On the decider

Don’t be carried away by the 20/20 finish to the 4th test – England were duly thrashed by a very wide margin.

The Ashes now hang in the balance, and with a batting line-up in disarray, only a miracle and some bold selection can win the day. Or bribery – has this been tried?

Can the selectors pull a rabbit out of the hat? Well, they will struggle to find one – there are so many names being thrown in there.

It’s easier to reverse the microscope – who stays, on merit? Strauss, Prior, Broad (just), Onions (just, again) and that’s probably it. The rest are contenders, just like the deep pool of talent lurking on county cricket challenging for a place. Could this be Michael Carberry’s moment?
This is not a time to worry about central contracts. It is time to consign Bell, Collingwood and, at least for now, Bopara to the scrapheap. Harmison can ice their cake. Anderson needs to get fit else Sidebottom must take his place. Freddie has to play, simple as that.

But the batsmen? Prior to 3. Trescothick to open. Ramprakash to 4. Key to 5. Trott to 6. Yes it smacks of despair, but believe you me, when Andrew Strauss says this is not a time for panic, he is wrong. It is time for helpless panic, desperate selections and to tread in every dog turd you can find.