The Ashes; First Test, Cardiff, July 8-12

[yuppie]

And it seems Australia wont be doing any surprise picks.

No Ashton Agar picks from Lehman this time. Though M Marsh is probably deserving of his place.

If it is a flat pitch, and Aus bat, 100 for Warner before Lunch.....

[idlebrain]

8/20. Not bad for a Not so serious Follower!!! (Admittedly couple of random guesses + The one about Dennis Amiss thanks to this thread!!! )

[backfootpunch]

Interesting to see what spinner we pick, bayliss has talked about being attacking, picking rashid would back that up

I'd pick rashid because of 5 right handers in the top 7 and his potential for getting the tail out

[yorker_129-7]

TBH as an England fan I think this series has come 12 months too soon for them. Not had enough time to sort out their various issues (largely due to the balls-up in the West Indies) of opener, Ballance, spin and the like. Plus a year from now who knows where the likes of Johnson, Clarke, Haddin would be.

The only real positive I can see is by the time of the next Ashes series these old-timers will be gone while a relatively young England team will have bonded for a while.

[GarlicJam]

gentle rain in Cardiff. Covers on......

[Gingerfinch]

8/20. Not bad for a Not so serious Follower!!! (Admittedly couple of random guesses + The one about Dennis Amiss thanks to this thread!!! )

Spoiler alert

[budgetmeansbudget]

Good toss to lose?

[yorker_129-7]

Talk from the ground that Nathan Lyon isn't warming up but all four quicks are. Surely Australia won't also play Watson in that scenario?

Also, no spinner at Cardiff is a gamble.

[yuppie]

Interesting to see what spinner we pick, bayliss has talked about being attacking, picking rashid would back that up

I'd pick rashid because of 5 right handers in the top 7 and his potential for getting the tail out

And Aus record against spin is not to great.

Would be great to see England pick Rashid, but i think they will play it safe. They should have picked him WI

[GarlicJam]

Talk from the ground that Nathan Lyon isn't warming up but all four quicks are. Surely Australia won't also play Watson in that scenario?

Also, no spinner at Cardiff is a gamble.

I was reading how there was a lot of grass still on the pitch yesterday. Clarke basically said that if it was still like that this morning, it would be four quicks and no tweaker.

[yuppie]

Talk from the ground that Nathan Lyon isn't warming up but all four quicks are. Surely Australia won't also play Watson in that scenario?

Also, no spinner at Cardiff is a gamble.

Surely not, what has Lehman got against Lyon and Cardiff

[yorker_129-7]

Talk from the ground that Nathan Lyon isn't warming up but all four quicks are. Surely Australia won't also play Watson in that scenario?

Also, no spinner at Cardiff is a gamble.

I was reading how there was a lot of grass still on the pitch yesterday. Clarke basically said that if it was still like that this morning, it would be four quicks and no tweaker.

This is a picture of the track from the TMS Twitter account earlier. Tinge of green perhaps but doesn't look like a raging seamer. Would play a spinner on it, if only to bring in on day 4/5.

https://twitter.com/bbctms/status/618704994322251776

[budgetmeansbudget]

England win toss and will have a bat.

[Gingerfinch]

England win toss and will have a bat.

Positive?

[sussexpob]

Talk from the ground that Nathan Lyon isn't warming up but all four quicks are. Surely Australia won't also play Watson in that scenario?

Also, no spinner at Cardiff is a gamble.

I was reading how there was a lot of grass still on the pitch yesterday. Clarke basically said that if it was still like that this morning, it would be four quicks and no tweaker.

Sophia Gardens pitches have traditionally been very slow, and on occasions do dust up more than most pitches in the UK. Its suicidal not to play aspinner at Cardiff.