Strauss has been running on instinct for the entire ODI; good technique will get you through but it takes the spark to really hit the strops. No real opener has meant muddling through and Prior is not good enough at this level and looks tired. In fact he must have been asleep to get stumped - he's a keeper for gawd's sake!
Even Trott, who bats like a man with something to prove every time, is beginning to look less than sure. Peterson, always trying too hard, is a no-surprise casualty. Bell is a test player and better on fast hard pitches - knowing that he might have been rested for this pitch. Morgan is the newbie so tiredness won't have hit him yet.
Colley is always like the brilliant Thorpe but without the raw talent. A bits and pieces fixer of a batsman; without his bowling he'd wouldn't still be there.
The bowlers are weaker too. Broad straining too hard when maybe not quite fit. He remains the future but needs some quiet advice on containing himself with bat as well as ball. Anderson is a big event bowler who often fails to deliver when he is unfocussed - and this pitch would have horrified him I reckon. Swann of course is arguably the best off spinner in the world but he too is jaded by the pressure. Bresnan is the right stuff for one day and Shahzad too looks promising; they did OK on a rotten pitch.
Problem is, we've blown it now. If we qualify I'd say we stand no chance. If someone can legally give Strauss, Prior, Anderson, and Colley a shot of something they might re-join the programme but its a big ask.
