England's Tour of Australia - Ashes, ODIs and T20s 13/14

I think we should start an England Hockey or Netball thread or something at least this way we have a chance of winning. Worse England Cricket tour I can remember in my near 34 years!!!

We have a chance with the England Cricket Ladies team

The finalists in today's edition of Pointless successfully won the £4,250 jackpot, and one of them planned to use his share to join the Barmy Army...

In other tales of dejection, my gambling acquaintance successfully managed to get a bet on the eventuality that was the whitewash - after all these months he came out ahead by £5!

Rankin's injured for tomorrows match. However Staurt Broad will return after being rested.
Also Morgan is also expected to recover in time.

As well as Joe Root did bowling it will be interesting to see if they go with a specialist spin option, which would probably be James Treadwell, at the expense of one of the other seemers.

3rd ODI Sydney - England win the Toss & will bat

Broad replaces Rankin & Tredwell replaces Root

Australia Chtistian, Doherty & Pattingson in Bailey, McKay & Johnson out

England finally pick a balanced side,is it too late !

I like the way England have gone about their business already.Taking a couple of overs to get the pace of the wicket,putting the bad ball away,in most cases & coming at the bowlers with attacking intent.Cook took the attack to the spinner when Clarke made an early change in the powerplay overs,& at least he lost his wicket playing his shots.
A good move to promote Stokes,looks like he has come in instead of Ballance with still 2 overs of the fielding restrictions to go,as he will score quicker early in his innings.I think 3 is too high for Ballance,I would have gone with Bopara in this line-up.

A waste for Bell to get run out again,

Latest - England 71-2 - 15 overs

Stokes & Ballance tieded down by the spinners,why didn't Stokes hit down the ground like he did to Lyon in the 2nd innings of the Sydney Test.

I see that Bell has got himself run out again.
Shame that Bopara has just been caught out for 21.

Bresnen did well at the end to hit 41 not out to push England's score onto 243 off 50 overs after something of a collapse from the middle and lower order.