Pietersen's best man

While Kevin Pietersen sets his sights on the Ashes, Lawrence Booth in his blog for the Guardian acknowledges the role of Andrew Strauss as the England captain's best man.

With an eye on the top job himself, Strauss may have offered only equivocal support to Pietersen's nomination. But in a team at times accused of lacking independent thinkers his common-sense advice in the months ahead could be crucial as Pietersen attempts to grow into the job.

Mike Atherton in the Times believes it's time to sit down and reassess after the initial euphoria has passed. He quotes Oscar Wilde on second marriages, calling the Test “a triumph of optimism over experience" and presents few pointers for Peter Moores and the captain to take note.

A top order that only once passed 350 in the first innings, and twice was rolled over for fewer than 250; an all-rounder, Flintoff, who is yet to show that his batting form has returned; a wicketkeeper (Ambrose) who, on present form, would not get into the team of any other leading Test-playing nation and a spinner (Panesar) who, if not exactly regressing, is certainly not progressing as quickly as a cricketer who has played 33 Tests should.

The overriding impression left by this series is one of England batting capitulations on flat pitches consigning their bowlers to hard labour, writes Simon Hughes in the Telegraph.

Pietersen, for all his extravagant gifts, got out three times with the bowlers at his mercy, Collingwood was a walking wicket for half the series, Bell's tally was distorted by his cultured 199 at Lord's (his other six innings produced only 130 runs), Cook continually failed to build on excellent starts and Broad at present has a tail-ender's licence, though that may change.

England's last-ditch win, not without merit of course, is rather like the 18th-hole birdie that masks an otherwise indifferent round of golf, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian.