*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[Flametree]

I think unlike the last series the Australian bowlers are good enough to put pressure on the English batting line-up. But I just can't see the current Australian line-up scoring runs against the English bowling. If they all played a 5-test series against England in English conditions, what would you expect the Australian batsmen to average?

I'd say Warner 30-35, Cowan 25-30, Watson 40, Ponting 30, Clarke 45, Hussey 35-40, Haddin/Wade 30. If I were a gambling person I'd be betting on the downside risk of a few of them (Ponting in particular) rather than the upside. The tail might wag a bit, but I just can't see the current line-up scoring enough runs to win a series.

Is there anyone not in the current line-up who Aussie fans hope will have a stellar 2012-13 season and so break into the side?

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by superkingdave

Shame there isn't a Loins vs Aussies fixture - from the Aussie viewpoint their batsmen get a nice introduction at Taunton

Loins will step in if Northants (I think) make theT20 finals.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by uvelocity

here ya go deus ex

ICC Future Tours Programme

ah cheers mate.

So that's 10 test matches between now and the next Ashes (SA and SL at home, and then India away). Definitely enough time for players to lose form/be dropped and for new ones to enter into the equation.

At this stage though I think England will win, but probably not by the margins of the last series. A lot depends on what team we end up playing though, and there are a fair few uncertainties there. Would be pretty awesome though if Cummins solidifies his place in the team with some good performances, and both he and Pattinson start to really flourish before the series. Would be an awesome contest to see England's experienced line up against some fiery new talent.

[uvelocity]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

So that's 10 test matches between now and the next Ashes (SA and SL at home, and then India away). Definitely enough time for players to lose form/be dropped and for new ones to enter into the equation.

a lot can happen very quickly, yeah

anderson has played his last test

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Flametree

I think unlike the last series the Australian bowlers are good enough to put pressure on the English batting line-up. But I just can't see the current Australian line-up scoring runs against the English bowling. If they all played a 5-test series against England in English conditions, what would you expect the Australian batsmen to average?

I'd say Warner 30-35, Cowan 25-30, Watson 40, Ponting 30, Clarke 45, Hussey 35-40, Haddin/Wade 30. If I were a gambling person I'd be betting on the downside risk of a few of them (Ponting in particular) rather than the upside. The tail might wag a bit, but I just can't see the current line-up scoring enough runs to win a series.

Is there anyone not in the current line-up who Aussie fans hope will have a stellar 2012-13 season and so break into the side?

I think the main thing is though, if the Aus bowlers can match the English then our batsmen won't have to rack up a lot of runs to put us in contention. A series that has lows scores and quality bowling is always better fun anyway imo, so here's hoping...

If, on the other hand, though our bowling isn't good enough, then, yeah, it probably isn't likely our batsmen will be able to step up and do the job (especially considering our batting stocks at the moment are very poor). But you can't completely write them off...there's a difference between a team with mediocre players, that basically has no chance, and one that has potential. Think ours is definitely more the latter at this stage - e.g. Watson might finally get his act together (think most would agree he is underachieving), Warner has that 'x-factor' and could go either way, Ponting can't be written off, obviously a class player etc. Biggest question mark for me is the second opening position, because I'm not sure Cowan will last and there aren't really many options at this stage.

[uvelocity]

warners will go good, and talk of him being found out in english conds is uneducated

[vic_orthdox]

You can be sure Saker already has plans on how to bowl to Cowan, Warner, etc.

[Ruckus]

He has the greatest bowling attack of all time at his disposal so they can probably work it out themselves.

[uvelocity]

[hazsa19]

Originally Posted by GIMH

Hope the weather holds here next summer because 5-0 is a cert (to us)

Only that could top 09/10

[hazsa19]

Only just realised Edgbaston doesn't have a test. Trent Bridge it is for me

[jan]

I was doing some googling about WC 2015 and found interesting info about Ashes. Do I get it right the Ashes gonna take place in ENG and later on in AUS in 2013, that is twice in the same year?

[flibbertyjibber]

Originally Posted by jan

I was doing some googling about WC 2015 and found interesting info about Ashes. Do I get it right the Ashes gonna take place in ENG and later on in AUS in 2013, that is twice in the same year?

Yes so that in future years the ashes in Australia isn't played just before the world cup.

[Cabinet96]

I think it's pretty stupid tbh. Because of the different seasons, the Ashes isn't played every 2 years, it's played every year and half and then again in 2 and a half years. Why not just do the next Ashes the year after the World Cup, meaning there's a gap of 2 and a half years after the one in England, and then a gap of a year and a half before the 2017 one in England? The way it is, I think the team that wins the first series will have a huge advantage over the opposition for the second one in 2013/14.

And why are we doing another one in 2015?

[hazsa19]

Originally Posted by howardj

I really rate the Poms on their home patch

Plus, our leather flingers (Pattinson, Cummins, Lyon etc), have precious little experience in those parts

So, in that series at least, I think we'll get really done over

Cummins has precious little experience anywhere. One Test Match is it?