England in Australia

[Skater]

Fair enough, this is a better team than my last one:

1. Marcus Trescothick
2. Andrew Strauss
3. Alastair Cook
4. Ian Bell
5. Kevin Pietersen
6. Andrew Flintoff (captain)
7. Geraint Jones (wicket keeper)
8. James Anderson
9. Steve Harmison
10. Monty Panesar
11. Matthew Hoggard

 

[evertonfan]

jones can't score hundreds at international level! he did once, and that was over 2 years ago against a poor new zealand side!

Yeah, because Read is swarming with international hundreds isn't he?

I personally don't mind which wicket-keeper we play, Jones' keeping has improved and i've always felt he's the better batsman, he give Read his chance and he didn't take it. His back foot technique is terrible and he is clueless against the slower ball.

 

[FreddieFan]

Of course it's the batsman's job to score runs. Do you have faith in them doing so every innings of the series? I don't.

I'd go for:

Strauss
Tres
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Colly
Flintoff
Jones
Harmison
Hoggard
Panesar

I thought long and hard about the extra bowler v extra batter desicion, went for the extra batter because I think Panesar is capable of tying up one end for long spells. If the Australians get after him and he loses it, we're in trouble.

 

[evertonfan]

Fair enough, this is a better team than my last one:

1. Marcus Trescothick
2. Andrew Strauss
3. Alastair Cook
4. Ian Bell
5. Kevin Pietersen
6. Andrew Flintoff (captain)
7. Geraint Jones (wicket keeper)
8. James Anderson
9. Steve Harmison
10. Monty Panesar
11. Matthew Hoggard

Bell shouldn't be at 4, we need him as far away from a new-ball McGrath as possible.

Of course it's the batsman's job to score runs. Do you have faith in them doing so every innings of the series? I don't.

No, but i've always been of the belief that you play bowlers on bowling ability and not their willow weilding skills. It's a nice bonus if they bat well, but they should be judged on bowling.

 

[Skater]

If I remember correctly, the last Ashes series were only Ian Bell's 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th test matches. He's matured greatly since then. I think he can hold up and end at number four and keep the big hitters of Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff away from the crease for as long as possible.

 

[barmyarmy]

I'd hope that at number 4 he would be away from the new ball!
Don't really mind if McGrath gets him with the second one...

 

[Deleted member 11215]

cant believe jones got picked one again a poor decision i dont care if he does well what was the point in dropping jones and only giving read a couple of games to prove himself idiotic...

 

[evertonfan]

cant believe jones got picked one again a poor decision i dont care if he does well what was the point in dropping jones and only giving read a couple of games to prove himself idiotic...

So if Jones goes on to score back-to-back 100's you'll still think it's idiotic?

Fletcher give Read a chance and he didn't take it well enough.

 

[Deleted member 11215]

yes ill stick to my decision jones is crap hes not even english and id rather play trescothick as wicket keeper than jones. bring back stewart AMEN!

 

[evertonfan]

hes not even english

Let's drop Pietersen then. :

He plays for England, therefore, he's English.

 

[Deleted member 11215]

Let's drop Pietersen then. :

pietersen is actually good unlike our aussie/welsh/holland/jupiterish player :boxing

 

[irottev]

I'm pretty sure Devon Malcolm once outbowled Allan Donald... must be a better bowler then? If he hadn't been outbowled by Panesar for the last 6 months of their respective international careers then you might have a point...

I agree with you, but I never said Giles was a better bowler. So stop putting words in my mouth. My point was, Giles isn't to be forgotten. I think he may have a good part to play.

Well, Giles seemed to bowl better in the other warm up. The Aussies are going to target Panesar and he probably going to get majorly taunted.

Fair enough, this is a better team than my last one:

1. Marcus Trescothick
2. Andrew Strauss
3. Alastair Cook
4. Ian Bell
5. Kevin Pietersen
6. Andrew Flintoff (captain)
7. Geraint Jones (wicket keeper)
8. James Anderson
9. Steve Harmison
10. Monty Panesar
11. Matthew Hoggard

That would be my pick also.

 

[ZexyZahid]

Any idea if and where the live scores are of the match New South Wales vs England XI?

 

[Octavius]

Well there are lots of arguments about which team England should field in the first test.

I think that Fletcher will have Giles over Panesar to bolster the batting, after he drops collingwood in favour of bell.

his other option is to sit bell out and play collingwood to bolster the bowling resources.

This is where it all hinges.

The correct decision is to play 5 full time bowlers on.

These bowlers should be

Harmison (you can not drop your spearhead, even if hes short of form)

Hoggard (always reliable and a spearhead in his own right)
Anderson (good support bowler)
Panesar (improving attacking spin bowler)
Giles (above average defensive spin who troubled a few Aussie batsmen last summer)

Thats right, id play both spinners and drop collingwood.

Fletcher's team;

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Bell
Peitersen
Flintoff
Jones (both keepers suck, but i would chance Read to come right with bat)
Giles
Panesar (12th man)
Anderson
Hoggard
Harmison

i would drop Anderson for Giles ... you will think im nuts but i believe that will allow England to be more effective overall.

Flintoff will only have to act as the fifth bowler


but that will not be the team, a team i believe that could take 20 wickets.

the team i would play

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Bell
Peitersen
Flintoff
Read
Giles
Panesar
Hoggard
Harmison

Engalnd's major problem is that they are weakened by their keepers inability to bat.

 

[puddleduck]

Trescothicks miserable form continues. I don't think he can be dropped, at least not for the first test or two, but how long does his poor form need to continue until his place really is under threat? Were Vaughan fit, would it be Tresco or one of Colly and Bell to make way at the moment?

Also shame on those trying to leave Harmison out of the first test. If Harmison doesn't fire we stand very little chance of winning this series. If we weren't even to play him, we would stand none.