jim mk2

Excitement, worry, anxiety, fear, concern, brief raised hopes, ultimately dashed, drift, time, lots of time, slow decline, then finally apathy, because no one cares any more The slow death of a famous football club

Rob Key on the radio this morning was deeply unimpressive, stumbling his way through the interview, inarticulate, lack of explanation for the drinking story let alone addressing or showing any understanding of the multiple failures on this tour “…… you know, we’ll have a look at this, you know, the players need time off, you know, maybe it shouldn’t have happened, you know, we’ll have a look at it, you know, we’re disappointed of course, you know, we’ll have a look at this, you know, maybe lessons need to be learnt, you know, we’ll have a look at this, you know, you know, you know… Classic British management, over promoted, out of his depth, not up to the job, probably overpaid, clueless and hopeless P45s for him and McCullum

Rovers have a very good record in the north east but Boro are in fine fettle and it's going to be a tough game. We'll probably be Driving Home after Christmas with nul points

How does and in what way does McCullum think England are "making progress" and "improved as a cricket team"? If the past 3 Tests is "progress" perhaps he could what going backwards looks like. The man is deluded and making ridiculous statements like that is holding fans and the public in contempt. And of course he wants to stay on. He's being paid a shed load of money. Get rid now.

It was imperative England got off to a good start by at least drawing the first Test but they started badly as always - and from then on it was always going to be difficult To me that is down purely to poor preparation. Playing a few one dayers as warm up is not the way to prepare for a tough 5-Test series. Why the management thought it would work only they know. Boycott said it was stupidity - and he was right. The opposition have one exceptional bowler on top form but overall there wasn't much between the bowling attacks. England's bowlers have generally pitched the ball too short - even against the tail enders. That's poor cricket and comes down to the bowling coaches. England's batmen have seriously underperformed. There's little a batsman can do when he gets a very good ball but so many of our dismissals were down to poor shots and muddled thinking, wickets given away time and again. I blame the Bazball mentality for much of that. The least England can do is battle hard in the last 2 Tests and show some pride. Now it doesn't matter and the Ashes are gone I wouldn't put it past them to see them win both

Well that’s that. A bit of fight this time but the damage was done in the pathetic showing in the first 2 Tests Jamie Smith must be the epitome of the Bazball philosophy. Bashes the ball around like he’s playing in a one dayer then inevitably gives his wicket away. Does he realise it’s ok in test cricket to be circumspect for a while and not every ball has to be lashed to the boundary? McCullum,s a busted flush. Look forward to his resignation

A very welcome win and lightens the sporting mood amid the Ashes debacle. Millwall were poor apparently and apart from maybe Coventry this division seems to be very ordinary from top to bottom. Shame we don't have the players or the manager to capitalise on it. Also good to see academy players coming in and making good impressions Speaking of which was driving through Cambridgeshire recently and the local radio was waxing lyrical about Harry Leonard and that Peterborough think they'll lose him to a "bigger" club.

Not good enough as the likely Ashes defeat shows but not through lack of ability or "competitive instinct". This farce is all down to the lackadaisical mindset of the players instilled by Stokes and McCullum and the daft perceived need always to "entertain". England have as many talented players as them but have not had the discipline to buckle down and build an innings and play each ball on its merits or bowl a consistent line and length - proper Test cricket. The opposition bowlers haven't had to work hard for their wickets , just pitch the ball up on a length outside off stump and sooner rather than later England's players will have a big swipe at the ball. Crawley and Pope also have a number of technical problems - as their average shows The management are also to blame for the poor preparation for this series - as if they were hoping it would all come right on the day. It's been amateurish from the start and entirely predictable

Crawley is just another who doesn’t have a clue where his off stump is and when and when not to leave the ball. His Test average as an opener speaks for itself

435 to win so Duckett chases a wide one on his second ball Brainless Bazball baloney

Online is more difficult than it should be. Customer facing stuff that works (or doesn't) - including manning telephones that are answered quickly and supporter relations - is absolute basic stuff and another sign of a failing entity

...... and even then screw up because of the stupid Bazball mentality. England should have won the previous Ashes series and last summer's India series but threw them away through the silly first Test declaration in the former and mindless batting in the last Test in the latter. It worked for a while and was exciting to watch but now it doesn't. McCullum should resign after this series.

Crawley and Pope …. The rabbits of England cricket. Hopeless

One of the all-time Ewood greats and the best strip bar none Take me back

Carey should have been given out on 72 but the Snicko operators got it wrong. They also got it wrong - again in the convicts' favour - when Smith was given out in the first Test Same old Aussies etc etc Catches win matches and England dropped another today, costing 80 runs.

The only hope is that Toth, Tronstad, Wharton and Hedges (!!!) come back as soon as possible and none of them get injured to the end of the season. Without them, we’re certain to be relegated. Even with them playing regularly, and alot of luck, it’s going to be tough. This is as poor a squad as I can remember in my 60 plus year lifetime of support

Yes, been saying it all season

It's been pointed out several times that Ismael's lasted an average of 7 months at all the clubs he's managed, so he's already overdue for potting. But the great minds at Ewood saw fit to give him a 3-year contract so we better get used to it. Onwards and downwards.

England were basing their “feared” pace attack on a fit and firing Wood - which was always a gamble given his injury record. File his inevitable departure in the debacle file along with Stokes’s poor captaincy, McCullum’s unwarranted bravado, and the players’ inept batting, bowling and fielding. England could of course win 3-2 but I’ll eat my flat cap if they do

Whether (geddit?) or not the match goes ahead, one thing is almost certain: that the uncertainty will mean the attendance is likely to be among the lowest in the modern era. Sub 8,000 is my prediction, though of course the official figure will be higher. The resident statto wildesdenover will provide the relevant figures in due course.

England played some decent cricket against India last summer, battled hard and got their heads down when they had to against a top team. Then the final Test, a chance to beat India 3-1, England needed about 40 to win with 6 wickets in hand and loads of time to do it. So why did Smith dance down the pitch and try to smash the ball for 4 when England could have to the target easily nudging singles? It’s brainless stupid unthinking cricket to me and I blame McCullum and Stokes for this muddle headed approach that has led to the present debacle

A fine gesture towards fans who attended yesterday (including Sheffield Wednesday) would be free entry for the replay and half price for everyone else. What odds above nil are there of that happening?

Sorry I don’t understand why fans would want us docked points that would almost certainly lead to relegation. Docking us points won’t lead to a change of ownership - or any other positive outcomes. A fine is appropriate

Remember it well Parson unfortunately. Pitches were terrible in winter then (and into the 1990s - watch some of the title winning matches) but soil and grass technology has improved enormously since and there is no excuse for what is happening now. We’re the talk of football again - but this time for the wrong reasons. It’s embarrassing and very damaging for the club

The league will be scrutinising us now and I think some sort of heavy fine is inevitable and probably welcome if it forces the Ewood hierarchy to act and buy or hire proper equipment to keep the pitch playable. In the longer term the pitch clearly needs relaying in the summer. The worry is if another match is called off this season, and then the risk is that league might consider docking us points, which would be a disaster given our current position. It's just another sign that the club is slowly being run into the ground, as the reporter from the Sheffield Star noted. Ewood is being starved of investment and tired and shabby, and it looks it. Even in the posh seats in the Jack Walker Stand it's noticeable. We had a meal there a few years ago and the whole place looked like it needed a revamp. The toilets, quite frankly, were disgusting. This is also so sad ....... and the torment of these despicable owners shows no sign of ending