10 Ways England Can Get The Ashes Back

1. Let Players Have Fun And Play Their Natural Game

The single biggest difference between England and Australia in this last Ashes series is that Australia were having fun. Of course, it's easy to look happy when you're winning, but there was a feeling that the Aussie players were being allowed to express themselves under Darren Lehmann's coaching; they could be themselves so long as they performed on the pitch. England, by contrast, seem to have had all the fun sucked out of them, whether by Flower's rigidity or an all-round lack of confidence. They look like they are not allowed to have fun, and many players are jaded as a result. There is a difference between asking someone like Pietersen to be a team player and forcing him to play like people who are less talented or confident than him. Pietersen is capable of playing carefully to get himself in, but that's not his real talent or the reason he's in the team. He's in the team to change the course of the game, get on top of the opposition and win matches. And it's not just Pietersen or the other more attacking players: Jonathan Trott did a similar thing, dictating terms to the bowlers by only scoring in certain areas and wearing them down to create a platform for Pietersen and Bell. If England are to become a cricketing side which is both successful and entertaining to watch, they have to fill their side with players who can do a job and have fun doing it. Alastair Cook has been a prolific run-scorer thus far, but getting all the top six to play like him would be ludicrous and boring. If players give their wicket away cheaply or undermine the side, they should be disciplined, but you need players with personality to bring in crowds and win Test matches. When a player is having fun, he's more confident, confidence leads to runs and wickets, and runs and wickets win matches. --- Disagree with my recommendations? Got any better ideas? Drop me a comment below.