Ashes 2013 - see mod warning in post 689

Moist Bread · 19-03-2013 10:05pm

Rjd2 wrote: »

Their batting bar Clarke is very mediocre, how many Australian batsman would get into the England team right now? Clarke obviously and you could make an argument for Warner but that's it, nobody else would have a chance.

Australia may have more depth but they break down a lot and in Anderson they have the best bowler apart from Steyn and Philander in test Cricket.

I would have Warner open instead of Compton, but yeah, otherwise I agree completely.

England are a better team than Australia, but the gulf is not as wide as some people make out. The Aussie quicks are capable of taking 20 wickets at home and in England, so they will always be in with a chance. How Swann recovers from his operation will be important too. Also they need to replace Wade with Haddin or Paine. He's a liability and probably cost Lyon his place to begin with.

kryogen · 20-03-2013 11:23am

Would Watson not have a shout at making the England team like?

Moist Bread · 20-03-2013 2:56pm

kryogen wrote: »

Would Watson not have a shout at making the England team like?

Aw No

Edit: if he was bowling too then he might make it. Otherwise no way, he averages in the mid 30's and get's out after starts and under pressure. England Have Bell for that niche.

SD7792 · 20-03-2013 8:05pm

Completely agree that the gap between Aussies and England is being blown out of proportion. Not too long ago that England were torn apart by spin in the sub continent and no matter how weak the Aussie batting order is, not sure that they would be bowled out for 167 by the NZ bowling attack.

Admittedly, two England Ashes victories seems likely but any talks of 10-0 is just sheer arrogance and hopefully the Aussies can give them a good rattle.

kryogen · 20-03-2013 9:35pm

Ponting won POTY, recall?????

Dozen Wicked Words · 22-03-2013 10:28am

Well England's attack didn't look anything to write home about against the Kiwis on day one of the final test. What on earth Cook was doing putting them into bat on that track I don't know.

Looking forward to some good, close, Ashes tests, that England will hopefully edge, but wouldn't bet on it.

djimi · 22-03-2013 10:32am

From what I saw of last nights play the conditions were not exactly helping the bowlers. Awful decision to put NZ in to bat, but did I hear McCullum say he would have done the same (put England in) had he won the toss?

Dozen Wicked Words · 22-03-2013 4:10pm

djimi wrote: »

From what I saw of last nights play the conditions were not exactly helping the bowlers. Awful decision to put NZ in to bat, but did I hear McCullum say he would have done the same (put England in) had he won the toss?

What did they see in the pitch to both suggest they would both bowl first I wonder.

Moist Bread · 22-03-2013 8:12pm

You can really see why Swann is England's #1 choice spinner. Monty is toiling away with the same stuff over after over, it said a lot when the coms were praising him for trying to set his own fields. Swann does this a lot more often and it never gets mentioned because it's a given when your plan A doesn't work you try something else. Not saying he would have ran through NZ on this pitch but the difference is he is always trying to out-think the batsman where as Monty just toils the same line, length and speed and hopes for a mistake.

Gordon Gecko · 22-03-2013 10:54pm

Moist Bread wrote: »

You can really see why Swann is England's #1 choice spinner. Monty is toiling away with the same stuff over after over, it said a lot when the coms were praising him for trying to set his own fields. Swann does this a lot more often and it never gets mentioned because it's a given when your plan A doesn't work you try something else. Not saying he would have ran through NZ on this pitch but the difference is he is always trying to out-think the batsman where as Monty just toils the same line, length and speed and hopes for a mistake.

To be brutally honest I the fact that Monty is the 2nd choice test spinner indicates just how hard up England are in that department.

kryogen · 23-03-2013 3:42am

The pitches have played in a way that would lead the captains to think bowling first would give them the best chance at taking 20 wickets and winning the match, the pitches have been doing something early and not so much late.

Unfortunate for England really.

Moist Bread · 23-03-2013 6:33am

kryogen wrote: »

The pitches have played in a way that would lead the captains to think bowling first would give them the best chance at taking 20 wickets and winning the match, the pitches have been doing something early and not so much late.

