Australia in England - 2009 Ashes Tour

[King Pietersen]

Sidebottom > Onions and Rashid. Although Onions' record in the CC this season is incredible, averaging 12 or something. I'd still go in with Sidey though personally.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Dunno. Find it hard to drop Hooper.

WTF I just typed that. Hooper is on my mind.

What I was actually going to say was find it hard to drop Onions after his performances this summer. Only against West Indies I suppose but still damn impressive. If the wicket spins like Cardiff I go for Rashid. If it swings I go for Sidebottom, if it is quick then I go for Onions.

 

[Themer]

I'm completely undecided as to whom it should be, in my eyes all three probably deserve a go.

Onions is the man in possession, bowled brilliantly throughout this year and did decently against the West Indies.

Sidebottom has came back fully fit finally and has shown pace, control and that underlying aggression and hunger that he had a year or so ago.

And if the pitch spins I wouldn't completely annoyed if Rashid pips the pair of em, he bowled very well t'other day and got some decent spi and to round it off is a decent batsmen.

 

[Howsie]

Sidebottom looked really good yesterday, if he bowls like that to the Australian's he could be a real handful.

 

[sohum]

Sidebottom looked really good yesterday, if he bowls like that to the Australian's he could be a real handful.

Except that the Aussies can play the pull shot.

 

[smssia0112]

If you compare the line ups:

Strauss - Katich: Strauss
Cook - Hughes: Tie
Bopara - Ponting: Ponting, on current form it's close
Pietersen - Hussey: Tie, on current form Pietersen
Collingwood - Clarke: Clarke
Prior - Haddin: Prior
Flintoff - McDonald: Flintoff
Broad - Johnson: Tie
Anderson - Siddle: Tie
Swann - Hauritz: Swann
Onions - Hilfenhaus: Hilfenhaus

England 4-3 Australia

Are you kidding? Broad ties with Johnson? Also interesting that you say on current form Bopara gets close to Ponting but you easily say Strauss ahead of Katich who is in career best form. I realise Strauss is in pretty good form too but in the end they're both averaging about the same in recent times.

Don't forget of course that we have Clark to come back, probably replacing Hilfenhaus when it's spinning and Hauritz out when it isn't. Also likely that Watson will play of McDonald, and he's at least a better batsman than Flintoff.

@King Pietersen, that's a nice, long analysis, and it's obvious that we are not as good as we were in 2006/07, but the fact remains we just came from beating South Africa in South Africa, we've got a great young pace attack, our batting lineup looks a lot more solid lately with Katich (his record in England isn't great but he, just like England since 2006/07, is a lot better than he was in 2005 - when he was quite unlucky anyway with umpiring) and Hughes in great form at the top of the order laying the foundation for our middle order. Clarke also in career best form, North providing some pretty good form and Ponting and Hussey the best in the world when on song which after a break they should be.

 

[Ollie_H]

Only when I saw an Interview on SSN did I realise how small Hughes is!!

 

[King Pietersen]

Don't forget of course that we have Clark to come back, probably replacing Hilfenhaus when it's spinning and Hauritz out when it isn't. Also likely that Watson will play of McDonald, and he's at least a better batsman than Flintoff.

Not proven that in the last 12 months. Less runs at a lower average than our Fred in Test matches Watson is a better batsman than Fred though, his FC record proves that, just a matter of whether he'll be able to convert that to Test cricket.

Strauss - Katich: Katich - Both in tremendous form but Katich is in better form.
Cook - Hughes: Cook - Started scoring runs again, and is a proven Test talent. Hughes has the potential to be much better, but I'd take Cook on experience.
Bopara - Ponting: Ponting. Rav's form means he could have a better series though, scored more hundreds in his last 3 innings than Ponting has in the last 12 months!
Pietersen - Hussey: Pietersen. Hussey would have been ahead a year and a half ago, but averaged 31 in the last 12 months compared to Pietersen's 57.
Collingwood - Clarke: Clarke. In superb form, simple choice.
Prior - Haddin: Prior. He's done a better job in International cricket with the bat and been more consistent.
Flintoff - Watson: Flintoff. His bowling alone makes him better than Watson
Broad - Johnson: Definitely Johnson.
Anderson - Siddle: Anderson. Anderson's the best swing bowler in the world and in tremendous form. Siddle's got potential, but I don't think 1 or 2 series should put him ahead of our Jim.
Swann - Hauritz: Swann. Easy.
Sidebottom - Clark: Sidebottom. Both injury prone, but Sidebottom's actually got some matches and some wickets behind him, and has looked really good in County Cricket and the T20 WC.

England: 7. Australia: 4

Not sure that England are really that much stronger than Australia, but I think I've been pretty fair. Could possibly argue Cook vs Hughes and Sidebottom vs Clark but being English I had to back our lads

 

[sohum]

Australia may be missing the swing bowler to complete their attack (along with the spinner). Is Hilfenhaus a swing bowler? I wouldn't underestimate Siddle... I'm pretty impressed by his temperament and the effort he puts in. I think currently Australia's pace bowling attack is a bit stronger than England's.

 

[King Pietersen]

Hilfenhaus is a swing bowler, but from what I've seen of him he tends to swing the ball out of his hand, not a late swinger like Anderson. I've not seen a massive amount his bowling though, so I could be wrong. They're definitely missing a class spinner though, Hauritz seems to be nothing more than a holding option.

 

[Ollie_H]

Hughes is known for his attacking style of batting and will face the first ball of each Australia innings after striking a deal with fellow opener Simon Katich, who will field at short leg as his part of their agreement.

Just read that on the BBC and thought that was quite funny.

holdenator added 5 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...

I'm interested as to what some of the English members would think of a line up like this..

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Bopara
4. Pietersen
5. Prior
6. Freddie
7. Foster
8. Broad
9. Swann
10. Anderson
11. Onions/Sidebottom...

 

[Howsie]

Hughes is known for his attacking style of batting and will face the first ball of each Australia innings after striking a deal with fellow opener Simon Katich, who will field at short leg as his part of their agreement.

Thats a good deal for Hughes. Facing the first ball isn't that bad but fielding in close sucks.

Howsie added 0 Minutes and 37 Seconds later...

Just read that on the BBC and thought that was quite funny.

holdenator added 5 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...

I'm interested as to what some of the English members would think of a line up like this..

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Bopara
4. Pietersen
5. Prior
6. Freddie
7. Foster
8. Broad
9. Swann
10. Anderson
11. Onions/Sidebottom...

Two Keepers?

 

[Ollie_H]

Two Keepers?

Foster keeping and prior in as a batsmen.

 

[Howsie]

Foster keeping and prior in as a batsmen.

Prior has a good record and all, but him not having the gloves and playing only as a batsmen could affect his batting. I'm guessing if that happened England would just drop Foster, but is he really good enough to play as a batsmen only.

 

[King Pietersen]

I had that idea a few pages back I think, but have since realised that it's simply not enough batting with Fred at 6 and Fos at 7. I want to see us go into Cardiff with:

Strauss
Cook
Bopara
KP
Collingwood
Prior +
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Rashid
Anderson

Then after Cardiff:

Strauss
Cook
Bopara
KP
Collingwood
Prior +
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Sidebottom
Anderson

Harsh on Onions, especially with his 42 FC wickets at 15 and 4 FWH's, but I just think Sidey's a better bowler. Been really impressed with him in this T20 WC, looks really fired up and bowling properly again.