Ashes Tour

[Clint]

Squad named:
Michael Clarke (captain), Brad Haddin (vc), Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Chris Rogers, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson.

Happy to see Haddin as vc, but will he actually play a test?
I thought Shaun Marsh would have got a run, maybe at the expense of Rogers or Watson.
I have gone right off Watson. I used to be a fan, but I'm not convinced he should be there as a specialist bat.
I would have him there if he bowls as well.

 

[Bucko112]

Agreed on Watson...rogers alot of form in English conditions may take his place if Watson doesn't score runs in the first two tests..... Same old top 3 dramas heading our way I'm tipping!!

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

No Maxwell ?

Surely the crowds will be boycotting the series due to the lack of X Factor now

 

[Chip and Chase]

Maxwell .....pfffttt. Anyone who christens themselves The Big Show then puts on kids matinee type performances needs to visit the room full of mirrors. Was never Test standard and India found him out in both disciplines.

I'm disappointed with the Aussie squad, surely we could have found room for Klinger and Peter Nevill as well. We could have "opened" down to 7 then.

 

[Bucko112]

Why is Tim Paine a forgotten man? Best technique with the bat of any of the keepers IMO not even in the aus A squad also touring, strange

 

[Clint]

Is he back playing again? or is he still injured?

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Maxwell .....pfffttt. Anyone who christens themselves The Big Show then puts on kids matinee type performances needs to visit the room full of mirrors.

Absolutely C & C.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

How did Wade go in India ? Maybe Haddin has overtaken him ?

Any surprise names to miss out, I can't really notice any

Glad to see that Smith isn't in that squad, every time I watch him bat I never see anything that comes close to the hype around him

 

[Bucko112]

Is he back playing again? or is he still injured?

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Maxwell .....pfffttt. Anyone who christens themselves The Big Show then puts on kids matinee type performances needs to visit the room full of mirrors.

Absolutely C & C.

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He played the big bash and last portion of shield season so as far as I know he's fit

 

[Chip and Chase]

Paine is back playing.

Wade didn't set the world on fire in India. He only got a go initially in the side because Haddin had some family issues. I actually think that Haddin is a better bat than Wade, and he could almost hold a spot in the current side as a bat only if Wade plays.

I guess some of the notable omissions are Johnson and Hilfenhaus. I also love how we churn through all rounders, Maxwell, Henriques and Smith consigned to the scrap heap. Suprised they didn't pick a couple more for this tour, perhaps they are counting Faulkner as one.

Anyway I think our pace bowling will be OK, plenty of young guns. I'm hoping Harris will get back to full form and maybe Bird will be Pigeon like over there if he gets a go. Lack of spinning options is a bit of a worry, but nothing new for us.

Batting is the worry obviously. 6 openers and Clarke. Maybe we are going to push Warner down to 5 or 6, but I'm struggling to see a balanced line up taht can come from that squad. I'm worried Swann and Panesar will continue the spin hypnotism.

The only thing in our favour is that the Poms are in a bigger hole than us form wise, because they can't even beat the Kiwis.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Might be a good time to point out that the last test between us we rolled your mob in Hobart

 

[Chip and Chase]

LOL. Touche.

 

[Fro]

Wades Keeping fell away big time in India, which was hardly a surprise because they threw the poor bugger up to 6 and expected him to keep up to standard in the hardest place in world cricket.

Haddin will play the tests, Clarke needs a reliable lieutenant he can lean on, and Watson was never going to be it. Haddin is a nob of a human but an experienced captain at state level.

Steve Smith should be considered unlucky, batted very well at the back end of the tour.

as for Maxwell, hopefully that experiment is well and truly over.

 

[Fluffy]

Only reason Watson is in the side as a bat is that we are so low on batting talent these days.

Both teams in a bit of a slump right now so could be very close. Our fast bowling Vs their spin bowling is where the battle will be at but remember this isnt India where 80% of wickets are from spin, its the opposite.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

We start our series against them at Lords tonight

I expect the Poms to be fired up and want to roll us. I love our bowling attack these days, think we will need big tours from Williamson and Taylor in particular to trouble them at all

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Poms 160/4 from 80 overs

Good day from us on a good batting deck, pretty negative stuff from the pommies though

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

239 for us to knock them off at Lords

Gonna be a tough ask but **** it would be good !! Would love a quick start from Rutherford to really put the heat on them.

Southee 10 wickets for the match, he is turning into an outstanding bowler the past 6-8 months

 

[Chip and Chase]

Anderson 300 test wickets. He's been a good bowler for the poms for a while now.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

And an hour later we are 29/6 hahaha

Great bowling from the Poms along with a couple of loose shots. Broad on fire and some classic bowling from that man Anderson

Bowled one to Brownlie that would have swung in 2-3 feet, went like a banana, next ball in a similar area went away 4 inches and takes the outside edge. Beautiful bowling

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

When this attack of England's clicks they are extremely hard to handle and have been far too good for us in their conditions

Keep an eye on Joe Root in the Ashes, he is a huge talent

 

[globaleagle]

rogers and watson to open.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-20...46753.html