Ashes XI Prediction Game

[Lillian Thomson]

Well I chose him on the basis of his keeping and stuck him at 8

He is the best keeper if you discount Read and he should be selected but he can't bat in the top 6........number 8 would be ideal but it's dependant on Flintoff being able to bat at 6 and Broad being in the team on merit for his bowling and batting at 7......even that looks a bit weak.

 

[Richard]

Too difficult to rely on fitness, as well as catches being caught, to know TBH. There are but 2 players from England who I'd feel routinely confident about their selection: Pietersen (as captain) and Cook. For Australia, I'd feel reasonably confident about Ponting (as captain), Jaques, Hussey, Clarke, Clark and Brett Lee, but again that's pretty well it.

 

[The Masterplan]

England:

Cook
Key
Bell
Pietersen (c)
Collingwood
Flintoff
Jones (wk)
Broad
Mahmood
Anderson
Panesar

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

What would you want the outcome to be though?

Watto because he's Aussie, but I'd not begrudge Jimmy. When he knocked Watto over in the '06 CT I was happy for him. Even if Watto was on fire and it kept low.

It probably depends on circumstance, if Watto was in the 90's I'd be fuming. Would almost disown Jimmy.

 

[gettingbetter]

Australia:

1. Hayden
2. Jaques
3. Ponting
4. Hussey
5. Clarke
6. Symonds
7. Haddin
8. Lee
9. Casson
10. Clark
11. Johnson

Doubt there will be any major changes. Only changes I can see is Katich for Hayden (due to injury), another spinner for Casson and possibly, but don't think this as likely to happen as everyone thinks it will, but Bollinger for Johnson.

England:

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. Davies
8. Sidebottom
9. Anderson
10. Harmison
11. Panesar

Talks about 05 will be paramount prior to the series, hence a similar batting line up/positons here. Harmison has bought himself a few more games.

Bolters: watch out for Samit Patel...you heard it here first.

Although Bopara, Key and Shah are all in contention. Can't see Bell getting dropped, hence Collingwood is the main to view and see if he falters. Davies really was a pick and hope, I was thinking Musturd, but I think he might get picked for India and fail.

What I would like to see England:

1. Cook
2. Strauss/Key/Vaughan
3. Shah
4. Pietersen
5. Bopara
6. Bell
7.
8. Flintoff
9. Sidebottom
10. Anderson
11. Panesar

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Jacques

RAGE.

EDIT:

SUPER RAGE.

Jacques

Jacques

Jacques

Jacques

 

[Perm]

A bit surprised to see two line-ups with Foster batting at 6. He's a number 8 at Test level, 7 at a stretch, but not 6 in a million years.

Look, it wouldn't surprise me if it happened, as much as I disagree with it. Remember we're picking who we think will be selected, not who we want.

 

[GIMH]

What I would like to see England:

1. Cook
2. Strauss/Key/Vaughan
3. Shah
4. Pietersen
5. Bopara
6. Bell
7.
8. Flintoff
9. Sidebottom
10. Anderson
11. Panesar

Don't see us doing much with ten men

 

[GIMH]

Look, it wouldn't surprise me if it happened, as much as I disagree with it. Remember we're picking who we think will be selected, not who we want.

I don't think there's any chance Foster would bat above Flintoff. I was surprised enough that Ambrose did

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Don't see us doing much with ten men

Don't see you doing much with eleven tbh.

 

[gettingbetter]

Don't see us doing much with ten men

I know it is just a prediction team, but I really can't make a calculated guess as to who would be keeper. I thought Ambrose is good enough with the gloves, but the batting is the problem now.

 

[GIMH]

Don't see you doing much with eleven tbh.

I knew someone would say that but within a minute! Sharp reflexes, Smitteh

 

[Nate]

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Haddin
Noffke
Lee
Bracken
Clark

 

[Uppercut]

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Haddin
Noffke
Lee
Bracken
Clark

Replace Symonds with Watson and that's the team id like to see. Don't see them playing no real spinner though.

 

[pasag]

Reckon we may see a team like this for the Ashes:

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Noffers
Lee
Clark
Bollinger/ Random spinner.

 

[Nate]

Reckon we may see a team like this for the Ashes:

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Noffers
Lee
Clark
Bollinger/ Random spinner.

Yeah, am thinking along those lines, may edit my team in the next 24 hours. May indeed see it in India.

 

[Richard]

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Haddin
Noffke
Lee
Bracken
Clark

NO HEAL????????????

 

[Richard]

Reckon we may see a team like this for the Ashes:

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Noffers
Lee
Clark
Bollinger/ Random spinner.

There's surely no way Jaques is going to be poor enough in the next however-many-it-is-this-winter Tests to lose his place?

 

[Jamee999]

10 Tests, isn't it?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Says in the paper that KP fancies Fred at 6 (link) & I suspect Moores is going to be his bitch, so I think it'll be something like this:

Strauss
Cook
Bell
Pietersen*
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior+
Broad
Harmison
Jones
Panesar

The other possibility I could see is Anderson or Sidebottom in for Monty, with Patel in for Bell as our spinning option. I think Monty's lack of progress has seen his card being marked of late.

Fred @ 6 means we need a genuine test quality 8, which is probablt Broad with a very slight chance for Adil Rashid, which again means no Monty.