Cricket: Will Boot Camp Solve England's Issues?

With the England team generally perceived to be the outsiders in the current Ashes odds to retain the urn that they won on British soil, the England and Wales Cricket Board has made the decision to copy the Australian side’s tactic of four years ago and organise a boot camp bonding session.

Whilst Andrew Strauss and the other England players may well appreciate the chance to get to know each other that little bit better on such a trip, it is arguably not where the England team should be directing the majority of their focus whilst preparing for a series that many England fans believe is very winnable.

The ECB know all too well that the team they'll be able to pick on November 23 may turn out to be the best England side that they have been able to field in a decade.

Taking this into account, a "get to know each other" bonding session may not be as productive as giving Kevin Pietersen the chance to reclaim some of the swagger that in years past made him a batsman feared by bowlers across the globe.

Alternatively, perhaps the England officials could have handed Graeme Swann the opportunity to think about how best to alter his style in order to ensure that he can overcome the problems that have caused finger-spinners to struggle badly in Australia in the past.

Maybe the ECB should also have taken the advice of Shane Warne, who has suggested that rather than plan a formal series of challenges to allow the players to bond before the Ashes gets underway, they simply organise a good old-fashioned pub lock-in!

Ultimately, whatever method the ECB decides to employ to get the team ready and raring to go before the Ashes, England cricket fans won’t be complaining one little bit if the famous urn makes its way back across the pond still in English hands.