament. The rebuilding stage starts again. It. Must. Be. Better.

Crashing out again

There was a sad inevitability about England's loss to Bangladesh today. It was the pressure match, the one they needed to win to progress to the quarter finals, and instead they find themselves already knocked out with a match still to play, against Afghanistan. They have lost all their matches against test nations, their sole victory being against Scotland, and really it's obvious to see that they don't deserve to be in the next round.

And who couldn't be happy for Bangladesh? It was a well deserved victory, a performance with both bat and ball. Mahmudullah scored Bangladesh's first ever world cup century, coming in with the team under pressure at 10/2. Mushfiqur Rahim nearly scored the country's second, scoring 89 before falling in the closing overs. And the bowling was even better - Rubel Hossain took four wickets and was the fastest bowler of the match; Mortaza and Taskin Ahmed took two apiece; the spinners held England back. And the celebrations were brilliant for what became one of Bangladesh's biggest and best days of international cricket.

But it was yet another tale of woe for England. Their bowling was better - incision at the start with two wickets, and more at the end to restrict Bangladesh in the last five overs. The result was a total of 276 runs to be chasing down - certainly gettable (and especially by the standards of this tournament), but also enough for the nerves to kick in if the wickets were to fall. Which, of course, they did. But at least they mixed it up - rather than collapsing in the middle overs to spin, they did it to pace instead for this match. What a treat. Several batsmen made starts but didn't go on, some just didn't get in at all - Morgan, again. Bell made it to 63, once again getting a start but not going on - an all too common theme in his career, and an especially bad problem for a senior player in a struggling team.

It was another case where the batsmen in the lower order were left with too much to do. Buttler is one of the leading lights of the team but he can't do the whole job by himself - and really, for him to have the full impact he could have, he should be higher up the order. He made 65 from 52, and Woakes was left stranded on 42*. They did a good job, but the top order let them down, left too much to do with too few overs and too few wickets. Like a bad dream, happening again and again and again and again.

England have simply been substandard throughout the whole tournament. With the bat there have been too many collapses, and the general mentality has been so far behind the other teams. With the ball, they've let themselves down as well: the big names of Broad and Anderson not living up to their reputations; Finn took wickets but more backward steps; bowlers generally just averaging around fifty or more. In the field, they've not been at their best. And the captaincy has turned out as conservative and disappointing as it was before.

And to think, we went in to the World Cup with a slither of optimism. They'd given us some hope, some signs of promise in the tri-series beforehand that gave us some cause for belief that they might, might just surprise us. But then it was more of the same. Another World Cup, another failure. Better luck next time.

Caution is the winner

So England's first win of the World Cup came at last, a win by 119 runs over Scotland. It was what was expected, in spite of everyone's (justified) extreme pessimism over England's prospects and Scotland's hopes (rightly) being raised. It was the win that England desperately needed: runs for the openers and a few for the captain after the traumatic collapses of the past two games, and the wickets being spread among the bowlers after the battering they received at the hands of Brendon McCullum. Yet it was not a fluent, emphatic display despite what the margin of victory may tell you; it was more a case of caution and conservatism winning the day.

Moeen Ali's innings was brilliant to watch. 128 runs from 107 balls with twelve fours and five sixes, he gave England a fantastic start - and exactly the confidence boost they needed after such dismal displays against Australia and New Zealand. Ian Bell's was the other kind of innings. He got a good run out, a good chance to get some runs under his belt...but it was all too cautious really, too careful. I totally understand why he played like he did, yet against Scotland it really should have been something more attacking - aim for 350+ rather than 300. Bell however, with 54 from 85 deliveries, seemed to be stuck in that classic English mentality of 'if I bat the fifty overs, I will have 100 runs'. England needed to restore confidence, sure. Just maybe with a bit more adventure.