Unfortunate for England really.

Maybe. NZ are in a far better position at this stage though. Martin is choking the run rate (something Monty couldn't do) and from there they might force more mistakes tomorrow. A lot has been said (and rightly so) about how dire Australia have been in India, but a failure to beat NZ can only be seen as a massive failure by England. Again, my point being that the Ashes are far from a foregone conclusion.

Hopefully Bell will show some grit and bat time tomorrow.

booth70 · 23-03-2013 6:56pm

Australia finally show some spirit in India.....even though it is about 3 test matches too late!.....5-for for Nathan Lyon.....4th test nicely poised after two days

booth70 · 24-03-2013 11:26am

India 4 Australia 0......and the revenge is complete

Australia have been out-batted , out-bowled , out-fielded and out-sledged even;)

Fair to say Australia have been utterly hopeless all series with muddled and strange selections......just like India were in Australia last year!......Goes to show how hollow home series wins are

With England struggling in NZ as well it looks like we might still have a competitive Ashes after all

TrueDub · 24-03-2013 12:06pm

Folks, a gentle reminder: we try to have discussions about specific series in separate threads. In this one we have talk of the Ashes, the Eng v NZ series and the Aus v Ind series. I understand the relevance of some of the posts, and I'm not going to split the thread off, especially as the other series are all but complete, but I would ask that we all remember the separate threads approach from now on. Anyone can start a thread.

Rascasse · 24-03-2013 2:00pm

booth70 wrote: »

With England struggling in NZ as well it looks like we might still have a competitive Ashes after all

Possibly, but let us not forget that England beat India 2-1 (also a 4 match series) only a few months ago. That is probably a better indicator to Ashes form than England in NZ.

I find it interesting that Australia (as far as I can see) have no more fixtures until the Champions Trophy in June and no tests until the first Ashes test in July. Meanwhile England have two tests against NZ in May. I'm not sure that's the best preparation for the Aussie's considering all that's been going on recently.

booth70 · 24-03-2013 2:04pm

My Australian X1 for the first test of the Ashes

1. Warner
2. Watson
3. Cowan
4. Clarke
5. Khawaja
6. Henriques
7. Haddin
8. Johnson
9. Siddle
10. Pattinson
11. Lyon

booth70 · 24-03-2013 2:08pm

Rascasse wrote: »

I find it interesting that Australia (as far as I can see) have no more fixtures until the Champions Trophy in June and no tests until the first Ashes test in July. Meanwhile England have two tests against NZ in May. I'm not sure that's the best preparation for the Aussie's considering all that's been going on recently.

Not to worry.....Most of their players will get plenty of practice in the IPL starting shortly!!;)

But agree.....dreadful build-up for the Aussies ahead of the Ashes.....haven't seen their schedule yet but hopefully they'll have atleast 3 first class matches against the counties lined up before the first test

Moist Bread · 24-03-2013 10:19pm

booth70 wrote: »

My Australian X1 for the first test of the Ashes

1. Warner
2. Watson
3. Cowan
4. Clarke
5. Khawaja
6. Henriques
7. Haddin
8. Johnson
9. Siddle
10. Pattinson
11. Lyon

Watson opening is something I'm not sold on and after Clarke it looks a little brittle. Haddin as WK is a good shout, I'd go with Paine, but as long as Wade is kept away from the gloves it's a good call. If Bird/Harris are fit I'd have them instead of Johnson, as it is, I'd go with Starc. With their rotation policy and inevitable injuries I'm sure all the quicks will get some game time anyway.

My XI

1. Warner
2. Cowan
3. Hughes
4. Watson
5. Clarke
6. David Hussey (Seriously)
7. Paine †
8. Starc
9. Siddle
10. Patto
11. Lyon

booth70 · 25-03-2013 8:53pm

Moist Bread wrote: »

Watson opening is something I'm not sold on and after Clarke it looks a little brittle. Haddin as WK is a good shout, I'd go with Paine, but as long as Wade is kept away from the gloves it's a good call. If Bird/Harris are fit I'd have them instead of Johnson, as it is, I'd go with Starc. With their rotation policy and inevitable injuries I'm sure all the quicks will get some game time anyway.

