Ashes Squad Prediction
 

Let's test out your predicting skills.


This is my squad prediction for 2009 Ashes Series.


1st Test-England

Strauss(c)
Cook(d-vc)
Bopara
K.Pieterson(vc)
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Bresnan
Andersan
Swann
Onions
Collingwood(12)




Squad of 16 tests Australia


P.Hughes
S.Katich
R.Ponting(c)
M.Hussey
M.Clarke(vc)
M.North
B.Haddin(d-vc)
B.Lee
M.Johnson
P.Siddle
S.Clark
N.Hauritz(12)


A.Symonds
B.Hilfenhaus
B.Hodge
G.Manou


Squad of 16 ODI-England


Strauss(c)
Anderson
Bell
Bopara
Bresnan
Broad
Collingwood
Mascarenhas
Morgan
Pieterson(vc)
Prior
Shah
Sidebottom
Swann
Flintoff
Cook(d-vc)



Australia- Squad of 16 ODI



M.Clarke(vc)
B.Haddin(d-vc)
R.Ponting(c)
D.Hussey
A.Symonds
M.Hussey
S.Watson
J.Hopes
M.Johnson
N.Hauritz
N.Bracken
S.Tait(12)



B.Hilfenhaus
D.Cullen
S.Marsh
D.Warner

Been saying this for a while.

For the first test, barring injuries or a incredible turning pitch, Australia should (and probably will) run with this;

1. Pillip Hughes
2. Simon Katich
3. Ricky Ponting (c)
4. Michael Hussey
5. Michael Clarke (vc)
6. Marcus North
7. Brad Haddin
8. Brett Lee
9. Mitchell Johnson
10. Peter Siddle
11. Stuart Clark

Only debatable things are

a) Brett Lee's inclusion - is he fit and ready, and playing well enough to earn a spot?
b) Symonds v North - I'd go with North
c) Hussey's spot in the batting order - TBH I don't care if he is 4 or 5, all I know is after this series if he fails again he should be dropped
d) Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson's position in the batting order - Who should come first? Who cares.

D) One has scored a test ton and looks cool/calm/collected at the crease, the other hasn't, and tends to look like he's struggling despite scoring runs..... wait, why is this even a question?

LOL @ the England team in the first post.

Ind33d. So much wrong it's just not possible to even start.

I can actually see England going in with:

Strauss *
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior +
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Onions/Sidebottom
Panesar

Just for Cardiff. I think Flintoff should hold back his return until the 2nd game. I don't think he'll play the T20 World Cup, given the fact that he's not going to be running for a week and a half, and Cardiff has really looked condusive to spin in the game I saw on Sky. Kaneria was getting some real ripping spin. I'd much rather we let Flintoff get back to 100% fitness before coming back in, and getting some overs and runs for Lancs before just being rushed in. There's no point playing an undercooked Flintoff, but given England's track record, I'm sure he'll be rushed straight back with no overs under his belt, and play in the T20 WC.

OK - how many people honestly have confidence in MSP to perform in Tests given his record for Northants since 2007?

I'd not be so against him in a five-man attack. Definitely not in a four-man.

This isnt a batting order.

We know that. The "first Test team" one was though. If England play six bowlers and Flintoff bats five, I'll eat Richard's computer.

Eat your bloody own!
I'd be against him full-stop if I thought he was going to offer no threat; I'd be for him full-stop if I thought he was.

Four-man or five-man, it's irrelevant IMO.

Yeah, I guess I agree with that, basically the only reason for Panesar to get a gig is if Swann misses out for whatever reason. I can see what fos is saying though; it would be madness to play two spinners if we only had four bowlers, it wouldn't be as bad if we had five and the conditions suited.

What is a MSP? =/

Mudhudsen (sp?) Singh Panesar

Looks like Lancs are going to be unlucky and have to carry Flintoff playing as a batsmen for a few games...hopefully he'll make up for it when he bowls