Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

GarlicJam wrote:Steve Smith must have been appointed Glenn McGrath's pre-Ashes successor.

Smiffy wrote:"I can't wait to get over there and play another Ashes against England in their conditions after beating them so convincingly in Australia,"

"It's going to be nice to go in their backyard. If we continue to play the way we have been playing over the last 12 to 18 months, I don't think that they'll come close to us to be honest."

Now, it's not as if a lot of people here may disagree with him - I do, I think although Aus will win, it will be closer than he thinks - it is hardly the most politic thing to say. Especially for a leader.

Hard pressed to disagree with him, but then again, over confidence and under estimating the intensity of the series was what cost England big last time round, so he needs to be careful that Australia don't turn up expecting to win without a challenge.

indeed

Aus have been caught out with overconfidence - 2005, for example - in times past.

England have to negotiate two tests and five ODI's against NZ first and that could prove to be a tall order.There's every chance that England will find themselves facing the Assies in the same dysfunctional condition that they are in currently.

At Current stage I think its a 3-1 Aussie win territory. I don't think the gap to the teams is anywhere near the 5-0 drubbing that played out last time, but Australia are certainly a superior team with a bit of form. For England, the hope will be that Clarke cant get through the series, that Rhino will break down, and that Johnson and Smith are way overdue a drop in form.

If those four play all series, and to the level they are capable of, I don't think England have any player that can really match them..... Australia have the form, the overall quality, and the experience edge.

If this series was in Australia with pitches similar to last time around, I think it'd have been 5-0 again. In England, I think the game is pretty much evens stevens. I sense a similar series to the 2013 Ashes in England, which was heck a lot of closer than the final scoreline, where one batsman (Bell) made the difference. Who'll be that batsman this time around and from which side? Will be interesting to see the type of pitches England prepare as unlike in 2013, they don't even have a clear edge in the spin department.

Slow green tops under cloudy skies with Bell, the best player of swing bowling on either side in their ranks, is England's best bet. Can't imagine them giving Australia any pace or bounce to work with. Will be a really close series. Anderson, Broad, Root and Bell are England's trump cards. Australia, on the other hand, don't have a single proven performer with the bat in English conditions (apart from Clarke, who is probably past his best) and only Harris is a proven performer with the ball in England. Australia are the better side on form but England will be no pushovers at home. A win against an IPL-rusty NZ could be a real confidence-booster for the hosts.

shankycricket wrote:If this series was in Australia with pitches similar to last time around, I think it'd have been 5-0 again. In England, I think the game is pretty much evens stevens. I sense a similar series to the 2013 Ashes in England, which was heck a lot of closer than the final scoreline, where one batsman (Bell) made the difference. Who'll be that batsman this time around and from which side? Will be interesting to see the type of pitches England prepare as unlike in 2013, they don't even have a clear edge in the spin department.

Slow green tops under cloudy skies with Bell, the best player of swing bowling on either side in their ranks, is England's best bet. Can't imagine them giving Australia any pace or bounce to work with. Will be a really close series. Anderson, Broad, Root and Bell are England's trump cards. Australia, on the other hand, don't have a single proven performer with the bat in English conditions (apart from Clarke, who is probably past his best) and only Harris is a proven performer with the ball in England. Australia are the better side on form but England will be no pushovers at home. A win against an IPL-rusty NZ could be a real confidence-booster for the hosts.

Largely agree with that

Reckon Harris is indeed a key player for Australia. And England really need to get their team balance right by the time this rolls around. Will need plenty of batting.

So the Aussies have basically a couple of sessions left in Test cricket before the Ashes. A 2 day tour game has been announced against a Hampshire XI, and will involve Chris Rogers, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill and Ryan Harris. The selectors have some big decisions to make pretty soon, and one of them will be what to do about Shane Watson. I reckon he's in trouble. Rogers v Marsh will be a big call. The biggest, it seems is who to bring Ryan Harris in for. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the selectors mull over that one.

Not long now!

i think this will be the line up for the 1st test

1.Warner
2.S.Marsh
3.Smith
4.Clarke
5.Voges
6.M.Marsh
7.Haddin
8.Johnson
9.Starc
10.Hazelwood
11.Lyon

I think Marsh's knock has got his place booked for the 1st test, tough on Rogers but IMO he will be back in the side by the 3rd test probably anyway.... Harris short of match pratice, and Hazelwood has bowled well, so he gets in that side for me

I reckon the selectors will play conservatively - and neither Marsh be there. If there is, it will be Shaun before Mitch.

I hope that Hazelwood has his spot permanently fixed in the team, I see him as the stalwart for the next decade or so. Pigeon MkII

GarlicJam wrote:I reckon the selectors will play conservatively - and neither Marsh be there. If there is, it will be Shaun before Mitch.

I hope that Hazelwood has his spot permanently fixed in the team, I see him as the stalwart for the next decade or so. Pigeon MkII

Hazelwood has to have secured his place in the ashes. I also think Starcs performance in the world cup and the West indies also means he gets a place. For me it is then between MJ and Harris for the last quick place. For me i think it will be MJ though it is a great choice for Australia to have to make.

I also think Rodgers will come back into the team. The Aus batting line up for me is pretty poor at present. Warner seems to have lost a bit, Clarke has his back problem, Watson is not a test batsman. Haddin is not the batsman he was for the last ashes series. It all looks a bit fragile to me.

Other than Smith who's golden run will have to end, i think the Aus batting line up is a huge weakness.

This Australia team are a bit like the Conservative Party in 1992. They will win, but only because their opposition are stuck in a institutional crisis of their own self making that they cant escape out of. I look at this Australian team and think should Steve Smith get injured and their paceman retain the sort of fitness issues that usually haunt 67 year old, 60 a day smokers, this team could arguably receive a bit of a battering in the Ashes series. If England had confidence.... which they don't.

Warner
Rogers
Smith
Clarke
Voges
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Starc
Harris
Hazlewood

from_the_stands wrote:Warner
Rogers
Smith
Clarke
Voges
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Starc
Harris
Hazlewood

Surely Lyon is going to picked?

Heard somewhere that he has played more tests than any Aussie since taking over from Agar on their last Ashes tour...

England have a pre Ashes training squad, featuring the team that played NZ, plus Footitt, Finn and Plunkett.

Well done to Footitt.


Just a couple of years ago was at a CC game where Derbyshire where the opposition. When the PA announced Footitt was playing the Derby fans near me groaned.

I bet they're not groaning now.