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The Road to the 2009 Ashes

Burgey

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Yeah, but given England's record playing leg spin, they'd probably get wickets.
I think, depsite what I wrote about him when I 1st saw him, that Sidebottom would do well against a side which has a lot of lefties in it. Anyway Cook, Bell and Pietersen will all be out before the leggie gets a bowl :p
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Yeah, but given England's record playing leg spin, they'd probably get wickets.
What, England's record when they carted MacGill out of sight in 2002\03? Or when they handled Mushtaq Ahmed and Danish Kaneria easily in 2000\01? Or Kaneria again in 2005\06 and 2006?

It's exceptional wristspinners that we've had trouble with. Not average ones (except MacGill in those 2 Tests in 1998\99).
I think, depsite what I wrote about him when I 1st saw him, that Sidebottom would do well against a side which has a lot of lefties in it. Anyway Cook, Bell and Pietersen will all be out before the leggie gets a bowl :p
Maybe. I also think Sidebottom will do well with a decent ball (especially under overcast skies) against right-handers TBH.
 

brockley

International Captain
Hayden will be their.
I wouldn't be surprised if
1 the academy visits england this winter
2 that their will be a series between the english lions and australia A this winter.
 

Woodster

International Captain
What are the chances of Hampshire's Michael Carberry being in the England squad for Ashes 2009 ?
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Well I still reckon it's unlikely, but I reckon it's far more likely now than I would have in 2004 when he was searching for his 3rd county.

His form since joining Hants has been good TSTL. I've still not seen much of him bat, as he's not that good at one-dayers, and I'm highly unlikely to given how few First-Class games get televised.

But as far as openers go, right now I'd only have Cook, Strauss and Key ahead of him really.
 

Woodster

International Captain
Not seen as much of him as I'd like. I know he would certainly improve our fielding, he is like lightning in the field.
Made a decent ton, although not as fluent as he would have liked by all accounts, for England Lions, is still only 27 I think, and getting better and better every season.
 

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
Collingwood has only ever scored chanceless runs on impossibly flat pitches (Lahore and Nagpur 2005\06, Adelaide 2006\07, Chester-le-Street 2007). Never scored them against remotely decent attacks on surfaces offering anything to the bowlers.
Well if you are going to look down on Collingwood for that you are going to have to start viewing alot of batsmen the same way in the modern area since we will both agree even the best of batsmen these days given that conditions that assist quality bowling aren't found that much thus batsmen not making big runs in such conditions IMO (depending on ability of course) is down to the fact that they face such conditions often due to inability.

But then again with Collingwood, in the cases of his innings @ Lahore, Nagpur, Adelaide (didn't see the CLS test given my lack of interest in that series at the time) all were very good innings given the circumstances. Yea Lahore was a flat pitch but except for him England batted poorly in that match, at adelaide yea flat pitch again but its Australia & in this dominant era of Australian cricket with McGrath & Warne leading the attack there has been many flat decks & batsmen haven't been able to bat so well so easily on the best innings by an englishman in a long time.

Then nagpur geez your harsh son, that was one of the better innings i've seen in India by an overseas player especially a man like Collingwood who many reckoned at time would be a waste of space in test cricket. All goes to show how mentally though the bloke is..



But if players need fortune to score, and don't get any fortune, they don't score. I hope that might be the case with Symonds in 2009.
Yea he got luck but he cashed in thats the point & looked the part as a batsman. Look at Dravid in the first couple of test he was caught of no-balls, dropped & just looked a walking wicket. I am not totally convinced about Symonds yet, but i have a sneaky feeling his test career will take a similar path to how his ODI turner after WC03.

You said that about Gilchrist just a few months ago... and so did a few others....
I don't think i said personally yo, i was expecting retirement call from him this summer in ODI's but as the great man said himself a missed oppurtunity in tehe 3rd or 4th test convinced him it was time to call it a day altogether. Plus he was obviously in decline unlike Hayden has i said seems to be getting better with age & probably feels he has to make up for lost time.

It's 1 Test, Rogers is a fine batsman. He's unlikely to be any superman, but he could be a decent, solid Test opener for a few years, and is certainly ahead of anyone else at the current time, as I don't see Hussey ever being shifted back to the top of the order where he belongs again.
As i said though its one test i just didn't like the look of him at all. But i'll be happy to be proven wrong.

Also even though Hussey has made the middle order spot his own, Australia haven't been the best team in the world by having a stagnant approach to stuff if down the line it is felt that Hussey should open wouldn't be surprised if it occured nor do i think it will hurt the middle-order as much as people think.

