Ashes-2023 England VS Australia 16 June-31 July

[blockerdave]

A shame if true and I don't know why Bharat would tweet if not true.

Really not on at all.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Well well well.. how the turn tables..

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Well well well.. how the turn tables..

In test cricket, boundary percentage would be a better tie-breaker.

Australia 7%
England 9%

But England won 3-2 so it's irrelevant.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

In test cricket, boundary percentage would be a better tie-breaker.

Australia 7%
England 9%

But England won 3-2 so it's irrelevant.

 

[Aislabie]

So, another Ashes series done.

I think it's time to play armchair selector for both sides at the Gabba. These will be presented without justification for you to rear apart.

Australia

1. Usman Khawaja
2. Teague Wyllie
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith
5. Travis Head
6. Cameron Green
7. Alex Carey
8. Pat Cummins
9. Jhye Richardson
10. Spencer Johnson
11. Nathan Lyion

England

1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. :bat Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Jonny Bairstow
7. James Rew
8. Chris Woakes
9. Josh Tongue
10. :eng;: Jack Leach
11. Saqib Mahmood

 

[pillowprocter]

So, another Ashes series done.

I think it's time to play armchair selector for both sides at the Gabba. These will be presented without justification for you to rear apart.

Australia

1. Usman Khawaja
2. Teague Wyllie
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith
5. Travis Head
6. Cameron Green
7. Alex Carey
8. Pat Cummins
9. Jhye Richardson
10. Spencer Johnson
11. Nathan Lyion

England

1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. :bat Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Jonny Bairstow
7. James Rew
8. Chris Woakes
9. Josh Tongue
10. :eng;: Jack Leach
11. Saqib Mahmood

I'd say we will see a Foakes redemption arc, and Duckett won't make it

 

[DuneTiger]

Australia

1. Matt Renshaw
2. Will Pucovski
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith
5. Travis Head (c)
6. Cameron Green
7. Josh Inglis
8. Pat Cummins
9. Jhye Richardson
10. Todd Murphy
11. Josh Hazlewood

England

1. Zak Crawley
2. Alex Lees
3. Ollie Pope (c)
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes
7. Ben Foakes
8. Jofra Archer
9. Saqid Mahmood
10. Jack Leach
11. Josh Tongue

I know almost nothing about Englands domestic scene and upcoming players so I'm completely winging it here.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

It's difficult to know what England will look like exactly. Pope's injury allowed England to pick five bowlers which gave them the balance that they needed to play to their strength. If Stokes' can bowl then I can't see that top 7 that started the series being disrupted unless a player has their form fall off a cliff.

Jonny with the gloves? Common sense would suggest Foakes comes back in for India but I could equally see them sticking with Bairstow. I can certainly see a younger keeper overtaking Foakes (despite him being in his prime). James Rew in prime position to do that after this season possibly Phil Salt, Jordan Cox or Jamie Smith (Foakes understudy, which could be typical of Foakes' England career).

So I could see England in the same quandary over the next couple of years; a top seven they want to play but needing to make a tough decision, I think they made that by dropping Foakes but I don't think it's a resolved.

I'd would love to see a Woakes renaissance and maybe Stokes and McCullum think, in spite of his away record, they can get more from him away from home? I think it's more likely the next two years is trying to shape a pace attack that can win in Australia. Woakes was player of the season in 2020 and didn't play for 12 months. I look forward to see him turning up in the last test of next summer.

Pace Bowlers; if they're fit: Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, John Turner, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue. All high 80s (except Robinson), Overton and Carse can both bat a bit too so could see them at 8.

43 year old James Anderson in Australia? I can't see it unless he has an upturn in form after this summer. Outsiders Chris Woakes, Matt Potts, Craig Overton, Sam Curran (particularly if they are looking at a top seven all rounder).

Spinners, I think the India tour could determine where we are headed. Will Jacks and Rehan are potential top seven batters that could put them ahead of Leach.

