Ashes 2015 - Australia tour of England July/September 2015

[dp458]

Just watching the highlights and it's very apparent that Moeen is a problem. He's a capable batsman but his bowling is good enough as a 2nd spinner at best. In the UAE we'll have to take 3 spinners and play two in each match. They'll have to bump Ali up the order somehow and bring in either Rashid or Tredwell. They are literally the only two anywhere near good enough to play international cricket.

So they have two options

1. Drop Lyth and let Ali open. In the UAE, where batting against the new ball might be the best time to score runs, it could just be the place to let someone like Ali go out there and have a dip.
2. Drop Buttler, give Bairstow the gloves and then Rashid effectively replaces Buttler.
3. Drop the 3rd seamer (Wood or Finn) and play 3 seamers and two spinners.

It's my least favourite option, but I think they'll go for option number 3.

Agreed, buttler plays spin well in odis, I'm Stoll not convinced by his red ball batting, I'd like Ali to open and Taylor to play, also very good spinner player as well.

Rashid doesn't really weaken the batting either

 

[dp458]

I don't know what the Aussies will do at the end if this series, but they are an ageing side and will have to make changes. What do our Aussie friends think about this team for the next home series.

1. Warner
2. Bancroft
3. Burns
4. Smith
5. Ferguson
6. Marsh M
7. Nevill
8. Johnson
9. Starc
10. Pattinson
11. Lyon

If I was them I'd go Hazelwood or Cummins over Johnson, need to blood the younger ones. You still have sandhu, ncn, bird etc to rely on .

M marsh has to play as does nevil

Kawaja and burns should be next batsmen off the rank.
This is where aus will really feel the untimely death of Hughes rip
Bancroft needs more time, burns can open
So the last batting spot is the one that's a toss up, Ferguson, s marsh, Maxwell who is having a decent summer for Yorkshire, might be in contention

 

[grkrama]

s marsh has gotten some any chances and hasnt really made anything, i would rather give mitch marsh more chance heck even maxwell.

 

[MUFC1987]

Just watching the highlights and it's very apparent that Moeen is a problem. He's a capable batsman but his bowling is good enough as a 2nd spinner at best. In the UAE we'll have to take 3 spinners and play two in each match. They'll have to bump Ali up the order somehow and bring in either Rashid or Tredwell. They are literally the only two anywhere near good enough to play international cricket.

So they have two options

1. Drop Lyth and let Ali open. In the UAE, where batting against the new ball might be the best time to score runs, it could just be the place to let someone like Ali go out there and have a dip.
2. Drop Buttler, give Bairstow the gloves and then Rashid effectively replaces Buttler.
3. Drop the 3rd seamer (Wood or Finn) and play 3 seamers and two spinners.

It's my least favourite option, but I think they'll go for option number 3.

What are you expecting Ali to do on this pitch? It's literally not turning and the seamers are a nightmare to face, so it's only natural that he's going to get flogged. Tredwell doesn't even get in the Kent side regularly, so I don't see how he deserves a spot in the Test side, nevermind the age factor. I don't see much difference between Rashid and Ali really. Both have the ability to bowl very good balls and good spells, whilst they both have the ability to throw down some absolute trash too. So while I'd agree with Rashid being the one to partner Ali, I don't think it's a given that he's better.

Lyth will be dropped after this series (barring a ton in the last game) because he just hasn't looked up to it. Buttler just needs more experience for me. He's been rushed into the side on the back of his limited overs performances, which is fair enough, but he is learning on the job. And don't get too excited from one innings from Bairstow. Yes he got past 50, but it was hardly convincing.

----

On Australia, why is Siddle in the squad? A green seamer on a pitch where he's played a bit of Cricket for Notts, yet he still isn't picked? He's never going to play, because they're never going to find a pitch better suited to him, so it's pointless carting the bloke around.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Michael Clarke set to retire. Good cricketer. Very good captain. Clearly being pushed out. Right decision in my view. Most undeserving WC winning captain.

 

[Chief]

I have somewhere to be and REALLY need to leave in 15mins.

Come on England. Finish this dross off quick!

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Broad deserves 10 for the match.

 

[richowebbo]

a win for my 30th! Beautiful!

Well played boys. We've been the better team and fully deserve this.

 

[MUFC1987]

All the better to win so comfortably with all that talk at the start of the series that we wouldn't be able to compete. Excellent scenes.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Classy interview from the Aussie captain!

Ian Bell will be very smart to announce the next test as his last.

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Unbelievable how Australia have gifted England the Ashes. Credit to England, but Australia shot themselves in the foot. The choice of shots of some of our batsmen was BS.


The openers were pretty decent- Rogers has been our best batsman so far and Warner has done okay-ish, but should've built on his starts. Smith was poor, playing him at 3 in these conditions doesn't look like a good move. Clarke tried hard but it is clear he doesn't have it anymore. Voges was awful, for someone who has spent several seasons in England he should've done a lot better. And some of the shots he played, sigh. Pretty happy with Nevill behind the stumps, need to persist with him. Mitch Marsh could've played a Stokes-esque role at Trent Bridge, why was he even dropped? Shaun Marsh- no words.

MJ has been our best bowler, even if the stats don't show it. Hazlewood was pretty disappointing in the 3rd and 4th tests, expected a lot more. His line and length went for a flight and it affected the rest of the attack. Starc's stats are flattering, but cannot complain about the team's leading wicket taker. Lyon is an interesting case. All of us know what he offers but he's never going to run through an attack.

Bring Mitch Marsh in for Shaun and perhaps Fawad for Lyon for the 5th test.

 

[PokerAce]

Well done to England. I think this conclusively puts and end to all the KP talk once for an all. I like the guy as a batsman, but I think for once and all he I think this is the end of KP's Int'l career.

 

[abhi_jacko]

All those talks of Aus whitewashing Eng and all those cries about Eng producing "flat" wickets so Aus' bowling wouldn't be effective. Looks like the "flat" wickets were out of courtesy and pity more than anything else, to avoid embarrassing this Aus batting lineup

You have got to love the justice cricket provides - bringing bloated heads to the ground and bursting their bubbles

So many such instances have happened in the past, but players, coaches, etc. still don't learn.

 

[grkrama]

what is alarming is apart from the eng players no one else seems to have much of an ability to play in swinging and seaming conditions, SA may be an exception but we will know that by the end of this year.

Top of my head the players i would count to play these kind of conditions at-least a bit apart from eng players are

ABD,Amla, sangakara,Vijay, rahanae , kane williamson, Rogers.

that's such a short list for competent players in swing and seaming conditions.

 

[PokerAce]

Yeah the Ashes first two tests were great, but then Australia just fell apart, to make it a rather contestless series for England. Infact it was very similar to the India tour to Eng recently in how the tests eventually panned out.

Ind SL starts soon, and I think that promises to be a good series too. In fact SA tour to India should also be a cracker. So some good test action for India to look forward to now. And soon after the SA tour SL return to India for a series, and then the World T20. Lots of good Int'l cricket to look forward to.