Counting down to the back-to-back Ashes series in 2013/14

[Gingerfinch]

Why has KP returned?

[Aidan11]

Presume to prepare for the WIs test series.

[Gingerfinch]

That's fair enough.

Difficult to think that the 'summers tests' start soon with all this wind and rain.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Might play for Surrey!

[shankycricket]

Might play for Surrey!

Yeah he said he is playing against Worcester on the 9th.

[from_the_stands]

OK, so it will be Captain Cook leading the charge against Australia. With KP on the sidelines, this next Ashes series can't come around soon enough!

[shankycricket]

Remember having an argument with you FTS over whose place, out of Cook and KP, is more secure. Well, ironically, neither are going to be around.

[from_the_stands]

Remember having an argument with you FTS over whose place, out of Cook and KP, is more secure. Well, ironically, neither are going to be around.

Cook will be a goner after the 3rd Test in the Ashes series. He'll be making the teary resignation I was hoping from Strauss!

[shankycricket]

Remember having an argument with you FTS over whose place, out of Cook and KP, is more secure. Well, ironically, neither are going to be around.

Cook will be a goner after the 3rd Test in the Ashes series. He'll be making the teary resignation I was hoping from Strauss!

And then you will wake up.

[from_the_stands]

Remember having an argument with you FTS over whose place, out of Cook and KP, is more secure. Well, ironically, neither are going to be around.

Cook will be a goner after the 3rd Test in the Ashes series. He'll be making the teary resignation I was hoping from Strauss!

And then you will wake up.

With the time difference, I probably will! The headline on the Herald Sun will read; Cook gets Fried by Aussies!

[from_the_stands]

The Dukes ball may be used towards the latter part of the season in some Sheffield Shield fixtures as part of the preparation for next year's Ashes series in England.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/587871.html

An interesting move, which shows just how desperate we are to win back the Ashes, since we haven't done such a thing with any other brand of ball as far as I'm aware.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England have won three of the last four series, but are only level in Tests won in that time. Seems England never claw back Australia's historical advantage.

Sounds like CA are thinking of switching to the Dukes even in Aussie cricket.

[Alviro Patterson]

The Dukes ball may be used towards the latter part of the season in some Sheffield Shield fixtures as part of the preparation for next year's Ashes series in England.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/587871.html

An interesting move, which shows just how desperate we are to win back the Ashes, since we haven't done such a thing with any other brand of ball as far as I'm aware.

Can't see how playing with a Dukes ball in Australian conditions would be of real benefit, maybe from a bowling point of view in handling a nautrally swinging ball.

Sheffield Shield season might as well get extended into May and play a set of matches in England.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Is Warner going to score runs against the red ball in England next year? if he doesn't, will Cowan and Ponting? And if they don't, will that put too much pressure on Watson, Clarke and Hussey?

Will Cummins be fit? Will Siddle adapt to English pitches? Will Lyon do well against batters who have a good record at home against spinners? How will the new fast bowlers handle the pressure?

If Australia don't do well in England, will that have a knock on effect for the series in Australia that follows? If Ponting and Hussey don't survive the tour, will that mean that Australia will be experimenting when they host?

Plenty of time yet. But a few of these questions might be more nearly answered over the coming Australian summer.

[Making_Splinters]

I expect one of Warner or Cowen not to see out the Australian summer, willing to be proved wrong on that but with Cozzie, Hughes and indeed Finch putting on the runs we might be getting back to a stage where there is actually pressure on places again.