ICC give smith a one match ban. Presumably limited by what they can do with a level 2 offence. Over to cricket Australia to hand down a suitable punishment. Hopefully they will otherwise will get tarred with the same brush.

This ko last night is as conclusive as I’ve ever seen.

Piggy and Warner step down for rest of the test match and piggy has been sacked from IPL team. The icc need to grow a pair and hand down big punishments for once. Cricket Australia should sack them if they have any sense or even morals. Lehmann needs sacking as he clearly knew as he used the walkie talkie to speak to the 12th man who then spoke to Bancroft. Rotten organisation. The hypocrisy and double standards of cricket Australia has wound me up decades. Kholi must have a wry smile as they got word from dressing room to use drs on him. So now they can get off their sanctimonious pedestal. Cheating and gamesmanship while slating anyone who does the same. Smith and Warner particularly abuse everyone, the latter portrays himself as some hard man and moans like a little bitch as soon as anyone says anything to him. They get some back like in the tunnel in the last test and it’s like they are a bunch of angels who never say or do anything. About time they were dragged off their high horse. Enjoying their demise!!!

I was also wondering why it’s been so poorly attended. So looked into it a bit and test cricket turn out is frightfully low in New Zealand. 3,500 turned up vs West Indies in Hamilton. That’s a tally of all days (day 1-1196, day 2-1186 day 3-686, day 4-394). Similar vs Pakistan. Similar vs South Africa. In the bigger picture I think test cricket is struggling globally outside of England. Our last series vs India away wasn’t full by any stretch and they’re cricket mad. Why? Who knows. For what it’s worth I believe people, particularly younger people, have shorter attention spans and can’t be bothered with the nuances of test cricket and would much rather go down the Big Mac meal road of t20 cricket. The instant gratification generation.

Piggy smith was, is and always will be a tosser of the highest order. Just when didn’t think this series could have any more needle today happens. The nonsense piggy was coming out with after rabada’s ban was overturned was typical of the man. He tried to check whether he should refer an LBW with the dressing room. And now has been outed (by himself) as a cheat. Bit of a different press conference from Smith and Bancroft in hysterics in the ashes. Pair of knobs. It's so good to think he may finally get some comeuppance. Until they don’t...

Nasser Hussain hits the nail on the head: “The Australian camp has been lecturing people over the last few months on how the game should be played, and a line that shouldn't be crossed. Well, it looks like that Australian hierarchy are on the wrong side of the line here” “Some of the stuff that has come out of the Australian camp, especially, has been laughable.” "Warner has gone round the world sledging people. He then gets it back from De Kock, and he and the Australian camp suddenly decide that a line has been crossed. I don't know who the Australians are to tell you what that line is and who has crossed that line. “It has bubbled up again in the last couple of days, because Warner got it badly, terribly from the South African crowd - I don't agree with any of this - and again Lehmann thinks another line has been crossed. "You can't do that. Here is a coach that, in 2013, stated that every Australian fan should send Stuart Broad home crying and should sledge him. Now he is saying crowds shouldn't sledge. There seem to be double standards.”

Well smith and Bancroft admitted to ball tampering. Let’s start with a 5 year ban for those and work from there. They are so brazen. Can’t believe the statement they have made. “Actions were planned by the payers during the lunch break” “we thought it would give us an advantage”. Yeah, cheating normally does lads. I tell you what if this was Pakistan they’d be banned from test cricket. Such hypocrites. All that business with Stuart broad not walking when Australian bill lawry started that trend in the 60s. They and their media think it’s one rule for them and rules for everyone else. Hope the icc hit them hard (which they won’t).

The irony is Steve Smith went bananas last winter about Faf having a sweet in his mouth and the saliva to produce more shine. (Something they later admitted doing themselves) Will be an interesting press conference with the convicts and their double standards.

Tut tut tut. Convicts up to their old cheating ways. Bancroft banged to rights on some outrageous ball tampering. Goes miles beyond athertons sand or the old suncream from the face to the ball. Only question is he acting alone or are Lehman, Steve smith, etc involved. I’d finish his career over this. Not having that. Ban-Croft!!!!

