TOPIC:

Just did a bit of analysis of the bowling loads for each team in the first 4 tests
For Australia
Cummins has bowled 129 overs 
Starc 94
Hazlewood 83
Lyon 66
Boland 47
Green 46
Marsh 18
Head 18
Murphy 10
Labusagne 1

For England 
Broad 144 overs
Anderson 114
Robinson 103
Moeen Ali  103
Woakes 69
Wood 56
Tongue 42
Stokes 27
Root 22
Brook 3

Cummins Starc and Hazlewood have thus bowled 306 out of the total 512 overs by Australia in the series or 60% of the overs. When you take into account the World Test Championship final which was a week before the ashes, Starc bowled 28 overs in that game to bring his number up to 122 but he had a break at Edgbaston, Hazlewood didnt play in the WTC final and he had a break at Headingly so he will be fine. Cummins bowled 33 overs in the WTC final to bring his number of overs up to 161 so it is no wonder his bowling has been less effective recently. 
Of course the workloads have increased for the Australian quicks in the last two and a half tests due to the absence of Lyon.

England have bowled far more overs in the series (683) but have spread the workload a lot more evenly even though the veterans have bowled more overs than anyone else ( 258 or 38%). Woakes, Wood, Robinson, Tongue and Mooen Ali have all contributed and even though a bigger load I think they will be a bit fresher that the Australians.

If Cummins wasnt the captain it would be a no brainer to give him a break at the Oval and bring in Neser or  Boland but I doubt if this will even be considered. Hopefully Murphy can bowl his fair share of overs in this test to take some of the load off the main quicks. I also think whoever is selected as the all rounder (Green or Marsh) needs to be able to bowl 10-15 overs in each innings to reduce the load on Cummins in particular.

170 extra overs is a hell of a lot in a close series

On what Boland has delivered in the 2 Tests he has played there is no way he could even be in the discussion to be selected for the 5th Test.
It is either Neser or Sean Abbott for mine to replace Starc if injured.

Would be great if Sean Abbott got a go.

while Abbott has been in great form for Surrey it would make further absolute mockery of the squad that was selected for tour - it looks like Marsh is out and Starc is sore so 2 changes
Murphy in and one other

Leave Voges where he is thank you!
I would much rather he continue the good work he is doing in WA Cricket than get thrown to the wolves coaching the Baggy Blue Brigade mafia who dont want any West Aussie coming in and threatening their status!

there's a few disciplines that have fallen away 
tactics (like going after the best batsman or captain), fielding & batting
and then there's the selections

yes it's not the time to throw the baby out but that water is putrid and needs to be flushed away
 

Thanks Mikeh for that bowling analysis, it shows the bowling load that Cummins has had and that is surely having detrimental effects on his captaincy and his actual bowling. Surely this is a clear message that you cant have your best bowler as captain as you dont want your captain missing matches due to a much needed rest, which he certainly needs and would appreciate. A lesson for the future is that the most successful captains generally are batsmen or the occasional all-rounder like Stokes or Imran Khan.

Pretty safe to say, during the latter stages of JL's tenure the bath water was becoming quite discolored. It all started by losing to an Indian C team at home by selecting cooked bowlers for the GABBA test. 

Followed by poor bowling, fielding and DRS tactics allowing Stokes and Leach to win the unwinnable test at Headingley. Selecting Warner over 5 tests, despite averaging less then 10 was indicative of the the water becoming rancid. Aust even missed out on making the inaugural WTC final through slow over rates....how embarrassing was that.....even more so gifting NZ a finals berth, despite flogging them at home...and they go on to win it.

All conviently papered over with that 4 - 0 hiding of Eng at home for JL's final hurrah....against a very weak Eng mind you....Burns, Hameed, Malan and Vince are WACA grade cricket at best....Just look at Bolands figures now, against a stronger Eng batting line up. 

Seems like McDonald was on a hiding to nothing trying to drive an already knackered bus. Hopefully whoever gets the next bus driving gig, can improve on the obviously flawed R&P win loss record of 11-4.

 

Come of it Freeze.
Unwinable test at Headingly 
Stokes's played one of the best test innings ever,that's all that happened.