Just as nobody wanted to ask Usain Bolt how much quicker he might have gone had he not slowed down before the line in the 2008 Olympics, so it seems churlish to pick holes in Englands performance Old Trafford.England have, after all, just completed the fifth-largest victory - in terms of runs - in their Test history. Joe Root showed that he is continuing to develop as a batsman and has the skill and intelligence to adapt his game to the situation. Alastair Cook, whose decision not to enforce the follow-on was vindicated, continues to produce at the top of the order and Chris Woakes emergence as an international-quality bowler provides the strength in depth that England have been searching for in the seam department.This is a more than respectable Pakistan team and they were hammered. It is 1-1 with two to play and the Edgbaston pitch may well suit England better than any other in the series.But the fact is that England came into the summer with questions to answer about several areas in their side. Notably, they were unclear over the identity of the most suitable partner for Cook at the top of the order, unclear about at least one of the middle-order positions, unsure about their keeper, their spinner and their first-change bowler.So, five Tests later, how much progress have they made?The answer is a little. But whether they are improving as a side or being dragged along by the improvement in their best young player is open to debate. It remains entirely possible that England will go to India later this year with a new opening batsman, a new first-choice spinner and a new face in the middle-order.To some extent, this is positive. If England can win against decent sides despite performing at something around 75% of potential, they clearly have the scope to develop into a fine side.And there have been positives. Woakes seems to have come of age at this level and might, before the year is out, give the selectors some interesting decisions to make if they decided to go into Tests in Asia with fewer seamers. While he does not quite ease the pain of losing Ben Stokes for Edgbaston, he does reduce it. The last time England had two such fine allrounders was arguably in the brief period in the late 1970s in which Ian Botham and Tony Grieg played together.In this match, too, Jonny Bairstow produced an admirable performance with the gloves. There were only two catches, but there were no drops, few fumbles and only two byes in total. He still has questions to answer, but this was a step in the right direction.Most of all, there was the performance of Root. If, in the first innings, he demonstrated the discipline and restraint required to succeed at No. 3, in the second he demonstrated the strokeplay and selflessness to prove he can adapt as his side requires. Afterwards Cook referred to his double-century as a great innings and one of the best he had ever seen while Misbah-ul-Haq described it as amazing. It was hard to disagree. Root really does look as if he is developing into a special player.So it is probably inevitable that England should rely upon him and Cook. Just as Sri Lanka once relied upon Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Australia relied upon Allan Border and South Africa now rely on Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. To some extent, that is the inevitable burden of excellence.In the end, that was the difference between this Test and the first. While at Lords, Root top-edged an overly aggressive slog-sweep, here he made sure he took advantage and, as Cook put it, ground Pakistan down. England took advantage of winning the toss, they werent in a rush with the bat or their tactics and they still won with more than a day to spare. There is a lesson there.The concern - or perhaps it is just a gripe - is that Root and Cooks success is masking some pretty modest returns from the rest of the top-order. Roots move to No. 3 has opened a hole at No. 4, with Alex Hales, Gary Ballance and James Vince all struggling to supply contributions so far this series.It is Vinces form that is most concerning. He is not just falling for low scores - he is averaging 18.57 after seven Test innings - but failing in predictable ways. His first-innings failure here, edging a drive at a ball angled across him, came in spite of a life earlier in the innings attempting the same stroke. The failure to learn does not bode well.If Vince is dropped - and