Katich is, what, 32 now? Would be 33 by the time he next might have the chance of getting in, and would surely still be behind Hodge as of this merment? Not sure about Hussey, but he always seems to have enough going against him. Might make a decent Test batsman mind.
I reckon all three have as good as chance as the other to getting a shot in the middle-order due to loss or form or injury in the next few years.
 

Woodster

International Captain
Regarding this Collingwood debate, I think it's unfair to suggest that he only gets chanceless runs on dead tracks. He has proved people wrong time and again when they have questioned his place in a side. He is a born fighter that does not necessarily need to be in great nick to score runs, he's happy to take an ugly innings and accumulate his runs.

He certainly isn't the most gifted cricketer around, but he works exceptionally hard and gets runs against the odds, either on a track favouring bowlers or when England have lost a few quick wickets. A gritty fighter that every side needs.

There are few batsmen as strong as he is through straightish mid wicket.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
He should be one of the best England batsmen on sporting tracks. Whether he is or he isnt can be debated, but he has the tools to score runs against the moving ball.

He is gifted in his hand eye co-ordination and his low backlift gives him more time to watch the ball and play it later.
 

simmy

International Regular
He should be one of the best England batsmen on sporting tracks. Whether he is or he isnt can be debated, but he has the tools to score runs against the moving ball.

He is gifted in his hand eye co-ordination and his low backlift gives him more time to watch the ball and play it later.
Plus the guy has balls. We need balls fellas.:dry:
 

howardj

International Coach
If 2006/2007 (and the World XI Series a year earlier) taught us anything, it was never to build a Series up.

In my experience, the best Series' happen when you least expect it - 2001 v India; 2005 v England.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Haha, don't often disagree with you Greg, but you think 2005 wasn't built-up? I can rarely remember such a mad, long, and phoney, run-in as there was to said series. Of course, the fact that the cricket was so good means it wasn't a let-down, the way 2006\07, with the possibly even bigger build-up, emphatically was.
 
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howardj

International Coach
Haha, don't often disagree with you Greg, but you think 2005 wasn't built-up? I can rarely remember such a mad, long, and phoney, run-in to said series. Of course, the fact that the cricket was so good means it wasn't a let-down, the way 2006\07, with the possibly even bigger build-up, emphatically was.
I've changed my name to my middle name- Josh.

And yeah, on reflection, 2005 was built up deluxe.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
I can't see Trescothick or Flintoff playing, tbh.

If England want to be competitive, then they have to sort the bowling out this year, and I don't see that happening. I'm worried that Harmison will hold up a place for most of 2008 before it's obvious even to England's selectors that he's a dud and it's too late to blood a younger guy. Hoggard's fitness worries me, and I don't see an adequate replacement right now. Again, he'll play when available this year but his body seems to be calling time on his test career. Whereas we started 2005 with a settled and decent attack, it looks to me as if we'll be in the same state in 12 months time as we are now, and that won't be nearly good enough.

The batting's not world class, but it's probably better than the bowling. And, as someone said earlier, if Strauss stays out of sorts and if Vaughan gets crocked again, then you could see Carberry being in the frame.
 
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DaRick

State Vice-Captain
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. 8-)
 
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LongHopCassidy

International Captain
Would be thrilled to see Katich finally vindicate himself in the 2009 Ashes.

A retaliation for every selectorial kick in the nads.
 

western_warrior

Cricket Spectator
Mitch Johnson in 15 months time is going to be an absalute demon....... once he gets his swinging ball working on a regular basis he wont be allowed through english customs, for being suspected in causing terror to all english batsmen. be warned pommies. with a solid top 6 bar probobly Hayden which i feel he will more than likely call it quits next aussie summer, Lee and Johnson will be formidible having clark at first change.... i hope the english talk up there chances more and more because the best crashes are the ones at high speed. lol
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Mitch Johnson in 15 months time is going to be an absalute demon....... once he gets his swinging ball working on a regular basis
If. Very much, if.

Undoubtedly, if he does, he'll be quite the handful. But it'd be wholly dangerous to simply presume it will happen. He's 26 years old now, there's no way we can say beyond doubt that he's going to be acquiring new weapons, which really you'd expect him to have acquired by now if he was going to.

