This is one blog, I hadn’t reckoned on writing at this time but rather after when our lads (England) had played the Aussies in Australia, their last game in this (five match) series of Test match cricket.

So much has happened up to the first two matches being played that I felt I needed to get my thoughts off my chest and make it a two-part series – this part and Part 2 after the fifth match is played.

I have enjoyed the game of cricket ever since I was introduced to it as a boy. In my younger days, I played the game (albeit at a modest level). I have watched the game played live but more often I followed it on TV and the BBC (TMS). From then until now – my favoured teams to follow were Essex and England, but always appreciating it when good cricket is played, with my preferred format being Test cricket, especially when played between England and Australia.

It was with hopeful anticipation and expectation I looked forward to this latest, somewhat hyped up, Test series, something we were told England had long been preparing for. The hope was that England would beat the old enemy, especially as our side showed some promise and the Aussies hadn’t been at their best of late and missing star players like Cummins. But it wasn’t to be, at least thus far – England have been comprehensively beaten in the first two tests and now need to win the final three in order to regain the Ashes – a task, few would disagree, somewhere between unlikely and impossible.

I have been following and listening to BBC TMS on my computer and phone, as opportunity allowed, with a degree of nervousness during the (only) two days of the First Test and four days of the Second, often experiencing a sad resignation of the inevitable. There have been moments in both games when it looked at least possible for England to win, but they were outplayed by the Aussies in all departments (batting, bowling, fielding and not to forget tactics). England have had their moments, headed by Joe Root scoring his first hundred in Australia, but Australia always managed to get the upper hand, despite England having their chances. Australian stars have been led by Travis Head with a fine century in the First Test and Mitchell Starc, showing class with his amazing efforts with bat and ball in the Second, with on the whole better supporting acts.

Where to go from now? Bazball or not bazball? What changes are now needed? are some of the questions that are being asked. The pundits, such as ex England captains: Atherton and Hussain on Sky/YouTube and Vaughan on TMS have given us their views and, despite picking up on some of the positives, have been unanimously critical of England’s approach. Other top level ex England cricketers, such as Botham and Boycott, have been even more scathing. Of course, I will be rooting for England, hoping for a reversal in fortunes and the best response, although I will not be intensely following the games as I don’t have the time or the nerve. As always, I hope that the best team wins, but so far it has been Australia!