Predict the XIs for the first Ashes test.

[Red]

Only one of Archer and Wood will play, and Wood will probably break down again anyway because that's what he does.


England went back to the old rules rather conveniently just before a World Cup. Perhaps they realised Plunkett wasn't the bowler to carry them through.

So Archer is able to play for England in tests and ODI this year? That's great for cricket, and him, if that's the case.

 

[Burgey]

Shame he can't play for the Windies tbh. I know they have a very good pace attack anyway, but that would round it out perfectly. He's wasted playing for England, where they'll drop him for a Mark Ealham/ James Anderson type who wobbles it around at 125kph but is effective on their green tops.

 

[Tom Flint]

Wasn't Australians cumming in there pants a little while ago about Jackson bird loool

 

[Red]

Wasn't Australians cumming in there pants a little while ago about Jackson bird loool

I dont think this has ever been a thing loool

 

[stephen]

Wasn't Australians cumming in there pants a little while ago about Jackson bird loool

Nah. We were saying he's going to waste in the shield. He'd strengthen a lot of sides worldwide and he bowls more around the 135 mark.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Wasn't Australians cumming in there pants a little while ago about Jackson bird loool

Not really. Always seem him for what he is, a good reliable First Class seamer

 

[Tom Flint]

I dont think this has ever been a thing loool

It definitely was

 

[TheJediBrah]

Wasn't Australians cumming in there pants a little while ago about Jackson bird loool

*Australian

just one guy, but he did it a lot

 

[Red]

It definitely was

where? when?

 

[theegyptian]

Don't think Archer will play in the ashes. Woakes will likely be the third seamer assuming he's fit, which isn't guaranteed going on the reports of his knee.

Think Archer will goto NZ and SA for the 2019/20 winter though and should play.

Telegraph had Vince and Clarke as likely 2+3 for the ashes https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket...ke-could-handed-ashes-spots-england-consider/

So that would leave imo Burns, Vince, Clarke, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson


That being said all 3 top order positions will be on the table and with 12 rounds of championship cricket to be played before the ashes, it really is an open field. Were anyone to score a pile of runs in div 1 (or even 2) it would be hard to overlook them.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Wonder if Clarke will be considered depending what happens regarding that court case he was a witness in?

 

[theegyptian]

Wonder if Clarke will be considered depending what happens regarding that court case he was a witness in?

Ya I was a little surprised when his name was mentioned in that telegraph article. Presumably he'll have to appear again as a witness at the Hepburn retrial.

I think they'll probably deem being dropped from the lions for this winter punishment enough for Clarke.

Still Vince opening and Clarke at 3 would still seem to be too high in the order for them. Neither have batted that high for their counties afaik.


None of the guys with the lions (bat or bowlers) have really enhanced their chances over the winter particularly. I always find it surprising that they haven't taken an opener or two extra to work with. They need top order players and yet Duckett and Holden were the only two top order players they took out and they've been in and out of the top order at their counties. Even taking a couple of the discarded openers from the past would surely provide benefit. A Stoneman, Lyth, Robson type.

 

[trundler]

England must not go back to Stoneman. Replacing Jennings with Jennings serves no purpose. He looked mentally shot AND way too unskilled foot test cricket.

 

[theegyptian]

Not saying bring back Stoneman or any of the other guys specifically.

Just work with one or two of them on a lions tour to try and improve their games. Players can improve their games with work. A lot of the guys have just seemingly been discarded by England back to their counties never to be heard of again.
Once they worked with them for a winter they can make a more informed decision about whether to return them to the test team, rather than just chucking them in if they scores some runs in the forthcoming season.

By picking Holden, Duckett and basically no-one else they haven't really given themselves options for the summer. Holden is too inexperienced and Duckett won't be back playing any time soon. Hain is batting 3 on the tour and he's spent most of his time at 5 for Warwickshire. The selectors aren't given themselves a chance of finding top order bats. Like surely getting rid of Billings, and picking a Robson/Stoneman/Lyth for the lions would have made more sense. England have a **** ton of keepers and middle order players so Billings has a tiny chance of playing test cricket, on the other hand England probably need 2 or 3 top order bats.

 

[Tom Flint]

What did clarke actually do that would keep him out of playing cricket?

 

[Tom Flint]

Don't think Archer will play in the ashes. Woakes will likely be the third seamer assuming he's fit, which isn't guaranteed going on the reports of his knee.

Think Archer will goto NZ and SA for the 2019/20 winter though and should play.

Telegraph had Vince and Clarke as likely 2+3 for the ashes https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket...ke-could-handed-ashes-spots-england-consider/

So that would leave imo Burns, Vince, Clarke, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson


That being said all 3 top order positions will be on the table and with 12 rounds of championship cricket to be played before the ashes, it really is an open field. Were anyone to score a pile of runs in div 1 (or even 2) it would be hard to overlook them.

I think if fit then wood has to be a shoe in. Literally was an atg spell in his last test

 

[theegyptian]

What did clarke actually do that would keep him out of playing cricket?

Some of the worcestershire players (including Carke, Hepburn and Kohler-Cadmore) had a whatsapp group where they had a competition to see who could have the most *** with different women. Clarke had had *** with the women earlier in the evening, then allegedly Hepburn had gone in later and raped here, whilst Clarke was passed out in the bathroom.

 

[Red]

classy

 

[Burgey]

These blokes looking for an NRL contract or something? Fmd that's terrible.

 

[marc71178]

I think if fit then wood has to be a shoe in. Literally was an atg spell in his last test

Still only one spell in his whole career though. Would personally like to see more evidence that it wasn’t a freak occurrence.