Obviously, Courtney Walsh started bowling a slower-ball at 36. So it'd be folly to say it won't happen either. But it's not going to be a nice-and-simple case.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
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 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.
I agree with a lot of this, particularly about Flintoff's batting not being all it's oft been cracked-up to be. However, it always irks me when people go on about basking in glory, especially when they bring other sports into the mix. There possibly could be argued to be a very small influx of this, but the injury factors (and the utter rubbishness of those selected to replace, most notably the Plunketts and Mahmoods) played an infinitely larger part. Take 5 or 6 of the best players out of any team, they'll struggle badly.

Also, Ashley Giles isn't a top-class wristspinner, obviously, but you won't find a particularly large number of better fingerspinners. Giles offers nothing on a non-turning surface, other than the ability to bowl accurately, but can pose a great threat on a turner and has done many times.
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?
Don't forget fielders who can catch, more important than either.
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).
Anderson I'd agree with, but while neither Key nor Tremlett have ever exactly convinced me, they both undoubtedly have the potential to do better than several recent incumbants, IMO. Key is a far better bet than the Strauss of 2006 and 2007, and obviously Trescothick; and Tremlett is beyond question a better bowler, in the longer form of the game, than Anderson, Harmison, Plunkett, Mahmood, Broad and a few others who've been mentioned (Onions and Khan for example). The only seamers who should be ahead of him in the pecking-order right now are Hoggard and Sidebottom, and given Hoggard's injury problems (missed 7 out of 11 Tests in 2007) he could easily be one of the top two come 2009.
Same, sadly.
Sadly? What's wrong with a 4-man seam attack? Especially over here?
Rolleyes? :huh:
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Well if you are going to look down on Collingwood for that you are going to have to start viewing alot of batsmen the same way in the modern area since we will both agree even the best of batsmen these days given that conditions that assist quality bowling aren't found that much thus batsmen not making big runs in such conditions IMO (depending on ability of course) is down to the fact that they face such conditions often due to inability.

But then again with Collingwood, in the cases of his innings @ Lahore, Nagpur, Adelaide (didn't see the CLS test given my lack of interest in that series at the time) all were very good innings given the circumstances. Yea Lahore was a flat pitch but except for him England batted poorly in that match, at adelaide yea flat pitch again but its Australia & in this dominant era of Australian cricket with McGrath & Warne leading the attack there has been many flat decks & batsmen haven't been able to bat so well so easily on the best innings by an englishman in a long time.

Then nagpur geez your harsh son, that was one of the better innings i've seen in India by an overseas player especially a man like Collingwood who many reckoned at time would be a waste of space in test cricket. All goes to show how mentally though the bloke is..
I do indeed have the same view as I do of Collingwood on quite a few batsmen of the last 6-and-a-half years. And yes, undoubtedly those innings at Adelaide Oval and Nagpur were good in plenty of ways. But they were on flat tracks, there's no way around that. And on less flat tracks, he's always struggled when the catching's been up to scratch. That might change, of course it might, but it hasn't so far, and I see it more likely to continue than change.
Yea he got luck but he cashed in thats the point & looked the part as a batsman. Look at Dravid in the first couple of test he was caught of no-balls, dropped & just looked a walking wicket. I am not totally convinced about Symonds yet, but i have a sneaky feeling his test career will take a similar path to how his ODI turner after WC03.
I don't think Symonds looked the part at all. Anyone can cash-in if they get as much luck as he has so far in his Test career. And if he continues to require such a large amount to be successful, I don't see him being remotely so because very few have such considerable good fortune for long.
I don't think i said personally yo, i was expecting retirement call from him this summer in ODI's but as the great man said himself a missed oppurtunity in tehe 3rd or 4th test convinced him it was time to call it a day altogether. Plus he was obviously in decline unlike Hayden has i said seems to be getting better with age & probably feels he has to make up for lost time.
Hayden has been in decline at least once in the last 6-and-a-half years now too. It might not take long for him to decide to go too.
As i said though its one test i just didn't like the look of him at all. But i'll be happy to be proven wrong.
Cannot fathom how anyone could particularly not like the look of him just on that, he barely stayed at the crease 5 minutes in either innings. I rate Rogers, have done for a while now, and think he could have a decent, solid Test career for 4 or 5 years.
Also even though Hussey has made the middle order spot his own, Australia haven't been the best team in the world by having a stagnant approach to stuff if down the line it is felt that Hussey should open wouldn't be surprised if it occured nor do i think it will hurt the middle-order as much as people think.
I don't either, but it does seem to have become something of a fixed idea of Hussey being a number-four not opener. It might change, but by now I'd be surprised.
I reckon all three have as good as chance as the other to getting a shot in the middle-order due to loss or form or injury in the next few years.
32 is pretty old to be being recalled, though obviously not beyond question.
 

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