Which series are you looking forward to the most in 2009?

[Evermind]

Bah!

SA vs Aus >>> Ashes unless they replace Harmison, Anderson and Panesar with a world-class attack.

 

[Athlai]

Bah!

SA vs Aus >>> Ashes unless they replace Harmison, Anderson and Panesar with a world-class attack.

Flintoff Sidebottom Jones and Anderson in a good mood.

Good attack.

 

[Matt79]

Flintoff > Steyn from what I've seen so far. Just putting it out there.

 

[Uppercut]

Flintoff > Steyn from what I've seen so far. Just putting it out there.

Nah. He looks better but takes a lot less wickets, and it's been happening for long enough that we can say it's not pure bad luck.

 

[Matt79]

Hasn't played many four test series against Bangers in recent times...

 

[Uppercut]

Hasn't played many four test series against Bangers in recent times...

Didn't quite manage 5-23 at any stage on his tour of India either IIRC. Don't think Steyn's figures would take too big a hit without Bangladesh anyway. Flintoff's owned them before too.

 

[silentstriker]

Nah. He looks better but takes a lot less wickets, and it's been happening for long enough that we can say it's not pure bad luck.

Sort of like Gillespie.

 

[Evermind]

Flintoff Sidebottom Jones and Anderson in a good mood.

Good attack.

Simon Jones? The guy is England's Shane Bond: lethal but almost constantly injured. It's gonna take a miracle to have him play in the Ashes. Sidebottom hasn't played in ages, so I must say that Flintoff is still the only world-class bowler in there.

And please don't tell me Anderson is world class.

 

[GIMH]

Simon Jones? The guy is England's Shane Bond: lethal but almost constantly injured. It's gonna take a miracle to have him play in the Ashes. Sidebottom hasn't played in ages, so I must say that Flintoff is still the only world-class bowler in there.

And please don't tell me Anderson is world class.

Aye, missing three Test matches in a row does indeed class as an age

 

[Athlai]

Anderson is world class when he bowls well but that happens in one innings in every four. But he'll take a shedload of wickets anyway.

 

[Evermind]

I desperately hope Jones and Sidebottom are back. You never know how well England might do! With Aussie bowling in the dumps ATM, there's always a chance...

 

[turnstyle]

World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa for sure

That series has so much riding on it for at least 8 of those countries competing, and it's not just at a trophy and a spot in the finals in 2011 at stake. To not grab a top six spot would be dire for the future of cricket in those countries that miss out. One only really has to look back at the Div 1 Twenty20 qualifiers in Kenya to see how fickle a series can become

 

[Dydl]

Definitely looking forward to the Ashes the most. No contest.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah the Ashes is always awesome, especially when it's in England. With Australia in a rebuilding phase it could be pretty competitive too.

The tour of South Africa will be really interesting too. Definitely two reasons to be excited about test cricket this year for Australia.

 

[inbox24]

Definitely these five:

1. Ashes
2. Aus in SA
3. T20 Championship (again! where has the time gone?!)
4. Champion's Trophy (hopefully will run this time)
5. Champions League (always up for new tournaments)

 

[dezza1994]

1. Ashes
2. IPL
3. Aus in SA
4. Twenty20 Big Bash!

 

[howardj]

Ashes

1. The tradition
2. It's a 5 Test series
3. It's on at a relatively friendly tiime
4. The outcome is very uncertain

 

[Richard]

Obviously, SA vs Aus early on, Eng vs Aus later, and naturally not WI in Eng, given that the last one of those was just 2 years earlier.

Eng in WI could be vaguely tasty though. Wonder if WI might surprise a few people and put England in contemplative mood ahead of The Ashes.

 

[Harry Harrison]

Aye, missing three Test matches in a row does indeed class as an age

 

[PhoenixFire]

Ashes, obviously. Going to see the first day at Headingley, so psyched.