Probably a combination of those things. Also I think it has a lot to do with the amount of English players playing top division football. Some will say the cream will always rise to the top but I don’t think they do. Far easier to chuck in a cheap import who’s ready to go than allow an English player to develop. The youth exploits are exiting but how many are playing week in week out. I don’t know but I’d wager not many. That’s our biggest problem as I see it

As for today I was gutted when I was offered a ticket but couldn’t go as I thought beating the Irish at twickenham to hopefully win the grand slam on st paddy’s day would be a hoot. Now on paddy’s day they arrive to twickenham as champions and I’m sure for them there would be no better place to win the grand slam. Let’s hope we can spoil the party to some degree...

I’m not that bothered by bonus points if encourages attacking rugby. Although I’m not entirely sure it does as England demonstrated in Paris when knew needed 4 tries before ko and still were happy going for 3 pts. Plus it certainly doesn’t work in England’s favour when every team has their World Cup final vs us. Scotland, for eg, went through brick walls vs England then rolled over vs Ireland. You’re right with away games. This year ironically should have been England’s (English arrogance coming in a bit here considering 2/3 defeats and already lost it) but with the state of France theoretically 3 easier away games then two home games. The flip side of that coin is next year Italy/Scotland/France at home and wales/Ireland away that’s a tough ask biennially. To develop the game I’d defo look at 2 6 nations type leagues. Make them feel more part of the bigger picture. Rugby seems to be on the up in Georgia. I would love an away day in tbilisi. They get some decent crowds, have dominated the European b champions league thing over the last decade and have credible wins over likes of Fiji, Tonga, Samoa. However, the problem remains I don’t think they’ve ever beaten a decent rugby nation. Nor are likely to on a consistent basis. So if there was a promotion/relegation into 6 nations it would just be Italy and Georgia swapping places and occasionally Romania getting up for one year.

Booked our flights/hotels for Sri Lanka this November after the tour dates were eventually announced. Luckily both galle and Kandy are back to back tests so get to do them both. West Indies and Sri Lanka usually sandwich a shit venue in between the popular ones so was fully expecting Colombo to be the middle test (well I say shithole all things relative not exactly Burnley).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43240056 Typical jocks. Forget carrying on like they’d won the World Cup after the match I only hope stuff like this is played to subsequent English teams to make sure it doesn’t happen for another decade.

Re Stokes. I can’t understand the ECB really they don’t let him play pending a criminal charge. Ok fine. But then once was actually charged with affray (very lucky not to be gbh considering he broke the guys eye socket) they then decide he can play. Could be a mess this. It’ll start in the magistrates, where he will be able to enter a plea. If he doesn’t enter a plea or not guilty plea the magistrates will decide whether their sentencing powers are sufficient (maximum 6 months in jail). If they are satisfied this is sufficient it’s up to all the defendants to decide whether or not to go to the crown court before a judge and jury. Increased sentence vs increased opportunity to be found not guilty (he’s famous so same rules don’t apply). If enters an early guilty plea he will be entitled to 1/3 off whatever sentence. But most are arrogant sportsman and with a fancy QC I’m guessing he’ll enter no plea. Elect to go to the crown court where the codefendants will be lambasted and the jury will be swayed by a famous face. But that'll take another 9 months or so I’d be more impressed with him if he pleads guilty at the mags with no previous, convictions, credit for guilty plea, shows immediate contrition, he’s professionally been punished and probably end up with community service (he’s famous). Make no mistake if it was me or anyone on here I/we would more than likely already been charged get 4 months served 2 and be out already.

As is Vince who will no doubt play like bradman for 20 runs before nicking one to slip off boult or southee

England Test squad Joe Root Moeen Ali James Anderson Jonny Bairstow Stuart Broad Alastair Cook Mason Crane Ben Foakes Liam Livingstone Dawid Malan Craig Overton Ben Stokes Mark Stoneman James Vince Chris Woakes Mark Wood So Ball, Curran, Ballance out Livi, Wood, stokes in.

