Seems fair. The previous era was largely judged on a tough period featuring India home and away, a WTC winning kiwi side at home, plus australia away.

Over 2024 and 25 Bazball will have faced India home and away, and australia away, albeit with some friendlier fixtures in between.

I'm not sure what the interior design choices of some of these players has to do with anything...

Probably less. You know major collapses are coming, so you just have to hope that they cluster. That way it costs us a match or two and not the series.

The way the new version of the Kookaburra ball seams about in Australia I worry about most of the England batters.

Yeah, some positives: the quicks, Bethall proving he can play, Root and Brook as good as ever.

Many negatives: Thoughtless batting, Crawley, Bashir, Stokes' injury, and the hard to shake thought that if the Kiwis were awake in the field in the first test, then they'd have won it and the series.

I'd take that, but with Southee passing 100 sixes and 400 test wickets because the legend deserves it...

Yeah if you've won the toss and bowled, the batting side getting over 300 is probably disappointing.

Considering how long he's bowled Bashir 'to get him confident' when ahead of the game', it feels telling to not bowl him at all here, and instead risk reinjuring himself in a 'dead rubber'.

I think there are many ways to improve over rates without forcing players to 'hurry'.

Drinks/glove/bat changes only at drinks/if equipment fails.

Ball changes only when the ball actually falls apart or 80 overs

I also like the idea of you stay out until you bowl 90, but pro-rata per innings

Peak Stokes is one of the best in the world. I do worry that peak Stokes, rather like peak all-rounder Flintoff, is something that lasts for ~18 months and then disappears bar the odd flicker.

I'd pick him. A great mind to have around the squad and could really do a job as a specialist new ball bowler.

Would he play every game, no, but he'd be worth his place.

Mario 64

Great controls, smooth difficulty gradient, ability to explore levels without getting overwhelmed, and doable in short bursts.

5 or 6, although I seem to draw red a statistically unlikely proportion of the time...

Say that to the Assassin/Mastermind pair...