Today England said that Bashir is still their No.1 spinner. In that case the question becomes, "Why do you put so little value in spin bowling that you play without your best spinner?"

In praise of the matter-of-fact dynamism of Travis Head www.kingcricket.co.uk/in-praise-of...

England's two strongest performers so far, I reckon.

Sky Sports has boiled its Ashes coverage down to its purest and greatest form: Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain standing there talking about what’s gone wrong www.kingcricket.co.uk/sky-sports-h...

Seems they're not picking him because he's not in form. But when did they ever pick him based on form?

Best of luck to Will Jacks but it is just grim that England have a squad where he is seen as the best spin option.

Still no Shoaib Bashir then. Do you remember when Ben Stokes used to back his spinners? www.kingcricket.co.uk/still-no-sho...

Resist!

Can England defy the irresistible gravity of right-arm fast-medium in Adelaide? An Ashes third Test preview www.kingcricket.co.uk/can-england-...

Can England defy the irresistible gravity of right-arm fast-medium in Adelaide? An Ashes third Test preview www.kingcricket.co.uk/can-england-...

A memorable nomination from the latest series of The Ridiculous Ashes. www.kingcricket.co.uk/the-2019-rid...

You know about this already, but... The 2019 Ridiculous Ashes (podcast) www.kingcricket.co.uk/the-2019-rid...

Two established goals that England fast bowlers with vulnerable kneeds should probably reject henceforth: 1. Making a big impact 2. Hitting the ground running

A fun theme that’s covered in depth in one of the chapters in our fantastic new book, The 50 Most Ridiculous Ashes Moments. liebcricket.com/ridiculousashes

We've spurned left-armers, shed the spinner and now lost one of the fast bowlers. The gravitational pull of the right-arm fast-medium attack is too great to resist. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Five ways England’s Gabba defeat to Mitchell Starc and Australia’s medium-pacers was even worse than the first Test www.kingcricket.co.uk/five-ways-en...

Upbeat evening reading matter.

Five ways England’s Gabba defeat to Mitchell Starc and Australia’s medium-pacers was even worse than the first Test www.kingcricket.co.uk/five-ways-en...

Likewise.

Hand-finding with Steve Smith www.kingcricket.co.uk/hand-finding...

BADBALL MORE LIKE! Amirite?

Australia are missing their captain and two-thirds of their seam attack; they've inexplicably dropped their spinner; and they're choosing openers basically at random. And yet. Amazing how, after all these years, something so familiar can still feel so surprising.

I should be old and experienced enough not to fall for the Australian scoring format in the first over any more.

What was his impact here? That it would have taken England an awful lot longer to bowl Australia out for 500-and-odd without him?

Someone tell Brydon Carse he’s getting tonked – we’re not sure he’s noticed www.kingcricket.co.uk/someone-tell...

Someone tell Brydon Carse he’s getting tonked – we’re not sure he’s noticed www.kingcricket.co.uk/someone-tell...

Maybe I'm being unfair on him, but I feel like Jamie Smith did a good job of not dropping that one that Joe Root dropped.

The actual urn is so small you can't see its eyes unless you're really, really close.

How Joe Root failed at the Gabba in two key respects www.kingcricket.co.uk/how-joe-root...

Gearing up for the Gabba. Trebuchets, 1980s Cadbury's adverts and Doc Brown all feature in this - but honestly, it's mostly cricket.

Gearing up for the Gabba. Trebuchets, 1980s Cadbury's adverts and Doc Brown all feature in this - but honestly, it's mostly cricket.

Ashes 2nd Test preview: Brisbane’s Gabba brings us the pink ball, under lights, on the fastest pitch in the world. Will England’s batters be ready? How about Australia’s? www.kingcricket.co.uk/ashes-2nd-te...

Evenin'

The 50 Most Ridiculous Ashes Moments is definitely out now – you should buy it for someone! (Possibly yourself) www.kingcricket.co.uk/the-50-most-...

I was only consciously shooting for fairness. Make of that what you will.

Zak Crawley v Mitchell Starc: Crawley is due. But what is he due exactly? Another pair? www.kingcricket.co.uk/zak-crawley-...

I would go so far as to say that if you haven’t bought a copy of the book for your cat, you’re teetering dangerously close to animal cruelty. liebcricket.com/ridiculousashes

A cat finally being won over to cricket by the sheer ridiculousness of the Ashes www.kingcricket.co.uk/a-cat-finall...

Dangerously adjacent to "taking the positives" with this one.

Infuriating inconsistency is also Ben Stokes’ England team’s superpower, by the way www.kingcricket.co.uk/infuriating-...

I've a suspicion that England's bowlers didn't always get their line 100% right against Travis Head.

Strong feelings who this is and the worst part is they're right.

Bloody Predator, coming round here, nicking off all our middle order batters.

Shall we give this one another airing...

Bloody Predator, coming round here, nicking off all our middle order batters.

May as well just repeat these comments pointing people towards my 1st Test preview. And how well does it double up as a review as well?

There are worse ways to fill this extended gap between Tests...

Cricket fans really prize effort. I always feel like Mitchell Starc is undervalued because two of his greatest attributes are being 1.96m tall and being left-handed, neither of which require a great deal of it.

How fast? How ridiculous?

Get ready.