beehive_bob
Well-Known Member
Botham looking well down under!
Enjoyed that, cheers for posting
Botham looking well down under!
A few days out, I'm sticking with what I said back in MayI think we'll need a lot to go in our favour to have any chance in Australia.
As a positive (perhaps clutching at straws) I feel like we've got a much more settled batting line up compared to when we went there last time as you know right now and we've known for awhile that barring injuries it's going to be Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith as our top 7. Sure Bethell and Cox could get in there between now and the winter but this is miles more settled and organised than bringing Hameed and Malan in from the cold a few months before the first test and Billings making his debut during the tour.
The bowling is where we'll struggle in Australia in my opinion. As ever big questions around the fitness of Wood and Archer, although Woakes will be the leader of the bowling pack throughout the summer he's shown he's not effective in Australia, Atkinson and Carse have had good starts to their Test careers but not experienced enough (I could change my mind on this by the end of the summer), the other pace bowlers like Tongue, Hull, Potts, Cook would need to get picked a few times this summer to have a chance to travel I'd imagine. And then there's the spinner - we've backed Bashir who seems to be OK but like Leach before him not in the same class as Lyon who we'll be coming up against.
As for Australia - it'll probably be the last big series for some of their recent greats like Starc, Hazelwood, Smith, Lyon and Khawaja, and they've got enough key players playing at their top level like Head, Carey, Green and Cummins to beat us in their conditions.
I like the look of our pace attack, it's the top 3 in the batting I'm concerned about. If they get runs, and we aren't less than a 100/3 all the time I think we'll be very competitive.A few days out, I'm sticking with what I said back in May
I like the look of our pace attack, it's the top 3 in the batting I'm concerned about. If they get runs, and we aren't less than a 100/3 all the time I think we'll be very competitive.
Hopefully Archers injuries are behind him, he's had a decent run without injury now. Wood is a complete different matter though and I'll be surprised if he makes it through the tour. I like Carse a lot, think he will surprise a few on this tour.I think we have the right bowlers to hurt them, but 2 of them are very much injury-prone, Archer and Wood and the others are untested Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse. The Aussies will make the wickets hard and pacey, but it will surprise many and it will take spin I think they are trying to fool england into not playing a spinner because of the look of the wicket,
The biggest thing for england if we want to win the ashes is the mental attitude and can we handle it under pressure with the mind games and sledging.
Got my setup ready, DAB Radio set to test match special, in bed with the radio on doesn't get much better for the Cricket in the winter nights
So Carse, Archer, Tongue and Atkinson for the Perth???Hopefully Archers injuries are behind him, he's had a decent run without injury now. Wood is a complete different matter though and I'll be surprised if he makes it through the tour. I like Carse a lot, think he will surprise a few on this tour.
I think they'll play Wood if he's deemed fit. Even if he breaks down they've got 5 quicks including Stokes. 5 quicks should allow them to bowl Wood in short spells, maybe 4 overs, 5 max. He'll still probably break down though.So Carse, Archer, Tongue and Atkinson for the Perth???
Yeah, this isn’t as bad and those later Tests out east (the day-night test excepted).O2:30am first test starts
Your 12-player England Ashes squad for the first Test in Perth.
ENGLAND SQUAD
FIRST TEST
THE ASHES
BEN STOKES (c)
JOFRA ARCHER GUS ATKINSON
SHOAIB BASHIR
HARRY BROOK
BRYDON CARSE ZAK CRAWLEY
BEN DUCKETT
OLLIE POPE
JOE ROOT
JAMIE SMITH (WK)
MARK WOOD
I’d play Bashir just because of the bounce and Lion take loads of wickets at Perth because of the bounce and Bashir is tall and has a knack of getting wickets! Also reckon Stokes will want him in his squad..
Bed at 20.00 Thursday night for me, up at 02.15 Friday morning, full English breakfast, let’s batter the convictsYeah, this isn’t as bad and those later Tests out east (the day-night test excepted).
Afternoon session starts 5.10am UK time?
Think I’ll make that my wake up time - that I can just about do.
Sounds like a plan but think I might save the full English till later in the day, lolBed at 20.00 Thursday night for me, up at 02.30 Friday morning, full English breakfast, let’s batter the convicts
Your 12-player England Ashes squad for the first Test in Perth.
ENGLAND SQUAD
FIRST TEST
THE ASHES
BEN STOKES (c)
JOFRA ARCHER GUS ATKINSON
SHOAIB BASHIR
HARRY BROOK
BRYDON CARSE ZAK CRAWLEY
BEN DUCKETT
OLLIE POPE
JOE ROOT
JAMIE SMITH (WK)
MARK WOOD
I’d play Bashir just because of the bounce and Lion take loads of wickets at Perth because of the bounce and Bashir is tall and has a knack of getting wickets! Also reckon Stokes will want him in his squad..
Really hope England can keep everyone fit and healthy and they give the dirty convicts a bloody nose in the 1st Test then go on and win the Series 3-1.
Vital Archer and Stokes can provide the razzamataz required.
Also wishing Root finds runs this series.
Cmon England
