Australia in England - 2009 Ashes Tour

[Skater]

How good is Rashid with the bat, would he be good enough to ever be a all-rounder at the international level.

Probably could hold his own but I don't think he could be an all rounder. Like Stuart Broad. Decent with the bat but will never be a true all rounder.

 

[King Pietersen]

He's got a record that indicates he's got raw talent with the bat that could be developed to make him into an all-rounder. An average of 32 with 2 FC hundreds and 12 fifties, he's stronger with the bat than Broad or Swann I reckon. Would be a very strong lower order if Rashid does play though, with Flintoff, Rashid, Broad and Swann.

 

[sohum]

Poll added. Let me know if I have missed any of the outcomes!

 

[vaibhav mehta]

England and Australia both sides have gone downhill since last Ashes, so I don't think anyone can predict the outcome of the 2009 series. Though it should be walk over for England. It is nearly impossible to stop inform Strauss. I can see him scoring at least 500+ runs in 5 tests. Anyway i read it somewhere that Philip Hughes, young opening batsmen never played in England, is being given some pre-Ashes practice by Middlesex. Wired, England should never allow him to bat on English soil until Ashes, just a moronic thought though.

 

[SciD]

Have you thought about applying for British citizenship?

 

[barmyarmy]

I've decided to resurrect my Ashes sig from 2005...

 

[Leicester Fox]

England 8-0 bet ya a fiver.

 

[Hooper]

Go to sleep Foxy.

Seriously, 2-0 Aussies.

 

[Leicester Fox]

I'm back awake already mate, buzzing.

England have been keeping Simon Jones locked away and been feeding him on Aussies.

 

[Hooper]

What ever happened to Simon Jones? Has he ever played a Test match since '05? He was the bomb back then.

Who will be the English attack this time round? TBH I haven't been following Cricket for like 6 months - so I have no clue.

 

[King Pietersen]

Jones has constantly been injured and is actually still injured I think.

Most likely to be Anderson, Broad, Flintoff, Swann and then either Onions, Sidebottom or Rashid. Quite a decent attack really.

 

[Skater]

What ever happened to Simon Jones? Has he ever played a Test match since '05? He was the bomb back then.

Who will be the English attack this time round? TBH I haven't been following Cricket for like 6 months - so I have no clue.

Jones has had a horrendous run of injuries. He hasn't played international cricket since 2005. I think he tried to tour India in 2006 but had another injury. I don't think he's done yet but he won't play in the Ashes.

Our attack is likely to be Broad, Anderson, Flintoff, Swann and maybe Sidebottom or Onions.

 

[King Cricket]

Wow! It hasn't even started yet, and still the thread is 39 pages long!

Anyway, I'm all England this year. And I'm also ready with grave-digging instruments. Will have to dig King Philip III's grave after this series. Honestly, I want Andrew Strauss and Co to show a particular guy here how overrated King Philip the third is. Seesh! :
5-0 for England with the King scoring ducks everytime. Know it isn't possible, though.

Alright, let's be serious. It will be a good contest, but judging the two teams by their current performances, it seems that England has just the upper hand. Still, you never know Ricky Ponting's men, they are experts in turning tables, as they did in the WC 07 proving all cricket pundits wrong. Hope Lee gets back his form in the Ashes. Poor chap! He's such a terrific bowler!! And if you want to get back to form and show the whole world who you really are there can be no better platform than this. Coming to the main part, no team will start as the favourities, though the English look one tiny bit ahead of the Aussies based on the current performances. Also, the Aussies will start bit heartbroken, no matter how little importance the tournament might have, crashing out of it in the very first round- it's a really bitter pill to digest, specially when you are the world's no 1. This loss is bound to influence their youngsters. Though Ponting has faced similar situations many a times, and he has handled them quite effectively. In the end, it can be said that, after a long time, before the Ashes- both the teams look equally poised. Will be a really interesting Ashes tour. Both the teams have equal strengths and weaknesses, and both are totally charged up and ready to go. Might well turn out to be the best Ashes I've ever watched in my life. Will watch every match eagerly. I predict that Brett Lee will be the star with the ball (Maybe because I'm a huge fan of Lee) and KP, and Hussey will shine with the bat. Results? Right now, very difficult to say, as both the teams look equally dangerous, it is just that if I judge by recent performances England remains one tiny winny bit ahead. Though there can be simply no question of under-estimating the Aussies. In my eyes, both the teams will start as favourities. An even Ashes after so many years. I'll not predict any result. Let us just wait till everything ends. I'll just sit back and enjoy the cricket.

 

[Skater]

I really don't think the Twenty20 World Cup will be given a second thought when the Ashes start.

 

[King Cricket]

^ Still, it will have some influence on the Aussies. Defeat is such an uncommon word to them, be it in any tournament.