A significant improvement

In his New Year's message, English Head Coach Andy Flower announces that the England team for the final test match will be Cook (*), Root, Bell, Pietersen, Ballance, Stokes, Bairstow (+), Borthwick, Broad, Anderson and Finn.

Relying on advice from the Most Reverend Justin Welby, Alastair Cook wins the toss, and England decide to bat.  Happily, they bat well, and amass 606-6 before declaring. At the close of play on the second day, the England dressing room is pressed for an interviewee at the press conference: but Andy Flower declines, politely commenting that a risk of press conferences is that you may believe your own publicity. He adds that he was more right than he could ever have imagined, all those years ago, when he told Jamie Foster than he had to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

As England take the field on the third day, there is great delight in the press box that the England players have refrained from using hair gel, and they have made a collective commitment to shaving each morning. It certainly seems to have had an effect on morale on the field, as the England fielders take some excellent catches as Australia slip to 50-5. There is a brief delay to England's progress as Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin play some counter-attacking blows, but a leg break and a googly from Scott Borthwick see off the Australian batsmen. Later, Johnson admits that he too should have had a shave. Australia are dismissed for 133, and England captain Cook orders the follow on - wearing a nice blue blazer.

There is no escape from this for the Australians, and they eventually subside for 198 (Borthwick 5-87, Root 3-38). Asked about the upturn in England's fortunes, in a single interview on the outfield with Jonathan Agnew, Flower explains that the England team have adopted a new attitude. Each player has agreed to accept personal responsibility for his own performance and behaviour. In general, the expectation is that when one is in Rome, one will do as the Romans - unless one is in Australia, in which case one will do as the English.