*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[social]

Almost as laughable as people writing off Broad.

Lets not pretend that Broad was that good to begin with

He averages over 30 in seam friendly conditions, has been effective for a relatively small part of his career and then reverted to norm - that's why he was dropped

The only advantage he holds over the young Australian bowlers is that he will be bowling to our batting lineup

[GIMH]

And that he's better, ofc

[BoyBrumby]

I'm no fan of Broad, but the knock is he was carrying an injury for the India tour.

I doubt that's going to score him any brownie points with the panal tho as hiding an injury/knock is almost worse than inexplicable shyte form.

Bres I'm less convinced will ever be the bowler he was tho.

[GingerFurball]

Lets not pretend that Broad was that good to begin with

He averages over 30 in seam friendly conditions, has been effective for a relatively small part of his career and then reverted to norm - that's why he was dropped

The only advantage he holds over the young Australian bowlers is that he will be bowling to our batting lineup

Ah yes, those renowned Abu Dhabi greentops. Such a bully is Broad.

How he's done whilst being half fit in India for half a series obviously much more important.

[howardj]

Crazy Ideas!

Dussey to be drafted? He's 36 and barely made a run this Summer in the Shield

Siddle, Starc, Johnson as an all-rounder?

Wade at six?

Doubts over Watson being good enough as a batsman?

A bits n pieces Maxwell? If Maxwell makes it, then it must be as our specialist spinner or a top six batsman - not as a bit n pieces guy who can bat a bit and bowl a bit

[BoyBrumby]

Seems a little counter-intuitive that the selectors have ignored his claims when he was in good nick and not quite so, ah, mature as a player, but now they'd take him out of form purley because he's "experienced".

[Scaly piscine]

Going to be an awful lot of shovelling going on around here when the Ashes is over.

[howardj]

I think with Mussey now gone, now more than ever we need to pick our best six batsmen

If they can also bowl, then that's a bonus

[NUFAN]

Yeah I agree with that. It would be too risky if we went down the Wade at 6, Johnson at 7 path against quality bowling attacks. MJ is so hit and miss that its not a realistic option.

[wellAlbidarned]

Seems a little counter-intuitive that the selectors have ignored his claims when he was in good nick and not quite so, ah, mature as a player, but now they'd take him out of form purley because he's "experienced".

never underestimate the power of having a Hussey in the mix

[uvelocity]

It's concerning how confused Mickeys comes across in that article. You'd hope they'd thought about this ahead of time and have some idea what to do. None of picking D Hussey or batting Johnson at 7 or thinking of Maxwell as a viable second spinner is it. And Starc/Siddle to become all rounders? Please what is this

[Tangles]

That is one disturbing article. Not 1 back up plan. Nice. How about we just pick the top 6 batsmen and go from there.

[chaminda_00]

Picking 6 specialist batsmen is fine tactic when you have 6 Test standard batsmen. Though I guess they keep giving a spot to a specialist spinner, when there isn't any Test standard spinners in Australia. So the value of baggy green has reduced a lot over the last couple seasons.

[Spark]

It's concerning how confused Mickeys comes across in that article. You'd hope they'd thought about this ahead of time and have some idea what to do. None of picking D Hussey or batting Johnson at 7 or thinking of Maxwell as a viable second spinner is it. And Starc/Siddle to become all rounders? Please what is this

I think this has completely and utterly thrown them, tbh. As he says he was basing all his plans around having both Clarke and Hussey - and given Hussey's form, with good reason - so I think this is just the initial "oh ****" period

[Burgey]

Picking 6 specialist batsmen is fine tactic when you have 6 Test standard batsmen. Though I guess they keep giving a spot to a specialist spinner, when there isn't any Test standard spinners in Australia. So the value of baggy green has reduced a lot over the last couple seasons.

Just as well eh? Or the last test could kent been over in one day.