Since this summer alone we’ve had 7 debutants non of whom have played 10 games and some of whom will never play again. So In spite the shambles of this series I would still be reluctant to chuck more new names in and wholesale changes just yet. I’d just drop Vince who I think has technical issues to work on and would struggle more on green nz pitches. So pending injuries, illnesses, nightclub brawls I’d go with: 1 Cook 2 Stoneman 3 Hales 4 Root 5 Malan 6 Bairstow 7 Stokes 8 Ali 9 Woakes 10 Broad 11 Jimmy I always thought we pulled the chain on hales too early but I appreciate he hardly set the world alight last time and will 100% not be selected. I would also make it clear to the senior players cook, broad, Ali that they are not undroppable and are on report so to speak. New Zealand is a different kettle of fish and probably won’t learn a great deal over a 2 match series one of which is a pink ball at a tiny test ground. I would also not be writing off the likes of crane etc by any means.

From what I’ve seen I’ve neither been impressed nor unimpressed by either of them. Can’t honestly say I’ve felt Curran or Overton have posed much of a threat but that’s not to say they can’t be effective over here or elsewhere. I think we have a core of players who are all much of a muchness. Finn/Roland-Jones/Wood weren't available or selected. So Ball played first game then got injured, Overton played next two then out and Curran has had the last 2 games. It’s a merry go round of equally average bowlers. Over the last decade we have capped all sorts of players for a few games who don’t seem to do any better or worse than their predecessor then are never seen again. Currently giving Curran and Overton a go but in recent times we’ve experimented with Roland-jones (is he now done), Jake ball (is he now finished), Wood, and further back onions/Jordan/rankin all had a brief run. So are the current flavours of the week any different to the others, I’m not so sure. Same with the batsmen mentioned there is a huge step up to test cricket as ballance knows. They’ll no doubt get chucked in for a bit then never seen again. Westley, robson, Jennings, ambrose, duckett, lyth, Compton, carberry.

As for the batting. We were shit in India last year, we were fairly inconsistent over summer and then this. Short of options and hoping not to return the dark days of new teams every series. I think Malan did himself some favours here. Vince does the same thing every time he bats. Gets to 20, looks great then can’t resist a waft outside offstump. He must have been caught behind the wicket in 85% of his test innings. Still questions about 2 and 3. Cook has had one good innings and unless he’s milestone orientated might sack it all off. They’ll keep Stoneman I would think there is no one else but the whack on the head weighing on him. Ballance may get another change to bomb. Feels like there are more questions than answers at the moment.

I think jimmy has shown pace isn't everything as the only bowler to come out with any credit. He has been on his own really he has bowled a lot more than anyone else and gone for about 2.5 an over. Also I’d wager likes of Philander would have taken a load or at least created pressure and made mistakes for others to take advantage of. And that was our problem the Australians only had to see off jimmy then filled their boots with the rest, creating no pressure. In truth, we never once looked like taking 20 wickets this series. Don’t have enough bowlers that can make things happen when conditions don’t suit us. And the reality is Englishmen predominantly bowling in England will rarely produce 90mph bowlers as you’re often better served taking pace off and letting the Ball do a bit. We’ve definitely missed stokes. Broad has been useless and Ali has gone from hero to zero since summer. We’ll stick with our favoured 5 of jimmy, broad, stokes, woakes, Ali do ok in New Zealand and then against India/Pakistan in our conditions and all this will be forgotten about. Next time we travel anywhere decent though it’ll be more of the same....

Also Conceded 400+ in the first innings in 8 of the last 10 away test matches. On the small plus side so far mason crane has had better debut figures than Warne’s 1/150 from his debut at the scg and if he has a fraction of Warne’s career I will be impressed.

All in all another shambles. Apparently the last 5 times England have had 2 spinners vs the convicts the scores have been 632, 408, 674, 492 and 570 in the 1st innings.

Shame we didn’t turn up until it was a dead rubber. I suspect it’s more to do with the absence of Starc and them not being able to keep the pressure on the same than any collective England players responsibility. Plus I wonder whether the cons have dropped intensity a bit having completed the job.

http://kwese.espn.com/cricket/story/_/id/21781972/sense-inevitability-england-toil-trouble Interesting article particularly on broad.