The Ashes.

[Scouse Patriot]

Well done guys. A terrible series in which England simply played smarter cricket for the greater duration of the series.

Pretty sure there'll be a massive inquest behind closed doors back here in Australia yet public unity.

If Ponting was to lose the captaincy who would you have aus? Clarke?

 

[ausbacker]

If Ponting was to lose the captaincy who would you have aus? Clarke?

One of the seagulls lurking somewhere in the fringes

Ponting won't be demoted. He'll be captain until he retires. There's a lack of leadership quality material in this Australiam team at present, so much so that Michael Clarke would probably be the next captain.

He's not a particularly deep thinker and I'm not enthused by that if he does take the reigns.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Truth is that England have a pretty "settled" team because they don't have much of an alternative. If not Alastair Cook, who? Bell, Collingwood -- they are what they are!

It's amazing to me that the Australian team should have lost Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Langer and Hayden from the 2005 series. That's two unquestionably great players and three very good ones (big fan of Langer -- Hayden, not so much). Not to mention having Lee injured. They are re-building and, as usual, are spoiled for choice. But I'm not sure who (apart from Ponting) can become a figure to match up with those.