And as it does with England, a collapse did duly come. It wasn't so disastrous after an opening stand of 172 and compared to previous matches, this was a mild, miniature version; but it's still an example of England not taking advantage of a strong position they put themselves in. After Bell and Ali were dismissed, cameos from Morgan (46 from 42) and Buttler (24 from 14) helped carry England through to 300, and eight wickets fell in the last twenty overs. Ballance went for 10 (his fourth score of 10 in five ODIs, the sort of consistency you only dream of, if the score wasn't 10), Root for 1, Taylor 17 before being stumped. The batting powerplay hurt England again, and it had you wondering - why not take it when Bell and Ali were well established at the crease?

I don't know. On paper, it was a good win. They got 300 - the standard for ODI cricket these days, and what has been the standard for this World Cup in particular. And the bowlers finished off the job, and after the battering they've received, it was what they needed - especially for Steven Finn, the pick with figures of 3/26 from nine. The match was just what the doctor ordered. And yet we still wanted more. A bit of attack, a bit more invention. When you're 172 without loss, why not throw someone like Morgan, Buttler, Taylor up to number three, get creative and go on the attack? It's the kind of conservatism and caution we're used to seeing from England. The score was 303/8 - a good total, but it felt like it should have been greater.

Scotland put up a good fight, despite the constant focus on England's failings (myself included). The bowlers must take credit for putting the pressure back on England, and some of the fielding and catching was brilliant. The stumping of Taylor by Cross was a standout, his feet and hands so quick to get the ball to a stumps after a wide. Who knows how things might have been different had an early chance from Moeen Ali been taken, if the fielder had been a yard closer.

The associates have done a good job in this tournament, in spite of the best efforts of the ICC to push them out. Really, that's probably why they want them out - not because they're 'uncompetitive', but because they challenge the cosy club of teams like England. But I see it this way - it's a sport so many of us love, so why would you not want your flagship tournament to promote the game and encourage its spread? And there has to be a fight to keep them in. A petition has been set up, asking the ICC to reverse the decision to limit the next World Cup to ten teams, and I would encourage you to sign. Just click here.

Signs of Promise

The tri-series is drawing to a close, even if I'm still yet to write about it. I'll blame the classic Australian timezone problem, even if that doesn't bode well for me following the World Cup either. I'll do my best. As ever, the series has been a mixed bag for England - two wins against India, two losses against the hosts Australia - but they are now looking as prepared as they'll ever be for this World Cup. So here's a look at how things have been going for England in the new year.

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For starters, they've been doing much better with the ball in their hands. It helps to have players such as Anderson and Broad back in the team (though Broad has struggled to find his form so far, only picking up wickets in England's fourth match of the series), and it has meant they've finally been able to settle on their best bowling attack. They've found a solid new ball pairing of Anderson and Woakes, Anderson of course always being an asset to the side, and Woakes being a player who seems to have the knack of picking up wickets in this format. Moeen Ali, whilst not scoring the runs he would have hoped for so far in this series, has given the team a better balance and really can be seen as a genuine all rounder - providing a wicket threat, more than just holding up an end with the ball. But it's been Finn that's been the most impressive. Almost a year to the day after being sent home from England's Ashes tour, having become 'unselectable' in the eyes of the staff, Finn picked up his first ODI five wicket haul and was the key man in bowling India out for just 153 (four wickets from Anderson on his return to the side doing their fair bit too). Finding pitches far better suited to him and the rest of the pace attack has certainly helped as well, and especially when playing against India rather than Australia - India being bowled out for totals of 153 and 200 whilst Australia comfortably chased their targets of 235 and 304. But there are certainly positive signs here for England, and a fully firing Finn bodes well further into the future, too.

Batting wise, the series has seen its ups and downs for England. The first match saw them bowled out for 234 by Australia, and even then they were rescued by a timely return to form with the bat for Morgan. After a disastrous start, with England 2 wickets down after 3 balls, Morgan scored 121, the next highest score being 28 from Buttler, forced to play an uncharacteristic innings. From then on things were better, with Ian Bell making scores of 88* and 141 after returning to the team at the top of the order; Taylor continuing to settle at number three with innings of 56* and 82; Root and Buttler both making fifties. The problem is that they're not all scoring runs at the same time, and whilst batsmen have made runs, it has been a bit all or nothing. Morgan's century accounted for 121 runs out of 123 for his three innings; Root's 69 out of 77 across three innings. And even if they made 300 in the second match against Australia, after being two wickets down with ten overs left, their total should really have been a lot better, enough for them to win the match. Bopara hasn't found the runs either, and as much as I have defended him in the past, if his poor run of form continues in the World Cup then there's only so long he can stay in the side. It's not all doom and gloom, but there is still room for improvement.

