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This is why Australia will lose the Ashes

tooextracool

International Coach
Since 1.1.09 - ie both the home and away series v the WI and including the 51ao.
I don't pretend we're a great team but we have a decent batting line-up. Not sure if 5 specialist batsmen (plus Prior) is enough though, I'd rather see 6 batsmen plus Prior at 7, and Flintoff at 8.
I think I'd rather see that as well, but we cant really do that until we have a settled bowling attack which we don't really have at the moment given that everyone bar Flintoff has been dropped in the not too distant past.
 

tooextracool

International Coach
I'm pretty happy with the way the selecting's been going lately though. The only way they could seriously balls it up is by picking Panesar at Cardiff.
Yep, even if Harmison played in the first test, I would not be that upset, although it would still be a poor move to have either Sidebottom or Harmison over Onions.

Panesar is indeed the only player who I would really really despise in the team. Word on the street, actually this is coming from the horse's mouth, is that Panesar has vowed to go back to his 'tried and tested' method of bowling without any variation. This of course is conveniently forgetting the fact that hes been rubbish for the 2 years using said method of bowling at exactly the same pace, without any flight or guile every single delivery.
 

tooextracool

International Coach
The word on the street is that Samit Patel was pencilled in for the number 6 spot in the run-up to the West Indies series (bringing his useful tweaking with him) in place of Bresnan. But he was too fat. I've said plenty of times the best balance for the side IMO is six batsmen including Patel (much like the Aussies with North) then Flintoff at 7 and Foster at 8. Broad, Swanny and Anderson make up a ridiculously strong tail and there are still four and a half bowlers.
Think he is the long term replacement for Paul Collingwood IMO. I expect Paul Collingwood to either be dropped, retire or both within the next year.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
The word on the street is that Samit Patel was pencilled in for the number 6 spot in the run-up to the West Indies series (bringing his useful tweaking with him) in place of Bresnan. But he was too fat. I've said plenty of times the best balance for the side IMO is six batsmen including Patel (much like the Aussies with North) then Flintoff at 7 and Foster at 8. Broad, Swanny and Anderson make up a ridiculously strong tail and there are still four and a half bowlers.

I'm pretty happy with the way the selecting's been going lately though. The only way they could seriously balls it up is by picking Panesar at Cardiff.
Yeah, I agree with this so much. Patel at 6, Flintoff at 7 and keeper-who-can-catch at 8 makes so much more sense in general. Aside from the obvious, it also means that you don't have to select Broad if at any stage he doesn't warrant it on bowling alone (which, at the moment, he does).
 

Uppercut

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I would bat Broad above Foster, I think
He may be a better batsman, but you don't want to be:

a) Burdening a young, quality bowler with having to look after his batting. Broad should focus on becoming a top-class bowler IMO.

and

b) Letting your wicket keeper off the hook as far as batting goes, leading to potential difficulties if balancing the side ever becomes trickier than it is now.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Foster's not a great bat by any stretch but to suggest Broad's better under-rates him a bit.

Since 2004 his season averages in the CC have been 52, 37, 48, 38, 44, 42. In this time he's scored 4690 First Class runs for Essex at 43.02.

I don't really think he's good enough to bat 6 for England (or 7 for England with Flintoff at 6, which basically has the same skill requirements as batting 6 for England) but he's definitely better than Broad, IMO.
 

Uppercut

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Foster's not a great bat by any stretch but to suggest Broad's better under-rates him a bit.

Since 2004 his season averages in the CC have been 52, 37, 48, 38, 44, 42. In this time he's scored 4690 First Class runs for Essex at 43.02.

I don't really think he's good enough to bat 6 for England (or 7 for England with Flintoff at 6, which basically has the same skill requirements as batting 6 for England) but he's definitely better than Broad, IMO.
Foster may ultimately end up with a test average much higher than Broad, but in a test tomorrow I'd expect Broad to score more runs because he's faced a lot more international attacks and has been in the team consistently for a while now. I think this is what Martyn was considering.

You still don't hide your wicket-keeper at 9 if you have any hope of his batting ever being realistically up to scratch.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Foster may ultimately end up with a test average much higher than Broad, but in a test tomorrow I'd expect Broad to score more runs because he's faced a lot more international attacks and has been in the team consistently for a while now. I think this is what Martyn was considering.

You still don't hide your wicket-keeper at 9 if you have any hope of his batting ever being realistically up to scratch.
Yeah, can see the argument against, fair
 

tooextracool

International Coach
Harmison not a bad shout at all actually, especially with Freddie gone
I very much doubt that given Harmison's uselessness in t20 and ODIs. I dont think Harmison will give up whatever chance he has to play in an England shirt especially given that his test match record would be considered to be a disappointment by everyone including himself.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Would be very surprised if Collingwood chose to retire at any stage in the next year or two. As for Harmison, I am fairly sure we will not see him again if he does not do well this summer. if he does fairly well (which I think he will) then he will tour and be dropped because he is pretty much always poor away but will remain in the frame during the next couple of summers.
 

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