Stokes injury may save him - it does not mean the end for him. Many players have found their first taste of international cricket tough but have returned to county cricket with more knowledge of the standards required to succeed at this level. He has the talent to come again.Ballance has only had three innings in this series - one of them quite impressive - so probably deserves a longer run to prove himself, while Hales surely did enough in the Sri Lanka games to earn a place for the rest of this series. He is not at the stage, though, where he can be said to have secured the opening position and is clearly struggling against the swing of Mohammad Amir. How he overcomes that very specific challenge in the next two Tests may define his career in this format.Moeen Alis form is a worry, too. While he has the third-best average of any English spinner (with more than five Test wickets) since the war, he also has the worst average of any England bowler with more than 20 Test wickets this century.He took five wickets at Old Trafford - a reflection of Pakistans policy of trying to destroy him as much as any particularly wonderful bowling - but seems to have developed a worrying habit of delivering a head-high full toss an innings, which betrays a man struggling for form and confidence. England deserve credit for sticking with him - Cook has developed as a captain in that regard - but Adil Rashid continues to push hard for inclusion. It could well be that both men play on an Edgbaston track that tends to turn as the game progresses.The truth is, England rather got away with their errors in Manchester. They got away with Cooks missed slip chance on the fourth day - had Younis Khan been at a different stage of his career, he may have punished them - and they got away with a top order that offered contributions from two players. So dominant were Englands seamers and two of their top three that it made little difference that Hales, Ballance and Vince struggled.Theres still work to do, Cook said. Theres still inexperience in that batting line-up. Three of the top five are pretty inexperienced. We still have a couple of years to go as a side.But that presupposes that experience will improve players. It might, of course. But it might also show they are not quite up to the standard required. It remains a bit early to draw conclusions about a couple of this top order. As a result, it is a bit early to gauge how much improvement England have made.Selection for the next Test will be intriguing. As well as trying to find a replacement for Stokes - there is surely no way he will be fit for next Wednesday - England must also reflect on Vinces form and decide if Moeen did enough here. Had Stokes not been injured, there was a chance that England could have picked Rashid in place of Vince for Edgbaston. But now they must decide if they also want a replacement seamer and how much batting is required. For a side who have just achieved a huge win, they have quite a lot of thinking to do. Cheap Jerseys From China .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. NFL Jerseys Outlet . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. http://www.jerseyswholesale.us/ . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Wholesale China Jerseys . 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Can Dirk Nowtzki continue to fight off Father Time?RosterLost: Raymond Felton, David Lee, Zaza Pachulia, Chandler Parson, Jeremy Evans, Javale McGeeAdded: Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, Quincy Acy, Seth Curry, A.J HammonsStar: Dirk Nowitzki. Still their No. 1 offensive weapon.Breakout: Seth Curry. Will step out of his brothers shadow and prove he belongs.Last Season: Secured 6th then pushed aside by OKC; 42-40.Projection: Can Dirk take the Mavs into another playoff run? 41-41 (9th)Denver NuggetsDenver have an odd-looking roster that could either do very well or combust completely. They have depth, which is always a good thing to have, but theyll be active around trade time.RosterLost: D.J Augustin, Joffrey LauvergneAdded: Jamal Murray, Juan Hernangomez, Malik Beasley, Petr CornelieStar: Emmanuel Mudiay. Still young but will lead this team back to glory days.Breakout: Will Barton. Should be in the running for 6th man of the year.Last Season: Surprise packet that pushed for 11th; 33-49.Projection: Plenty of talent but still need time; 36-46 (12th)Golden State