But even if the results have been mixed, from what I've seen the change of captain has worked. I just think Morgan's better suited to captaining this format than Cook ever was, and even if the timing of the change wasn't ideal, it's still better late than never. It wasn't all positive of course, the second match against Australia being the obvious moment where advantages were let slip, but in general he does seem more proactive in the field - and it can't hurt that there's less media scrutiny over the captain's every move now, blackmail plots notwithstanding.

The last match saw England and India in what was effectively a semi-final, and England came through. After previous performances, they would have been favourites to win the match anyway, but this was England and they never like to make things simple. A good bowling show saw India all out for 200, and England duly fall to 66/5 in response. It's the kind of situation that England have got themselves into all too often in the past, and a situation where they can easily crumble. But a partnership shared by Taylor and Buttler saw them through, despite a slight stumble at the very end. Though too much shouldn't be read into the whole thing, it was good to see two younger members of the team pull England through in a situation they will likely face at some point during the World Cup. A promising moment, at least, even if I'd much rather they hadn't been in a situation like that in the first place. Now England find themselves with a final to play.

So what have we learnt so far in this series? Probably not all that much - it was to be expected that England would perform better on Australian surfaces as opposed to those they played on in Sri Lanka; and it still looks like they always have potential to pull of a very good display or implode on any given day. But with a stronger and settled bowling attack, the potential for a good win must be slightly higher than it was before. I'm going to rate myself as cautiously optimistic now ahead of the World Cup. Whilst I still don't think they win it, they have the chance of causing the odd upset along the way, and who knows how well they might do if they really find their feet. Or they could just as easily crash out in the first round. It's worth a watch, at least.

England's progress report

So, we have come to the end of the test summer and while it's been a bumpy ride, progress has definitely been made. Once again England have provided a rollercoaster of emotions - going from the tension and disappointment of the tests against Sri Lanka; close to rock bottom after defeat to India at Lord's; to emphatic victories in the last three tests. England have shown progress throughout the summer - but the task is not over yet and there are still plenty of areas for improvement. Here is my take on England's summer and what still needs to be done.

First of all, the captaincy. I was among those who believed Cook should go after Lord's, though still not knowing who the best man was to replace him. Thankfully, it has got better since then. The thing with Cook is that while he does have his moments where he is inventive and makes good decisions, he sometimes has long periods when he has no answers - and particularly when England are put under pressure. This was something particularly visible in the second game against Sri Lanka, when Angelo Mathews' brilliant performance took the game beyond England's reach and set up his team's eventual victory. Credit must be given to Cook though for England's recovery - he does look to have helped create a team spirit with everyone behind him, and he must have said something right for them to come bouncing back in the fashion they have after such a low ebb. He does truly have a team to lead now, not like the fracturing side of the Ashes. Yet England were barely put under any real pressure in the last three tests, so he should not rest easy yet. He still needs to have more back up plans for when England are really under pressure, as they will undoubtedly be when they come to play teams such as Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan in the coming year. But he has shown enough to stay in his job, when at times this summer it really looked like he wouldn't.

The question of the opener is still one that has gone unsolved since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012. Unfortunately, the search may still continue with Robson still not having nailed down his place in the side. He did show his potential with a century and a fifty but too many times he was nervous around his off stump, that famous corridor of uncertainty where batsmen can be exposed in test cricket. He is young enough and has enough promise to come back, and I do hope he gets another chance, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced in the side when England return to test cricket in the Caribbean in April. A strong showing in the one day side could help Alex Hales find his way into the test team, a move that would be popular among many; or perhaps one of the Yorkshire pair of Adam Lyth and Alex Lees could work their way in (Lyth the more likely - Lees just a bit too young). There are options for England, but the man chosen for the spot in the tour of West Indies will in all likelihood be the man they go for in the Ashes - so it will time to stick or twist.

