It was only the other day Ponting was laughing at us for losing to the Netherlands.
To be fair to the Aussies... why were Ireland and Bangledesh in the same group while Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies were all in the same group?

Alot of their big names are gone though - Hayden, Gilchrist, McGrath, Gillespie. Although if you look at our team, virtually the same has happened.

Will be THE force of T20 within the next few years

Definately agreed. But they've replaced with quality. And more importantly, pretty much unknown quality to England. You knew what you were going to get with the player's you mentioned....a nice solid opening, agressive attack etc. But with the new guys there is that sense of unpredictability.

I disagree we've played a lot without trescothick,giles was done,vaughan's form was poor for 2 yrs before he left.
They've lost a lot more experience,quality and big game players than we have and with everyone fit i think we have a chance.
For the 1st test i'd like to see us line up like this....
Strauss
Cook
Bopara
Pieterson
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Onions/sidebottom

I agree that the talent is there but to me it just doesn't fit together as well. That bowling line-up doesn't look as threatening as Harmison, Hoggard, Si Jones, Giles and Flintoff did (when they were on form of course). Keepers an issue for me as well. We always seem to be chopping and changing but if you look at all the other good teams they had/have one keeper for all forms of the game.

Prior seems to be settling down now though.
Anderson and broad are ready for the next step imo and i like how onions played albeit against a poor windies side.
I think if we have flintoff fit to lead our bowling attack the rest will gain confidence from this and do the buisness.

- Strauss
- Cook
- Bopara
- Pieterson
- Collingwood
- Flintoff
- Prior
- Swann
- Broad
- Anderson
- Sidebottom

IMO i think he should of played in the 20Twenty World Cup ,, Foster is a good keeper but Prior can hit the ball and when on his game can get a few handy runs

Sri Lanka looked pretty impressive. Mendes bowling was awesome. I do think some of them have very strange bowling actions though - I know Mulilitharan (sp apols) action was cleared but it still looks like he chucks it to me and Mandal's action definitely looks like a throw (looks like he's trying to skim a pebble on the sea). Poor old Jeff Cope must be seething.

The lads did us proud tonight.

A bunch of spineless, vasaline abusing, cowards of the highest order, i wouldn't care if any of em were fooking English!!

Bag 'o' e!!

Still in with a chance here against West Indies winner takes all

Have England played at Headingley?

No there all at either Lords , The Oval or Trent bridge

Cheers bud.

Windies are 50-5 and need 29 from 17 balls whoever wins goes into the semi finals

Shock horror England blow it again

Ashes will be good though, right?

I hope so Australia certainly are not as good as they used to be so we may have a chance

We're a one man team though, right?

No good asking me boss im more into the one day and 20/20 games

I think we are? I heard it somewhere but it might have been, like, a myth?

Them seem to think they need Flintoff even though hes constantly injured maybe its not a myth

My ashes team:

Andrew Strauss
Alistair Cook
Ian Bell
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Andrew Flintoff
Matt Prior
Graham Swann
Stuart Broad
Ryan Sidebottom
James Anderson