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*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

flibbertyjibber

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Question marks over every department?

I think the bowling lineup is pretty settled.

Either way, the third seamer is going to be pretty decent.

Harris, Bird or Starc. Harris just bowled about 60 overs in the Shield Final, he's rdy to go.
Wouldn't know what the best attack is though would you? The way you chop and change it means we could all guess it and still be miles out. Not saying your attack is bad just not settled.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Love how Bell still has his reputation from 05
Innings today was good, sure, you have seen some of the shots he's played over the last 18 months, yeah? Almost became a parody of himself at times - Ian "caught at short extra cover" Bell.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Innings today was good, sure, you have seen some of the shots he's played over the last 18 months, yeah? Almost became a parody of himself at times - Ian "caught at short extra cover" Bell.
Has a good record when it's a case of "Bat to draw, and only to draw". He can compute that.
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Looking at the winter from an England point of view if before the India tour started we had been offered a draw and a win in the two series we'd have snatched your arm off. The fact we have done it the less obvious way round is a bit weird but not losing in our last 6 tests away from home is a good effort.

As for the ashes, we basically know the England side already as long as Swann and KP are fit with the only selection headache being the number 6 slot which I think Root will get. Good to know we are virtually secure with our line up and the opposition have question marks over ever department of their game. Bring it on I say.
3rd seamers spot is certainly up for grabs, no? Finn was far from brilliant in NZ, and I'd personally be far happier if Tremlett or Bresnan can get back to their best and into the side. Onions has to be a major shout if he does well in the first half of the Championship too. One warm up game against a New Zealand XI shouldn't be enough to suddenly discard him after a year of waiting in the wings.

What would a combined XI look like at the moment?

Cook
Warner
Trott
KP
Clarke*
Bell
Prior+
Swann
Harris/Siddle
Pattinson
Anderson

?
Yup.

Love how Bell still has his reputation from 05
It's cute really. I think he'll have a good series, may even be England's highest run scorer. Bell's record in England is awesome, and that is even including series like the 2005 Ashes. Even during his horror 2012 he still got runs against the Windies (their attack wasn't garbage by any means either). His 55 off 220 balls second dig at the Oval was a pretty good rearguard that always seems to be forgotten as well.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Forgotten because England got hammered and he got out in a pretty ugly manner?

Look, he's a good player, and he'll probably do alright. But he does have a marked propensity for getting out in some truly appalling ways at bad times for the team.

Clarke was out coming down the track first ball to Jadeja in Mohali. A couple of dismissals shouldn't be used to push away an awesome record over a four year 3-4 year period.
Not if they become a pattern. There are some ways you simply should not get out by on a regular basis. Caught in the ring is right up there.
 
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flibbertyjibber

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3rd seamers spot is certainly up for grabs, no? Finn was far from brilliant in NZ, and I'd personally be far happier if Tremlett or Bresnan can get back to their best and into the side. Onions has to be a major shout if he does well in the first half of the Championship too. One warm up game against a New Zealand XI shouldn't be enough to suddenly discard him after a year of waiting in the wings.
Personally I think Finn will get the nod against NZ and do well so will remain in the side for the ashes.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
But he does have a marked propensity for getting out in some truly appalling ways at bad times for the team.
Haha yeah he does, and for that reason he's an amusing player. But I actually think it's made him under-rated on here if anything. He's seen as a running joke and he's actually a very good player despite the lols he gives. As you said yourself:

Look, he's a good player, and he'll probably do alright.
It's hardly the laughing stock it's made out to be that England have Ian Bell playing for them, even if he does make us laugh when he gets out a couple of times in the series. If he was eligible for Australia he'd be their second best batsman with daylight third, fourth and fifth; he's a good bat.

He's very much a confidence player and that's why it's always been suggested that the best way to get him out is inside his head, but he got out of an extended run of poor form with an extremely important century and he's played another gem just gone.

It's in some ways ironic that he was once someone accused of looking great with the bat and racking up good numbers that were in the end inconsequential as he'd score when it wasn't needed and then fail with the heat on. Because what he's done since India's tour of England is compile some pretty terrible overall numbers and get out to ungainly shots that stick in the mind, and then broken that up with a couple of career-defining knocks that were vitally important in England securing a series win and then a series draw.

He's just trolling.
 
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Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Best bit about that game is how his first innings dismissal was just sooooo Bell (tm) and then he bounced back immediately.
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
What annoys me most is what you said Cribb, that there's still this perception that he just cashes in when it's easy. As Marcuss pointed out in the tour thread, over the last few years he's played multiple long rearguard actions at a slow scoring rate. Yet people still talk about him as though he's a guy who'll just score a quick 50 when England are on top.
 

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