 

[Aislabie]

It's difficult to know what England will look like exactly. Pope's injury allowed England to pick five bowlers which gave them the balance that they needed to play to their strength. If Stokes' can bowl then I can't see that top 7 that started the series being disrupted unless a player has their form fall off a cliff.

The use of Mo as almost a sacrificial number three was deeply interesting to me, and I think it was quite revealing that when he crocked himself it was Stokes who took on the number three job, not Brook. For all the talk of "Brooky can bat anywhere from 1 to 6" it looks like they've decided he's not going higher than five. (This is correct by the way, he needs to be Stokes' successor as a situation player.)

I don't think Stokes' knee has two more years of cricket to give, though, which is why I didn't pick him.

Jonny with the gloves? Common sense would suggest Foakes comes back in for India but I could equally see them sticking with Bairstow. I can certainly see a younger keeper overtaking Foakes (despite him being in his prime). James Rew in prime position to do that after this season possibly Phil Salt, Jordan Cox or Jamie Smith (Foakes understudy, which could be typical of Foakes' England career).

I think James Rew and Jamie Smith should be the two players lined up as successors to Ben Foakes. I've not seen enough of either's glovework to pass judgement on them, but on a purely batting front Smith reinvented his game based on Bazball ideas almost immediately, where Rew appears to be a much cooler, steadier batter. We've already seen which of those England like to pick, so my Rew selection last night was almost certainly wrong.

So I could see England in the same quandary over the next couple of years; a top seven they want to play but needing to make a tough decision, I think they made that by dropping Foakes but I don't think it's a resolved.

I'd would love to see a Woakes renaissance and maybe Stokes and McCullum think, in spite of his away record, they can get more from him away from home? I think it's more likely the next two years is trying to shape a pace attack that can win in Australia. Woakes was player of the season in 2020 and didn't play for 12 months. I look forward to see him turning up in the last test of next summer.

I will not be happy until we get Stokes-Foakes-Woakes.

Pace Bowlers; if they're fit: Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, John Turner, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue. All high 80s (except Robinson), Overton and Carse can both bat a bit too so could see them at 8.

Yeah, there's a really good battery out there. My XI was very much picked with a nod to who I expect to be injured. I think England have started to realise they need batting down to 8, which is why I've gone for Woakes, but your suggestion of Jacks or Ahmed doubling it up with the spinner's role also makes depressing sense.

43 year old James Anderson in Australia?

Don't threaten me with a good time! Realistically though I expect him to bow out next summer.

Outsiders Chris Woakes, Matt Potts, Craig Overton, Sam Curran (particularly if they are looking at a top seven all rounder).

It's really quite odd how Curran has fallen out of favour. But once Stokes' body cries "enough", I wouldn't be surprised if one of SCurran or Jacks becomes a long-term number seven and Bairstow keeps the gloves. It would allow a five-man attack that doesn't include Stokes.

Spinners, I think the India tour could determine where we are headed. Will Jacks and Rehan are potential top seven batters that could put them ahead of Leach.

I don't hugely see this happening: Leach really did become a better player out of the side this summer, and it was really evident that without him they couldn't really manage the bowlers' workloads. They need someone who can bowl his boring overs, and neither Jacks nor Ahmed nor Livingstone is that player.

 

[ddrap14]

1. Matt Renshaw

mercy please

 

[DuneTiger]

mercy please

Well theres no other openers knocking the door down unfortuntely. Hopefully by 2025 there will be, and lets hope Pucovski fixes his issues otherwise we need to find 2...

 

[CerealKiller]

Apparently there's some embargoed Baz news coming out today. Maybe Bazball is over. Although I'd doubt they'd keep it under wraps if he was prematurely leaving.

Where’s the blockbuster Baz news you promised?

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Where’s the blockbuster Baz news you promised?

I didn't promise blockbuster news. I guess it was just a post-series interview or something.

 

[ddrap14]

Well theres no other openers knocking the door down unfortuntely. Hopefully by 2025 there will be, and lets hope Pucovski fixes his issues otherwise we need to find 2...

I've said it before. I'll say it again. Cam Bancroft was the best batsman in Shield cricket last year. He's at least worth a go.