WarriorsStill hurting from the end of last season, but went out and replaced Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes with Kevin Durant and Zaza Pachulia. Not sure how any team can match up with them at either end of the floor, and watch for the small ball lineup.RosterLost: Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights, Leandro BarbosaAdded: Damian Jones, Patrick McCaw, Kevin Durant, Zaza Pachulia, David WestStar: Steph Curry. The best shooter in the game gets more firepower around him.Breakout: Patrick McCaw. Only a rookie but should get plenty of fourth-quarter minutes.Last Season: Runners up; 73-9 record.Projection: They look formidable and nigh unstoppable; 67-15 (1st)Houston RocketsWas it Dwight Howards fault that they couldnt get anything going? Is James Harden too selfish? Plenty of questions were raised last season, but Harden will showcase why he is a legitimate MVP chance as he leads the Rockets into the playoffs.RosterLost: Dwight Howard, Terrence Jones, Jason Terry, Michael Beasley, Andrew GoudelockAdded: Chinanu Onuaku, Zhou Qi, Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Nene, Pablo Prigioni, Tyler EnnisStar: James Harden. Will claim his first MVP.Breakout: Eric Gordon. Injury plagued for so long, but will play a full season and show how good he is.Last Season: Snuck in to the playoffs only to be pushed aside by GSW; 41-41..Projection: New pieces will fit in nicely around Harden; 44-38 (7th).LA ClippersThe Clippers have a phenomenal roster and they can push the Warriors so long as they can stay healthy. If things arent smooth sailing from the outset, moves could be on the cards with a star potentially being shopped around.RosterLost: Jeff Green, C.J Wilcox, Branden Dawson, Jeff Ayres, Pablo Prigioni, Cole AldrichAdded: Brice Johnson, David Michineau, Diamond Stone, Alan Anderson, Brandon Bass, Raymond Felton, Xavier Munford, Marreese Speights, Dorell WrightStar: Blake Griffin. When healthy hes an MVP threat; can he stay healthy?Breakout: Austin Rivers. Signed a big contract and will prove worthy.Last Season: Disappointing end going out in the first round; 53-29.Projection: Its now or never for this squad; 59-23 (2nd)Los Angeles LakersLakers fans are excited for the season ahead, which says a lot. Theres not going to be the glory days of years gone by, but there is plenty of promise. Give the kids time to find their feet, and theyll get the ball rolling.RosterLost: Kobe Bryant, Brandon Bass, Robert Sacre, Roy Hibbert, Ryan KellyAdded: Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, Luol Deng, Timofey Mozgov, Thomas Robinson, Yi Jianlian, Jose CalderonStar: DAngelo Russell. Embroiled in controversy last season, but will become the leader this season.Breakout: Brandon Ingram. The next KD?Last Season: One of the worst in Lakers history; 17-65.Projection: Lakers fans will talk about the future all season long; 25-57Memphis GrizzliesCruelled by injuries last season, but still snuck into the playoffs, Marc Gasol is back, and he will prove once again that he is a top 10 big man on both ends of the floor. Mike Conley has something to prove after signing his new massive contract; can he live up to it?RosterLost: Chris Andersen, Matt Barnes, Jordan Farmer, Xavier Munford, Lance Stephenson, Bryce CottonAdded: Wade Baldwin IV, Deyonta Davis, Rade Zagorac, Wang Zhelin, James Ennis, Chandler Parsons, Troy DanielsStar: Marc Gasol. Makes the offence flow, and theyll struggle without him.Breakout: Chandler Parsons. Needs to make a big impact in Memphis.Last Season: Fell into the playoffs and swept aside by Spurs; 42-40.Projection: Wont get hit by the injury curse this time; 47-35 (5th)Minnesota TimberwolvesEvery single person has the Wolves on their must-watch list this season, as theyre incredibly young and loaded with talent. Wont necessarily translate to wins, but theyll be competitive right down to the final buzzer.RosterLost: Kevin Garnett, Damjan Rudez, Greg SmithAdded: Kris Dunn, Cole Aldrich, Jordan Hill, Brandon Rush, Rasual ButlerStar: Karl Anthony-Towns. 