My XI

1. Warner
2. Cowan
3. Hughes
4. Watson
5. Clarke
6. David Hussey (Seriously)
7. Paine †
8. Starc
9. Siddle
10. Patto
11. Lyon

Watson's best innings for Australia have been as an opener and given his poor fitness levels I can't see him bowling much..... so opening might be the best position to get the best out of him

Hughes has had enough chances to prove himself and though he did get a 60 odd in India I can't see him in the starting XI unless someone is out injured

Hussey is a good player.....but at 36 will be a step backward for Australia

I'd pick Haddin ahead of Paine bcos of his experience and as a backup for the brittle middle order

liamoreilly · 31-03-2013 2:34am

..Does anyone feel that all the negativity surrounding austrailia and there chances of winning could have an adverse effect on england...
I see England as a confidence team, but with a tendency to be over confident and fall into the hype of the media and surroundings...would worry from an english perspective that there is a sense of turn up destroy aussies go down under and do it all again...
Also, reading alot of predictions regarding the aussie test side... what would be your english selection, is it a copy of the NZ test or is it too early to be sure of a place?...

booth70 · 31-03-2013 8:23am

England's side for the first test of the Ashes is very predictable.....it will be same side that played the third test in NZ ....except it will be Petersen in for Bairstow and Swanny in for Monty

booth70 · 31-03-2013 2:13pm

Cook ,Compton and Trott at 1,2 and 3.......probably the most boring top order to watch in world cricket now?

djimi · 31-03-2013 11:17pm

Depends how you define boring I guess. Cook and Trott on form are a joy to watch, even if they arent setting the scoring rate alight.

booth70 · 01-04-2013 12:06am

Funny how , ever since McCullum called him the best batsman since Bradman , that Cook has not made a decent score;)

Giggsy11 · 01-04-2013 6:00am

booth70 wrote: »

Cook ,Compton and Trott at 1,2 and 3.......probably the most boring top order to watch in world cricket now?

For me they are up there at the top. Thinking of most boring 1-3 batsmen and tbh I couldn't think of any.

It's not just the scoring rate, I find few players batting style very boring and for whatever reason Cook is at very top for me.

kryogen · 01-04-2013 11:40pm

Trott, Trott all day, he can put up some big numbers but sweet lord he puts me asleep watching him, always number one on my boring elevan...

dfx- · 02-04-2013 1:20am

booth70 wrote: »

Cook ,Compton and Trott at 1,2 and 3.......probably the most boring top order to watch in world cricket now?

Suppose it depends on the bowling attack, conditions etc.

The obstinacy in good bowling conditions against a good attack would be interesting. The polar opposite is the Sehwag style of opener..

Smith is probably the ugliest opener in terms of technique, boring possibly?

Gordon Gecko · 02-04-2013 1:39am

dfx- wrote: »

Suppose it depends on the bowling attack, conditions etc.

The obstinacy in good bowling conditions against a good attack would be interesting. The polar opposite is the Sehwag style of opener..

Smith is probably the ugliest opener in terms of technique, boring possibly?

I despise watching Graeme Smith bat. He's a fantastic batsman without doubt but think he'd be just as good if he'd been a right hander (being naturally right handed). I wouldn't agree that England's top 3 are that boring, they just adapt quite well to the conditions. I think if the wickets are remotely decent though they (Cook in particular or Joe Root if he's there) will flay the Aussie attack, their spinner in particular - who's probably yet to make his first class début as we speak :pac:

Rascasse · 02-04-2013 2:12am

booth70 wrote: »

Cook ,Compton and Trott at 1,2 and 3.......probably the most boring top order to watch in world cricket now?

I really enjoy watching Cook bat when he is in.

I Can't comment on Compton as I haven't seen enough of him.

Trott I would agree with. Forever scratching around at the crease and scoring at the slowest rate possible.

Ashes 2013 - see mod warning in post 689

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