The Ashes: (England tour of Australia)

[LittleBigPlanet]

This is my line-up....not sure of number three yet...

Cook
Stoneman
????
Root
Hales
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

Have to say eng's team on paper looks very well balanced, with a strong batting line-up (provided it's sorted by the time there here) that pretty much bats down to broad at number 10 (he's no M.Johnson and is probably not an overly aggressive bat but he's got that stubborn knack like Swann had), and the guys got 1 or 2 test centuries, and then there's Ali and woakes who are more than capable of batting higher in the order if the need arises for an extra seamer or spinner in the team.

The biggest question mark for me is Anderson and broads age, I mean there excellent bowlers with tremendous records, But...

Do they still have zip from 2 years ago?

Have they got the legs to bowl longer spells in batting friendly conditions when spinners aren't as effective as other countries?

I'm not sure they do, but there experienced campaigners so it would be stupid to write them off I guess, but then again g.swann was an experienced campaigner with a tremendous record and he surprised everyone with what he did...

But all in all they probably the better of the two teams in the all rounders department like stokes, Ali, woakes and even rashid who do important things for team balance and depth. Ali has continued to develop himself into a first rate spinner with his added flexibility of being a dangerous lower order or lower/middle order batsman with a good first class batting record, stokes is a genuine match winner with either bat or ball, woakes seems to have the pace to possibly be a spearhead or strike bowler and he can bat too, and rashid is a bowling all rounder who bowls leg spin.

Australia on the other hand are always good at home (as so many countries are these days) and with a fairly settled test line up for the last 12-18 months are starting to shape up to be the next generation of world beaters, and against well known and respected opposition I'm sure most of the younger or newer players will look at this series as an opportunity to establish themselves in the test side for the summer and beyond. I'm tipping aus 4-1 and would like to see them line up for the 1st test as follows:

Warner
Renshaw
Khawaja
Smith (C)
Handscombe (WK)
Maxwell
M.Marsh
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon

 

[Velocity]

Perth used to be such a hard and bouncy track, but hasn't this changed in recent years?, if so why, to suit the state team etc?

Isn't it still a hard and bouncy track?[DOUBLEPOST=1506474468][/DOUBLEPOST]

M.Marsh

This guy is seriously overrated. I think either Stoinis or Cartwright will occupy that position.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Vince, Ballance recalled for Ashes; Wood misses out

Click here to view more : Vince, Ballance recalled for Ashes; Wood misses out | Cricbuzz.com

Squad announced..

 

[Markkkkk]

I think I’ll comment here for the ashes. Haven’t had decent cricket talk in ages

 

[Dutch]

Squad: Joe Root (c), Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, James Vince, Moeen Ali, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jake Ball, Craig Overton.


No place for Hales....that i dont understand

 

[blockerdave]

Squad: Joe Root (c), Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, James Vince, Moeen Ali, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jake Ball, Craig Overton.


No place for Hales....that i dont understand

Certainly would have had Hales in over one of Vince or Ballance.

 

[Dutch]

Certainly would have had Hales in over one of Vince or Ballance.

Deffo.....really dont see why they would leave him out....Ballance especially has looked very very suspect

 

[Markkkkk]

I’m one of if not the big James Vince fans but I don’t know how he’s gotten into the squad

 

[blockerdave]

i'd actually say Westley has been hard done by. He certainly looked no worse than Vince nor the Ballance that came back into he side last 2 times. I guess at least in Ballance's favour is the fact he was successful once... I don't see how Vince deserves another shot.

Westley & Hales over Ballance and Vince; Plunkett over Overton; Rashid over Crane - that would have been my squad.

 

[LittleBigPlanet]

[DOUBLEPOST=1506474468][/DOUBLEPOST]
I think either Stoinis or Cartwright will occupy that position.

Yup more than likely they will give them a go before m.marsh, but I think out of those 3 m.marsh is the one that's got enough pace and moves it enough to be a genuine 4th seam option... From what I've seen of cartwrights bowling he's pedestrian like 115-125kmh kind of pedestrian, stoinis has got the pace but for whatever reason just doesn't seem to take any wickets... I think Aus need a bowling allrounder who can bat at 7 personally (that's if they give hndscombe the gloves and he stays at 5) if not m.marsh than maybe s.abbott... M.marsh for me though has potential to be a genuine allrounder!

 

[CerealKiller]

Ballance and Vince, are you tweaking serious? England won't win a match if they keep relying on their lower order.

 

[Velocity]

Ballance and Vince, are you tweaking serious? England won't win a match if they keep relying on their lower order.

Vince has been quite average as well in the county season.

 

[Aislabie]

What even is the point in having county cricket if the blokes who average in the 30s are picked, but the blokes who average in the 40s and up to 50 are not?

I can only assume the selectors are desperately hoping to find themselves a Trescothick and Vaughan.

 

[CerealKiller]

Footage of the Stokes incident

 

[LittleBigPlanet]

Footage of the Stokes incident

...Wow!!!

Imo, I don't think that footage should have been released until the court case was finalised. Unfortunately it is and in all honesty I reckon he's missing test matches for that...

At least some scummy nightclub owner or worker has made a pretty good amount of money of that!

Counter sue possibly?