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*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

tooextracool

International Coach
Not sure how anyone can put Sidebottom's name into the kitty with a straight face tbh. Other than taking wickets against a woeful NZ batting lineup, hes yet to accomplish anything of note in his test match career, and thats not likely to change. Furthermore, I would cringe at the sight of Jimmy and Sidebottom opening the bowling in Australia. Onions is the best bowler of the lot IMO, if he's injured then get Bresnan in the side. Yes I am a fan of Bresnan, not the most gifted bowlers but at least he gives it 100%.

I would like to see a little bit more of Finn this summer before I can judge him.
 

treamcast34

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
My attack:

Anderson
Broad
Swann
Onions

Sidebottom 12th man. I don't rate Bresnan at all.

Hilfenhaus scares me. If not for continual injuries he would be right up there with Steyn and Johnson for the title of world's best quick, and if you disagree, you just haven't seen enough of him. Hilfenhaus, Johnson and Bollinger is a better trio of pacemen than what we have, even more so in Australian conditions. Throw Smith into the mix (although thankfully at 20 he's going to be inconsistent) and they've got some X factor in there. We haven't seen Bollinger vs Strauss as yet - he's their best opening paceman since McGrath and that includes Lee. If Strauss can get on top of him it will go a long way toward retaining the urn.

The other thing that people don't seem to realise is how good a test bowler Watson is becoming. His return from injury in the last Ashes was terrible with the ball, and he didn't fire a shot in the T20 cup, but his ODI and test bowling since the Ashes have been very impressive - genuine wicket taker and near on the form all rounder in the game at present. Anyone who's thinking his T20 performance is indicative will get a rude shock.

Let's be honest here - simulate the 2009 Ashes series 10 times and we probably win twice. We took less wickets, scored less runs, and in Cardiff we dodged one hell of a big bullet. Statistically this series was the first of its kind in the sport, ever. Once in a blue moon stuff. Now we're crowing because we beat them in what is ultimately a hit and giggle format; nice to get the win and break the drought; but it's not cricket.

I worry with these victories that, much the same as when we got over them in 2005, we are starting to think we're the better side when in reality the convicts are still a ways ahead. Swann is in the form of his life but he and Hauritz are in the same ball park for ability, and Smith's potential goes above and beyond the both of them. They've got this kid in Phil Hughes who we think because we got him out early a few times as a 20 year old in his first tour of England, isn't much chop, but he has a test average of 51 and an FC average of 60.

Cardiff sticks in my mind - when the ball wasn't swinging a mile we looked so incredibly blunt it could drive a man to tears. Broad and Anderson especially. How are we going to go on Aussie decks?

We also can't forget how important Flintoff was in the last series. If he doesn't come up for the fifth test do we break the Ponting/Hussey partnership? Without his one-legged heroics at Lord's how much closer would they have gotten to completing that outlandish run chase?

We're going to have to play very well to beat them in their backyard, and we're going to have to do it without the man who inspired us last year. Hopefully Strauss keeps heads from inflating ahead of the trip.
 
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Spark

Global Moderator
We also can't forget how important Flintoff was in the last series. If he doesn't come up for the fifth test do we break the Ponting/Hussey partnership? Without his one-legged heroics at Lord's how much closer would they have gotten to completing that outlandish run chase?
Gut feeling is that Ponting/Clarke will be more crucial than Ponting/Hussey.
 

Sir Alex

Banned
From a neutral perspective one couldn't imagine a more "balanced" Ashes. Both teams look good, not great, but sometimes good vs good produces better cricket than great vs mediocre. I won't be surprised to see one or two retirements after this series.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
Really? Would consider Australia great favourites, especially considering its in our backyard. Not to the extent of the forgotten series by the English but still would be a real big upset if Australia lost.
 
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andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah, Australia definitely favourites IMO.

And treamcast, top posting so far mate, welcome to CW :)
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
He is English he has to be used to a good old bit of negativity.

Would simply be amazed it we won the ashes but then again I am still fairly amazed that we became good at twenty20.
 

pasag

RTDAS
Ashes is such a different kettle of fish to regular cricket, it's all about how you cope with all the tremendous external pressure. In 06/07 England were badgered into the ground by everyone in Aus, the press, the crowds it was quite intense at the time and you could tell there was nowhere to hide even for a guy who thrives on it like Fred who looked quite down and out at the time. When we go to England I think our players really lose it sometimes, the small grounds, the noise, the tabloid press, the enormity of the occasion, I think it becomes like a pressure cooker and you can tell that a) it revs up the home bowlers and b) it throws our batsmen off their game. Plans go to pot, selectors go nuts trying to find any magical combination, it's insane.

What I'm trying to say in a long winded way is that we can discuss how good each side is till the cows come home, but to a certain degree (once each side is past a certain proficiency threshold) it becomes slightly irrelevant.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
Ashes is such a different kettle of fish to regular cricket, it's all about how you cope with all the tremendous external pressure. In 06/07 England were badgered into the ground by everyone in Aus, the press, the crowds it was quite intense at the time and you could tell there was nowhere to hide even for a guy who thrives on it like Fred who looked quite down and out at the time. When we go to England I think our players really lose it sometimes, the small grounds, the noise, the tabloid press, the enormity of the occasion, I think it becomes like a pressure cooker and you can tell that a) it revs up the home bowlers and b) it throws our batsmen off their game. Plans go to pot, selectors go nuts trying to find any magical combination, it's insane.

What I'm trying to say in a long winded way is that we can discuss how good each side is till the cows come home, but to a certain degree (once each side is past a certain proficiency threshold) it becomes slightly irrelevant.
I wonder how it'll be this year.

Everyone in Australia was after blood in 06/07.

I can definitely see how the smaller grounds can create a hostile environment over in England though
 

flibbertyjibber

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Pasag you are right,in the last 2 ashes series there have been 4 extremely hyped players (2 on each side) going into the start of each series who have choked for whatever reason.Harmison and Bopara for England and Johnson and Hughes for Australia.

Who will choke this time round,as there will certainly be at least one who will?

We can all guess and make predictions as to who it will be but until the action starts nobody can really tell.
 

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