Its not as though he's got a very good international record that many spinners would be proud of despite the fact he never really improved as a player during his England tenure...
Added to that he's been in very good form for Sussex, has by all accounts improved as a person (as in he has started to do things for himself such as picking his own fields this year) and has started to differ the way in which he bowls so he's not bowling the same thing over and over again (he no longer bowls 56mph regardless of the condtitions! Huzzah!)
I dont know how averaging 34 is anything. But between IND 2007 - Ashes 09 (Cardiff test) he was horribly poor. Panesar clealry had ALOTT of work to do to rekindle his ealry glory during his 1st year year on international test cricket
Again did you see him actually bowl this season in FC cricket or are you making asusmptioons that he may have improved??. Even if you did or the questionable ENG selectors did, as i said before i dont know how bowling & doing well againts mediocre batsmen in the poor 2nd division cricket is going to help him improve after just one year.
Those are wayy to much uncertainties for an Ashes squad selection. Maybe if the Ashes was next winter & he continued these performances when Sussex are in Division 1. But not no at all.
Ponting is out of form and England have gotten him out numerous time with the short ball during the ODI series which has just past. Likewise Clarke was bounced out quite a few times. Hussey's form hasn't been what it was a couple of years ago either. North has been poor for a while and looked completely clueless against Swann last time around. Haddin's a decent keeper and a dependable batsmen but he isn't going to set the world alight.
Moving onto the bowling there's Johnson who can be bloody awful at time while Hauritz is distinctly average. Hilfy is good with the new ball but can be a bit toothless after the new balls worn off. And Siddle is quite erratic.
Ponting is clearly passed his ulitmate peak & the short ball stuff is definately an area ENG willl Ponting will target him. But Ponting is too great a batsman for anyone to write off, with this potential being his swansong season as an international cricket (Ashes & World Cup), the man can very well rise to occassion & bring back that old spark.
Clarke has been AUS form batsman for the past 3 years. Couple good bouncers from Broad doesn't make him vulnerable at all. I expect him to be in the runs as usual.
Hussey is fine. His early WI 005/06 - IND 08/09 form has decreased. But since his Oval hundred in the final Ashes test last year, his test form in recent AUS tests have been fairly solid again.
Every AUS fan knows North should be dropped. Their is a good possibility he wont play in the Ashes anyway. AUS have depth in Hughes, Ferguson, D Hussey (although he wont be picked), Khawajala (spell check), Jaques, Rogers to call up when he dropped soon.
Haddin is indeed hit & miss. But if he can be consistent in the Ashes, he can definately tare ENG bowling apart in the odd innings.
Hilfenhaus is not toothless when the ball is not swinging compared to Anderson. He has shown he can reverse swing the old ball alreayd in his career.
You are right about Johnson. But most of his eratic bowling to date has occured outside Australia to be fair. In AUS to date he has always been good.
Siddle can be erratic yes. But once he gets the right conditions he is very dangerous. You also haven't mentioned Ryan Harris who could play a part in this series as well.
I dont rate Hauritz & i dont think he should be playing much, ENG batsmen should definately be able to take advantage of him. If AUS play an all-seam attack (as ive called for many times as some AUS posters on this forum know) - they bowling attack will be far more deadly for ENG batsmen.
In comparison for to England. Cook is a worry very dodgy form in the last year and has a major flaw but he has past experience of scoring a century in Australia. KP could be a series winner but his form has been a worry albeit slightly eased by is scores for Surrey as is Colly a worry. Bell although he has had a bad time against Australia in the past but looks to be in the form of his life at the moment. Prior has looked an extremely good player in the last few years and his keeping is up their with the best in my opinion over the last year.
On the bowlers front, Swann is the best spinner in the world. Broad has come on leaps and bounds for me in the last year and is a steady solid performer with bat and ball. Anderson is in brilliant form but will have to prove himself in Australia. Finn has looked very good for England and Tremlett is a very solid bowler.
I'd say that the teams are rather even and Australia have quite a few weak links as do England.
Cook having experience of scoring a hundred in AUS means nothing. Cook has not improved one ioata since the 2006/07 Ashes tour when facing quality fast-bowling. He is an accident waiting to happen, once AUS bowlers bowl to potential.
Overall if we are going on form, Strauss, Bell, Prior are the guys who have that. KP, Colly, Cook is very vulnerable. Although given his greatness i would back KP out of all of them to come good.
While for the bowling Swann alone can be surely depended on to take wickets. Anderson is still yet to prove he can bowl well on flat pitches. Braod will be solid instead of spectacular. While Finn & Tremlett although they have the attributes to bowl well in AUS conditions - they are still unknowns to a fair degree.
So overall its quite ENG have more weak links & unknowns that AUS by some way.