The middle order though does look close to being solved. Gary Ballance looked at home batting at number three despite his lack of experience that high, making three fifties and three centuries and impressing in the calm way he seemed to handle it all. Bell remains a class act, and though he didn't perform to his best he is always a great player to have in the side. Joe Root put his troubled winter behind him and continued to show why he is one of the most promising young players in world cricket. Jos Buttler also showed no nerves stepping up to the test arena, and though his glovework is still a work in progress, his batting brought excitement and youthful energy; he really looks a player who can take a match away from the opposition. The only question mark so far would be over Moeen Ali, though his spin bowling has made up for his lack of runs. He showed great character against Sri Lanka, coming so close to saving the game with his century in the second innings at Headingley, but since then the runs have dried up and a concerning problem against the short ball become evident. England will have to hope he learns fast, because he will certainly be targeted next year by bowlers like Johnson and Harris, Steyn and Morkel. There's also the question of finding the right spot for Ben Stokes - despite his horrible form, number eight is still too low for him really and the right balance has to be found.

The bowling is still a work in progress - though Broad and Anderson are nailed on for England's strongest eleven, the question is about who their support should be. Steven Finn remains around the side, and if he does get back to his best then he has to be a definite pick - his pace and height are just such valuable assets and he has proven ability at international level. Of those we have seen this summer, they have all had their moments. I was pleased to see Plunkett back in the side and finding success with his nine wickets at Headingley before injury put him out of action, and looks a good option to have in the pack. Stokes is an exciting player, a genuine all rounder, and though his batting fell apart I was surprised to see him dropped after doing well in the two tests he played against India - particularly after batting at number eight anyway. Jordan is a player who looks to have something about him and a knack of picking up wickets, though he is still a work in progress with consistency an issue. Woakes is the one I'm least sure about - I'm just not sure he has that extra quality to take wickets at international level (or at least tests - he could fit into the ODI team). But I must say he has seemed to improve with every test, and also didn't always have the luck he deserved. I think generally they have a good crop of young bowlers who it is worth sticking with, and it's good to see that there are several in their plans because with 17 tests in twelve months coming up, rotation will be important.

With spin bowling it does look like England have found an answer as to who should replace Graeme Swann. Moeen Ali has improved as the summer has gone on, going from someone only seen as a part timer at the start of the summer to now being viewed as a genuine front line bowler. The way he has adapted to this level has been impressive; he has taken on advice from other players and people in the game to find what works best, and the results have been visible. Filling the boots of Graeme Swann, one of England's most successful spinners ever, was always going to be a difficult task but he has done a good job of it so far and played a large role in England's victories. He is no world beater yet, but has done away with the doom and gloom foreseen when looking at England's apparently bare spin cupboard at the start of the summer.

The bigger challenges are yet to come for England, and it won't be surprising to see many more bumps along the way with next year's Ashes and tours to South Africa and Pakistan to come within a twelve month period. But there is certainly hope - there are a good young bunch of players who have really started to perform, and that much sought after team spirit looks to have returned. The misery of the start of the year, and of points during the summer, is starting to be dispelled and as fans we have something to cheer about once again. England's jigsaw isn't yet complete - one series win does not make them world beaters - but maybe, just maybe, the pieces are starting to fall into place.

Finding form at last

It was sure a long time coming, but finally in this fifth test match of the summer England's two most experienced batsmen - Alastair Cook and Ian Bell - scored meaningful innings for the team's cause. It had been a feature of the summer so far that while the newer members of the team were making their mark - Robson, Ballance, Root, and Ali all making centuries - the two most expected to be leading the batting line up were consistently falling short, but with innings of 95 and 167 respectively the pair gave fans (and the coaching staff) more reasons to look up.

