**.....UNOFFICIAL.....** ASHES 2007 thread

[howardj]

England look to be in a little bit of a slump, at present. I think it's quite clear that unless their first choice bowling attack fronts for the whole series here in Australia - Flintoff, Jones, Harmison and Hoggard - they stand little chance. For it falls to these guys to win the new ball battle against Hayden and Ponting. Like last time, keeping Hayden and Ponting subdued will be the key to winning the Urn.

 

[aussie]

Thats right Howard, don't want to write England off at all they are a good team it would be better to give a judgement after the end of the pakistan series where presumably England should have the majority of the ashes winning side playing.

But i got a gut feeling even if England go to Australia full-strenght Australia will regain the ashes. Its just like Australia's challenges with India in 2001 then in 2004. In 2001 like in the last ashes Australia made mistakes i.e in 2001 they had no plan b to counter harbhajan & it lead to their downfall & their inability to want to adapt a conservative approach & score slowly.

In 2005 it was the 1st time in many years that Australia came up againts a quality bowling attack in testing conditons & they failed to cope with it not only because some batsmen i.e Hayden & Gilchrist were worked out technically it was also Australia's inability to want to take their time a give the bowlers due respect, but they kept their aggressive approach & it cost them. While the bowling attack lacked consistent support for Shane Warne who caused England bastmen major problems.

When Australia went back to India in 2004 all of the mistakes of 2001 were corrected, & Australia showed signs vs a good South African side who had a pretty good bowling attack in testing conditions home & away that some of the mistakes that they made during the ashes especially with respect to the way the played good fast bowling in testing conditions that they can alter their aggressive approach. If that improvement is continued during the ashes i can see Australia regaining the ashes.

 

[benchmark00]

http://www.bowled-em.com/


Hahahaha awesome game.

 

[aussie]

Possible starting XI's at this stage baring no further serious injuries to players:

Australia:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Clark
McGrath

Watson has an outside chance of playing as the all-rounder at #6 because it seems that Ponting really wants to have the 5th bowler option thus he has a chance since Symonds performances should have ruled him out of the test side for a while.

Also Clark will have the edge over Dizzy since his returns for Yorkshire to date has not been that great

England:

Trescothick
Strauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson

Cook & Collingwood will battle out for a place, i presume Collingwood will get it because i'm not so sure Fletcher will want 4 openers in the top 4 & due to his ability in the field and the option he gives with the ball.

Giles if he recovers will play ahead of Panesar also, while Jones has i keep saying needs to lift his game in the Pakistan series or else he could be axed.

Plus once Anderson returns from injury he should start ahead Plunkett, Mahmood or Tremlett.

 

[tooextracool]

Possible starting XI's at this stage baring no further serious injuries to players:

Australia:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Clark
McGrath.

i think Australia should consider playing Macgill with Warne considering Englands weakness against spin.

England:

Trescothick
Strauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson

i think i would go for this one:
Tresco
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Collingwood/Owais Shah
Flintoff
Read
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson

 

[aussie]

i think Australia should consider playing Macgill with Warne considering Englands weakness against spin.

Surely they will, but at least for the 1st test at the Gabba Australia would play the 3rd seamer.

i think i would go for this one:
Tresco
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Collingwood/Owais Shah
Flintoff
Read
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson

Hmm Strauss over Cook, kind of unlikely but we'll see..

 

[tooextracool]

Surely they will, but at least for the 1st test at the Gabba Australia would play the 3rd seamer.



Hmm Strauss over Cook, kind of unlikely but we'll see..

Im pretty sure the selectors wont actually play those sides, but that is what i believe are the best options. Macgill is far more likely to cause England problems(considering Kaneria did) than Clark.

 

[aussie]

no debates there.

 

[howardj]

Simon Jones: "I'll Make Ashes Tour".

 

[howardj]

Hungry Punter

Punter's going to be hungrier than a revenous dinosaur.