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Offensive weapon and will get plenty of freedom with Davis.Last Season: Nothing seemed to go their way; 30-52.Projection: Still a piece or two away from the big time; 39-43 (10th)Oklahoma City ThunderKevin Durant walked out, and the city of Oklahoma crumbled. Russell Westbrook needs to rebuild the faith and show he can lead this team to the glory without Durant. Westbrook is angry; you wont like him when hes angry.RosterLost: Kevin Durant, Dion Waiters, Serge Ibaka, Randy FoyeAdded: Ersan Ilyasova, Victor Oladipo, Joffery Lauvergne, Ronnie Price, Domantas Sabonis, Daniel HamiltonStar: Russell Westbrook. Hes on a warpath, and you best not get in his way.Breakout: Domantas Sabonis. If he possess one fifth of his dads skills, look out.Last Season: Lost Western Conference Finals; 55-27.Projection: Big losses, tough to overcome. Can they surprise? 45-37 (6th)Phoenix SunsGreat pickups in the draft and so much young talent on this roster. Give them time and theyll flouris, but they have to endure the dark times for this season. Still one you should have on the radar as a must-watch team.RosterLost: Chase Budinger, Jon Leuer, Ronnie Price, Mirza TeletovicAdded: Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, Tyler Ulis, Leandro Barbosa, Jared DudleyStar: Devin Booker. Just 19-years-old but already one of the better shooters in the league.Breakout: Dragan Bender. Special talent.Last Season: Young team learning the ropes; 23-59.Projection: Loads of fun to watch; 27-55 (13th)Portland Trail BlazersSpent a lot of money in the off-season in the hope of bringing in more talent to push for a deeper playoff run. Log jam at the small forward position and plenty of bigs who pack the paint. Can Lillard and McCollum prove theyre the best backcourt in the league?RosterLost: Gerald Henderson, Brian Roberts, Cliff AlexanderAdded: Evan Turner, Festus Ezeli, Jake Layman, Shabazz NapierStar: Damian Lillard. Explosive scoring threat. Can he lead them deeper into the playoffs?Breakout: Meyers Leonard. Will find consistency over the entire season.Last Season: Bundled out the Clippers and then stole one from GSW; 44-38.Projection: Small step back for the Blazers; 42-40Sacramento KingsIts going to be a long hard slog for the Kings this season, DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best big men in the game, but that wont be enough to get them off the bottom of the West. If things are truly bad, he could force his way out.RosterLost: Quincy Acy, Seth Curry, Rajon Rondo, Marco Belinelli, James Anderson, Caron Butler, Duje Dukan, Eric MorelandAdded: Georgios Papagiannis, Malachi Richardson, Skal Labissiere, Isaiah Cousins, Arron Afflalo, Matt Barnes, Jordan Farmer, Ty Lawson, Garrett Temple, Anthony Tolliver, Lamar PattersonLast Season: Despite turmoil, still finished 10th; 33-49.Projection: Wont be pretty; 22-60Star: DeMarcus Cousins. Truly dominant force; unlike anyone else in the league.Breakout: Ben McLemore. Offensive firepower will see him have huge games.San Antonio SpursSan Antonio enter a new era having said goodbye to Tim Duncan; can they maintain their incredible run without him? Kawhi Leonard will continue his march up the ladder of best player in the league while stopping everything defensively.RosterLost: Tim Duncan, Boris Diaw, David West, Boban MarjanovicAdded: Pau Gasol, David Lee, Dewayne Dedmon, Dejounte MurrayStar: Kawhi Leonard. Not just a lock-down defender, and hell average 20+ points.Breakout: Patty Mills. Off the back of his Olympic efforts in Rio, hell look to take the starting role from Tony Parker.Last Season: Couldnt match it with OKC in the playoffs; 67-15.Projection: Loss of superstars wont affect their playoff push; 58-24 (3rd)Utah JazzUtah are going to rattle some cages this season; theyve got a list full of talent, and theyre hungry to make an impact after just missing the playoffs last season. Signed plenty of experience in the off-season to help mentor and teach.RosterLost: Trevor Booker, Tibor PleissAdded: Joel Bolomboy, Marcus Paige, Tyrone Wallace, Joe Johnson, Boris Diaw, George Hill, Henry SimsStar: Derrick Favors. Incredible offensive skillset and should be the go-to for them.Breakout: Dante Exum. Hungry to get back out there, and his versatility will go a long way.Last Season: Just missed playoffs; 40-42.Projection: Young and ready to run, the Jazz are ready; 49-33 (4th)Projected West Standings1. Golden State Warriors2. Los Angeles Clippers3. San Antonio Spurs4. Utah Jazz5. Memphis Grizzlies6. Oklahoma City Thunder7. Houston Rockets8. Portland Trailblazers9. Dallas Mavericks10. New Orleans Pelicans11. Minnesota Timberwolves12. Denver Nuggets13. Phoenix Suns14. Los Angeles Lakers15. 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