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***Official: Countdown to the 2017-2018 Ashes***

Burgey

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With just over a year to go until the one series in world cricket which really counts, it's time for a countdown thread.

There was a bit of Ashes overkill around the last few series, what with them being moved around all over the place and having two lots back-to-back, but it doesn't take long before true lovers of the game grow tired of endless series involving the lesser cricketing nations taking up space on the calendar. True it is that supporters of those countries might enjoy them, but those series are really the romantic comedies of cricket - they're there to pass the time and to giggle at in between the important things in life, namely The Ashes.

With a year to go, there are a lot of questions over both sides, though they each have decent warm up series against less important nations which hopefully allow them to tweak their teams and get the combinations right. Australia has SA and Pakistan coming here then have to travel away to play India in 19th century playing conditions where the bowling will be opened with spinners wearing top hats and bow ties. It isn't proper cricket, but it's good to indulge other countries and give them a bit of encouragement as a warm up to the one big series.

For its part, England is getting the charity tours out of the way early, having just been to Bangladesh and now heading to India. I think this strategy is clever, as they will then be at home to SA and the Windies in real cricketing conditions where the bowlers sometimes present a straight seam, before heading down under.

Team-wise, barring injury I'd say the certainties to play for the hosts are Warner, Smith, Hazelwood, Starc and Lyon. England will certainly have Cook, Root, Stokes, Anderson, Ali and Broad in the side. The other spots are pretty much up for grabs IMO.

The other point of interest, especially for neutrals (not that what they think matters) is the new stadium in Perth might be completed ahead of schedule, and therefore if the next Ashes test isn't the WACA's last, it may be the new stadium's first.

Anyway, all Anglo-Australian banter welcome. Usual rules apply. Mods, please sticky this thread asap; a subforum will be opened up in due course, neutral fans are irrelevant and no threads can be started or posts made by any CW member with less than 500 posts.

Fire away.
 
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Gnske

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Think its fairly obvious Stokes is going to be the golden pillar around which England need to rally, who knows how much better he'll be by then.

The series however, I believe will kill Test cricket once and for all with how awful it is.
 

TheJediBrah

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Here's hoping for an excessively hot summer to keep key England players Stokes and Bairstow out with sunburn-related injuries
 

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Warner
Bancroft
Khawaja
Smith
Patterson
Handscomb
Nevill
Starc
Pattinson/Cummins
Hazelwood
Lyon
 

Burgey

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Anyone who says they support either team but doesn't rate this the only important thing in cricket is a ****.
 

flibbertyjibber

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Think it is fairly certain the the performances of Warner, Smith and Starc for Australia and Cook, Root and Stokes for England will go a long way to deciding the series. Yes there are obviously other important players on both sides but the fact both sides have huge flaws in their batting means it is vital that each sides best opener and star bat get runs and the bowlers who make things happen in Starc and Stokes will be vital too. It is too far away to know what sort of impact Anderson may have as he seems to be getting more injuries as he gets older so Broad's fitness and experience will be important too. We have no idea who the Aussies will have in their attack other than Starc and Hazlewood as their pacemen they may like to play are never fit.

I am glad England have a tough series at home to SA before they go to Australia as it will toughen the batsmen up, be no use playing a soft travelling side like India who don't/can't compete away as they have no good pace bowlers and when they get one they bowl them into the ground and ruin them. The tours and inevitable defeats of both sides against India will have no relevance as to this series though it may mean a batsman gets dropped due to being awful against spin which could be a mistake if they play pace well. Given the fact that both nations seem to have selectors that the public are concerned about either side may have a funky pick that everyone finds bizarre so they may play as important a role as the players on the field as if they get the selection wrong it may have a disastrous effect for either side.

Can't wait for it, going to be great. Best series around and clearly the most important.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
The series however, I believe will kill Test cricket once and for all with how awful it is.
Just trying to work out what you're suggesting there. In what way awful?

Beyond that, I'm not convinced that Anderson will take part.
 

Burgey

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Think the parties involved are probably happy with the name of the series tbh.

I know it isn't as good as the 850th Singtel Cup ODI Series between India and SL, but it's the best we can do.
 

superkingdave

Hall of Fame Member
We need to find 3 batsmen over the next 12 months - if 2 are Hameed and Duckett then great but massive ifs. Cook, Root, Bairstow, Ali, Stokes, Woakes, Anderson and Broad if fit should be in the side. Biased as I am bit I haven't seen anyone with as good a technique as Hameed and I think his temperament is up to it as well.

We will still find a way to play Finn at Perth and he will get smashed.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Deadset don't think, in the history of test cricket, there will have been a meeting of two more mediocre captains than Cook vs. Smith. Going to be just awful.

Hopefully by then somehow Stokes and Warner are captains of their teams and we can have some fun, rather than two boring pieces of **** leading their teams.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Luckily for these two teams the BCCI blocked the tier system.

After both England and Australia get whitewashed in India, this would have been a second tier series.
 

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