Although Cook did not make it to the three figures he will be desperately craving - having not passed the milestone since May last year - his 95 will go a long way to silence the questions over his form. Though nobody doubted his class - scoring 25 test centuries is certainly no fluke - the dreadful run of form he had endured, for the most part not even making starts, led many (and I include myself in this) to believe that a rest from the side and from test cricket would be the perfect remedy. It was great to be proved wrong. The effort he had put in was clear; tricks such as standing further forward against Kumar were used to combat the swing, and in general he tried to player straighter. He had a slice of luck too - the story could all have been so different when, having scored just 15, a chance was dropped by Jadeja. Sometimes that is just the case - when a batsman is out of form the bad luck keeps on coming; eventually the tide has to turn. By no means was it a pretty innings - Cook's innings rarely are in any case - but it was the innings of a man determined to fight, and the crowd responded as such - a standing ovation when he brought up his fifty and another after his unfortunate dismissal just five short of the elusive century. The runs aren't the only thing that matters for Cook and questions over his leadership of the side will, quite rightly, remain, but it was good to see him put this trouble aside.

Bell was the hero of the last Ashes summer, but hadn't made a century since the fourth test of that series. This summer he was expected to be the leading light of England's batting line up after the departure of Pietersen, yet apart from a couple of pretty fifties against Sri Lanka he has struggled just as much as the captain. A match at Southampton, a ground he appears to favour as a player, turned out to be just what he needed. The pressure coming off to an extent may also have helped - the captain being back in the runs, plus another century from the ever-consistent Ballance (which could easily be forgotten amongst the return to form of the senior pair) would have eased the situation when he came to the crease somewhat, England being at 213/2 at the time. After Bell settled in he looked at ease, playing as he does so well when on song, and found no trouble going through the nervous nineties as he moved from 94 to 100 with a single hit, one of three sixes in his innings. With Ballance he set a perfect platform for England to accelerate in the final session, looking to head past 500 and towards a declaration.

Jos Buttler was the new face in the side after Matt Prior's withdrawal from the rest of the summer through injury, and the inclusion of such an exciting young player would have been a welcome distraction in some respects away from the inquest into the last match. The real focus will of course be upon his keeping and whether he can become test quality with the gloves, but the buzz will come over his batting after his sparkling limited-overs performances. He was another to be fortunate in gaining a life - though he appeared to have been caught on 0, and started to walk, the umpires judged it (rightly or wrongly) to have gone to ground first. What was unlucky for India was to the benefit of England and the entertainment of the crowd, Buttler playing with the freedom and adventure we have witnessed in ODIs in the evening session and scoring 85 from only 82 deliveries. It was the perfect situation for an attacking young wicketkeeper-batsman to come to the crease, already having 400 on the board and looking to set up the declaration, and Buttler certainly took advantage. Though he will of course find himself in tougher situations, he does look to be the player that can provide an injection of life to England's middle order that can at times find itself rather subdued. After tea England added 117 runs in only 18 overs, declaring on 569/7 after Buttler's dismissal and putting themselves firmly in control of the match. The day was then capped off with Anderson's wicket of Dhawan for 6, leaving India at 25/1 at the close of play on day two.

Though the success of the past two days haven't solved all England's problems, it does mean certain worries can at last be laid to rest. It certainly makes a change: England have been dominant over the first two days; haven't surrendered a strong position like they have all too often recently; and now all the top seven have made notable contributions this summer. Now it's time for Cook's captaincy to shine, and for the bowlers to also show their worth.

The cricket takes stage again

And so the matches have come thick and fast, and we are already two days into this second test. With a particularly green looking pitch, plus an alleged pushing incident between Anderson and Jadeja causing friction between the two sides, this match promises more spice than the first in more ways than one. But after midweek talk of pitches, pushes, and drunken incidents the cricket has again been able to take centre stage.

