Ladies and Gentleman, Fasten your seatbelts, we are ready for the take-off.

— Harsha Bhogle.

Well that wasn’t the result we wanted coming off the back of such an epic world cup. Several things need to change before the series is quickly lost.

Before we get started, let’s just remember that Australia won the last Ashes series 4-0 and that they haven’t won a Test match at Edgbaston since the turn of the century. All is not lost though, the last time we lost the first test match of an Ashes series was in 2005.

Could we see a repeat of the greatest Ashes series ever? Let’s hope and pray!

First things first, losing Jimmy Anderson was not ideal and losing such a key man is a massive blow to the team. But let’s not forget that we had opportunities to change the outcome of this test match.

Broad and Woakes put us in a great position of the first day, having the Aussies 122/8 before letting them off the hook, allowing them to score another 162 runs for the last 2 wickets. Credit has to go to Smith and Siddle for digging in to get their side out of a hole, however, the England bowlers should have put an end to it far earlier. 

Rory Burns was an unlikely hero for us in the first innings, with the rest of the top 7 making just 148-6. Great to see Burns digging in to score a well-made ton on Ashes Debut. His innings well and truly dragged England up and put us in a position to post a solid lead, needing just 18 runs for a first-innings lead with 6 wickets in hand, at stumps on day 2. We managed to add only 107 more runs for the loss of those 6 wickets. Again letting the Aussies off the hook. Why was it left to a debutant to hold the England team together when there are so many senior players in that side? 

Following an excellent second innings for the Aussies, it took them just 45 overs to take all ten second-innings wickets. Eight of those wickets came in the last 23 overs. It was a performance that featured a lack of skill, heart, and application from most of the team. 

Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say we were outplayed by better opposition. Unfortunately, with the focus in previous years being on the 50 and 20 over formats, it seems that our test focus has taken a back seat. We just don’t seem to be a great test side at the moment.  

The question for me is that; can Bairstow, Buttler, and Roy all play in the same test side? At this very moment, I don’t see how all three can fit into the test side. They are all very attacking players and that isn’t what we need. We need a strong, gritty and consistent batting order. I do, however, see potential in all of them for the future. 

England may consider picking Ben Foakes for the Lords test if he is 100% fit. Over the winter, he took the gloves, making a century on debut against Sri Lanka and had a batting average higher than anyone else in the England side since the start of 2018. However, Foakes was ousted, with the understanding that Bairstow was more likely to retain his spot in the team overall. Bairstow scored just 8 in the first ashes innings, which comes off the back of a pair against Ireland a few weeks ago. He also averages under 14 for this calendar year. The shot he played to get out in the first innings, something between a cut and a drive, which simply looped up to David Warner, showed indecision and lack of patience in my opinion. If Ben Foakes is fit, I would get him in for Bairstow. 

All the hype regarding Jos before the world cup seemed to have a negative impact on him and he seems to be carrying some of that pressure into the Ashes. The fact that Jos now has a Test average of just 13 against Australia in the last 6 tests doesn’t bode well for him at all.

Ed Smith isn’t going to want to make too many changes just yet as it is his first Ashes series as national selector and doing so will just look like panic. Plus that isn’t the way England do things! If Jos fails in the second test at Lords then I would like to see Sam Northeast considered for his spot, given his recent form in the County Championship. 

Roy will be his own biggest downfall. He doesn’t have enough patience to hang around at the top of the order without hitting boundaries. He showed this by the horrid way he got out in the second innings. He is a born and bred one day player who hasn’t had the time to develop his game into a test match batsman. Although given time I think he has potential. Maybe try him at 4 instead of Joe Denly and see how he gets on. 

My pick to open the batting with Burns would be Dom Sibley. He has made a bold statement in the County Championship this season, averaging 62.67, and played well for the Lions against Australia A. Surely he has to be next in line to sure up the top order. 

Moeen Ali seems to be seriously lacking confidence. He has offered a lot to England in the past but it is embarrassing to see him bowling as he did in the second innings. The lack of runs he has scored lately is likely to be a key factor and that has now leaked through into his bowling. Ali finished with second-innings figures of 2-130 from 29 overs. Poor from our front line spinner especially when you compare it to Nathan Lyons figures of 6-49 from 20. It seems to me that Moeens’ head has gone and I don’t think you can risk playing him in the next test. 

The ideal replacement for Ali would be Jack Leach and he could be the key to getting out Steve Smith. The change of angle, with Leach bowling slow left-arm off spin, may just be enough to make the difference. Smith averages just 35 against slow left-arm spin compared to an average of 97 against right-arm spin. He has to go in. 

Don’t get me wrong, I do have some sympathy for these boys. It has been a tough summer, both emotionally and physically. But it doesn’t excuse the way they performed. They are professional athletes and should be able to cope with these stresses and strains. After the countries first cricket World Cup win, you would have thought the big players would have been pumped up for a home ashes series. 

Below I have picked my XI for the Lords test. Let me know what you think?

1. Rory Burns
2. Dom Sibley
3. Joe Root
4. Jason Roy
5. Ben Stokes
6. Jos Buttler
7. Ben Foakes
8. Chris Woakes
9. Jofra Archer
10. Jack Leach
11. Stuart Broad