To look at England first well post 2005 Ashes if it weren't for the injuries to so many key players, if England could have built on that team a la how Taylor & Waugh did with Australia i'd put my head on block to say England would have been the best side in the world today.
England were never gonna do that, IMO. They prefer to gloat and bask in their own glory (as could be seen by their largely dire performances after the 2003 Rugby World Cup). I did, however, think that they could've represented a serious threat to Australian dominance, but even with an Australian attitude, they were never gonna be #1 for any meaningful period of time - their batsmen have too many obvious flaws for me. Plus, I couldn't help overcame the feeling that Flintoff's batting wasn't all it was cracked up to be (especially against spin) and Harmison's confidence was always prone to going AWOL. In addition, Jones doesn't convince with the new ball. That basically leaves...Hoggard and Flintoff as your two reliable bowlers, injuries permitting. Plus, at the time, they lacked a top-class spinner, which Ashley Giles isn't, I'm afraid.
But thats in the past now & well they are building back starting from now in NZ, Home vs SA, away to IND, WI before the Ashes rematch. England have to start from scratch & build back a winnings mentality within the unit as they did between BANG 2003 to SA 2004/05. Plus have to hope the shocking injury curse that is affecting English sports these days eases & so no more casualties occurs thus talismatic figures in Flintoff & Trescothick are back in 2009 & maybe Simon Jones although its obvious he won't be the same bowler of 2005.
Trescothick has a mental illness, not a physical injury per se. Also, for
whom was he a talisman? Opposition bowlers who could bowl accurate inswing and seam-up?
If all goes well this would be England's best XI come 2009 IMO:
Trescothick
Cook
Vaughan
KP
Collingwood
Bell
Flintoff
a solid keeper (i fear the selectors have missed a trick by not Pothas though)
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar
Other players who will obviously be in the very close to selection are blokes like Sidebottom, Strauss, Shah, Key, Bopara, Tremlett, Broad, Anderson.
I think Sidebottom is more reliable than Harmison and offers just as much variety. Also, I think that Trescothick will be vulnerable if the Australians bowl accurately and take their catches (so does Cook, but he looks more likely to fix his technical faults than Trescothick, given his age - plus, there's the temperamental issues). That's a real dillema for England isn't it: the opening pair? If Andrew Strauss is in good form, I would pick him over Trescothick, for he's better equipped to deal with accurate pace bowling. Plus, he won't have to face off against quality spin, which he struggles to cope with. Hopefully, we won't get to the stage where we have Rob Key, Chris Tremlett and James Anderson in the mix (I don't know enough about Ravi Bopara or Stuart Broad).
They were signs againts India if the conditions are very conductive to any form of swing bowlers as was the case in 05 & 07 vs IND & not flat decks with sunshine conditons of 06 once England could build back a fast bowling attack Australia could have problems.
I agree. Our boys occassionally play loose shots when faced with quality swing (i.e: Phil Jaques). That being said, you guys hardly handled the likes of Zaheer Khan and RP Singh with aplomb, so basically what is problematic for us may be problematic for you, as well.
Also, about RP Singh, his performance in Australia was not quite as legendary as many (particularly the Australian media) believe - his tendency to mix good spells of swing bowling, such as in Perth, was 'complemented' by longer spells of dross (most of Melbourne and after his first spell in Sydney), leading to him having a surprisingly high average and economy rate against us. It's only vaguely related to what you're saying, I know, but it's been on my chest for quite a while.
Australia well are in Ponting era & have some interesting challenges coming up no doubt. Ponting has his first sub-continent challenges in PAK & IND of his era which i feel Australia will lose in India since no spinner in Australia has the ability to win test matches in Australia, even though in Lee, Tait, Bracken & (going for a wild card option here in Gillespie if he shows good form) Australia have some fast-bowlers that can bowl well in India conditions. But given that outside Clarke, Hayden & possibly a recalled Katich Australia batting in Indian conditions is very suspect.
We may indeed lose, although Symonds is surprisingly effective against spin after he makes a start (his footwork in Sydney was quite positive, from memory). As for Hussey, his weaknesses are not so much against quality spin as they are against left-arm seam and pitches with less bounce (given his Western Australian origins). That may still mean he struggles anyway, but we'll have to wait and see. Simon Katich is something of a spin expert (not a Murali expert, though), so a recall for him is not out of the question, given his current good domestic form.
The best Australian XI come 2009 could be:
Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Haddin
Lee
Johnson
Clark
Tait
That's if Tait returns.
Looking at the side firstly i reckon given that i have no faith in the spin talent in Australia ATM, although that change if someone steps up i am hoping by 2009 that 4-man attack will be rolling.
Same, sadly.
Hayden being there is a question even though i believe he will still playing then in possibly his final series. He did say he is still enjoying it & he certainly looks as if he could play until he's 40 IMHO. But one will have to see what occurs.
I certainly hope so, even though he is suspect against high-quality inswing to varying degrees (depending on form), because I'm a big fan.
If Hayden is not there in 2009 ATS i would be tempted to throw Hussey up the order even though its a risk i like what i see in back-up for middle-order spots with Hodge, a possibly rejuvented Katich these days & David Hussey than with the openers in Rogers, Divenuto & Hughes with the Ashes just over a year away.
I seriously hope that they don't select Hodge - his playing of the ball moving away from him doesn't really inspire confidence, nor does his ability to kick on with his starts. Katich has already been tried with sporadic (at best) success in England, while Rogers' tendency to walk across his stumps makes him vulnerable to the inswinger. Phil Hughes (?) may still be a bit too young. Also, Michael Di Venuto isn't even playing Australian
state cricket anymore.
Either way i can't wait for this series to get crackin.
Same.