Unsurprisingly after England won the toss, India were inserted in to bat. Day one saw mixed fortunes for England - poor in the first session, brilliant in the second, and then at their poorest in the evening. Though India's score of 295 all out looks on paper like a decent result for the bowling side, on such a pitch England should have done better. Time and time again they failed to do that most obvious of tactics - pitch the ball up and aim for the stumps or the famous 'corridor of uncertainty'. Once more it was often a case of too short too often. It is all well and good asking for a better pitch, but when you do have a surface that appears tailor made for bowling on it has to be utilised, and from players as experienced as Anderson and Broad you would expect better. India were only one wicket down after the first hour, and only two by the end of the first session - ideally when inserting a team you would have them at least four down by lunch. England were firing after lunch, reducing India to 145/7 shortly after tea and looking like they could knock them over for under 200. But once again England struggled with the lower order and let the innings get away from them, a brilliant century from Rahane helping take India to near 300 - at least ninety runs too many ideally for England.

It was also a mixed bag for England's batsmen. Gary Ballance hit his second test century and was supported in a partnership of 98 by Moeen Ali, but was the only batsman in the top five to pass twenty. England's batsmen were often becalmed by the Indian bowling - their run rate being 2.54 in 86 overs compared to India's 3.21 in 91.4; India's bowlers generally more disciplined and fuller than England and so helping to put pressure upon the batsmen. Ballance though played a top innings, England not being in the easiest of positions early on after losing both openers and seeing the top five crumble away. It's too early to say that England have found their long term replacement at number three for Jonathan Trott who was such a rock for the team, but if Ballance continues the consistency he has shown so far this season - scoring two centuries and two fifties so far and not always in the easiest of circumstances - he could go a long way to filling that role. He looks to be a player unflustered by difficult situations and is able to go through the gears if needs be, as he has shown glimpses of for England but particularly in his county career. More challenges will come of course - providing he is present, next year offers many difficult-looking prospects with series against Australia, Pakistan and South Africa - but for now he looks to be establishing a place in the side and will be pleased to have made the headlines for cricketing reasons after his off-field antics found the headlines more in midweek.

Another concern for England - as if there aren't enough already - will be the form of Ian Bell. With the loss of Trott and Pietersen from the team and many young faces now making up the batting line up, it was hoped that he would be the player to provide the big innings and the impetus in the middle order. Unfortunately so far, it has just not been the case. After being England's star of the home Ashes series last year, his form has just slipped away, averaging under thirty since. Against Sri Lanka he looked in decent touch and scored a couple of quick fifties, but in a sense it was more like the 'old' Ian Bell who made pretty runs but not the defining contribution for the team. It must be said that I am a massive fan of Bell - there are fewer players that I would rather watch make runs - but so often is he frustrating. At 32 he should be in his prime and in an inexperienced lineup should be able to take on that leading role and play the key innings for the team. He's also an ideal player for England's supposed new attacking philosophy, having the natural flair and ability to play attacking innings and put the pressure back on the bowlers when the situation dictates. Yet so far this summer, it's seemed to be the case that the new recruits have been the ones putting in the noteworthy performances without the support of the more experienced members of the batting lineup.

On a more positive note, this match does seem to offer the prospect of a result as opposed to the lifeless nature of the match last week. England closed the day on 219/6 and though they ought to be in a better position in this match in terms of their performances with bat and ball, with a strong late order the chance is there to create a decent first innings lead and put pressure upon India heading towards the end of the match. After taking two late wickets and escaping with the bat in their own innings, India still remain very much in the hunt and the match could be set for an interesting conclusion over the next few days.

And the new age begins...

Okay, so I know that we've already had the ODI series, and though I don't have a problem with it coming first - if anything I'm in favour of it - the first test still for me marks the beginning of the international summer.

The announcement of the test squad came with a whole host of new faces - only six players remaining from the last test on English soil, three debutants, and another whose last test came in 2007. On the whole I was quite happy with the squad - though some had called for Buttler or various others to join the side I thought it was a good mix of the old and the new. With a batting line up featuring Robson, Ballance, and Ali - a grand total of one cap between them - plus Joe Root with just over eighteen months' experience, to keep Prior in made sense and was a good move. Though he has struggled over the past year with bat and gloves - leading to being dropped in the winter - it was a good idea to have a man of his experience and known class in a very young side. Safe maybe, but in my eyes the right call. To see Jordan and Plunkett in the side also made me particularly excited. I've been impressed by Jordan in the recent ODI series and he looks like a player that can make things happen, whilst Plunkett has really improved since moving to Yorkshire, looking to become the player England always hoped he would after his career stalled in Durham.

And then came the match. Sri Lanka chose to bowl first which did seem a bit odd - though the pitch did have a greenish tinge on the first morning in general Lord's is a ground that suits the batsmen best. And so it came to be. Early wickets fell and though the Sri Lankan bowlers didn't bowl badly, initially they came more through poor shot selection from the English batsmen. But there was a change from the recent months in their approach which looked a lot more positive. Ian Bell once more looked at ease, showing that when he's in form not many look better. Moeen Ali also looked comfortable on his test debut, showing promise in his innings of 48, whilst in the tail Jordan, Broad and Plunkett all put in positive, attacking innings. In the mean time, Joe Root seemed to pass under the radar for much of the innings, especially on the first day, but put his troubles of the past year behind him in a brilliant innings of 200*, his highest test score following his 180 at the same ground the previous year. England declared on 575/9, the first time they had passed 400 since March 2013 and first score over 500 since December 2012. Perhaps they weren't facing the best bowling attack, but it was nice to see them in the runs once more.

Sri Lanka also looked comfortable with the bat as the pitch continued to offer little for the bowler. Chris Jordan's first test wicket came with only his third delivery, as he continued to look like a player that just tends to make things happen. But it only meant that Kumar Sangakkara came to the crease. In his three previous matches at Lord's he was yet to make a century, something that on his probable last tour of England he would have been determined to correct. I mentioned that Bell is one of the best looking players when in form - well he's up there with Sangakkara. It was a century popular among all cricket lovers, and the celebration was also a treat - a hug from his best friend Jayawardene. Sangakkara looked so comfortable that it came as a surprise when he got out - in many ways it looked like he was set to bat the match. Angelo Mathews' innings must also not be forgotten - it is always an honour for any visiting player to get their name on that honours board, and especially as the captain leading from the front. Sri Lanka were all out for 453, a perfectly respectable total but still 122 behind.

Another fine innings came from Gary Ballance. Surprisingly moved up to bat at number three for his second test - a position he hadn't even batted at for Yorkshire - Ballance found himself in a pressured situation as England slipped to 102/5 and 121/6 but coped admirably. He has put in similar performances for Yorkshire in difficult situations over the past few years and so to see him doing it on the international stage was great to see, and will hopefully be the first of many centuries for England. England declared on 267/8, 389 runs ahead. Perhaps they would have liked a few overs before the close of play on day four but after having to rebuild earlier in the day, it was safety first for the captain.

So it all came down to the final day. Sri Lanka needed a nominal 390 to win or to bat out 90 overs for a draw, England needed ten wickets. It was slow progress for England as Sangakkara and Silva bedded in again, only one wicket down by lunch, only three down by tea. But then England struck. A bizarre field was in place - and who knows whether it got into the batsmen's heads - but Anderson struck twice in the overs immediately after the break and getting the especially important wicket of Sangakkara. The result suddenly looked possible once more. England were back bowling aggressively - a good mix of fast and nasty deliveries directed at the body with those aimed at the stumps - and the new ball was on its way. They struck with the new ball, crucially dismissing Mathews who had been digging in to save the game with 18 from 90. But still two wickets were needed from the last over. Down came the first ball and Herath gloved it to Prior - replays showed that his hand was not on the bat when it hit him but it didn't matter as he walked anyway. England thought they'd won when on the penultimate ball the umpire gave Pradeep out LBW, but his referral showed a clear edge. The final ball was edged but didn't quite carry to slip and that was it. A draw.

This match showcased nearly everything I love about test cricket - the drama and tension, a good contest between both sides, and fine batting performances and spells of bowling. That it can take five days of cricket and still all go down to the final delivery for me just shows how great a sport this is. The two sides meet again at Headingley on Friday, with England looking the favourites and hoping to secure the first series win of this new era.