What's Your Aussie Ashes Squad?

[Son Of Coco]

My first thoughts on seeing the squad were that I was glad Symonds isn't there, tbh. Uppercut has kinda summed up why.

I hope the English Team is thinking like that, then they might forget about Hughes, Ponting, Johnson, Clark etc. Unless, of course, their primary concern was avoiding an ear-bashing

 

[howardj]

haha Yeah, we're a much less vocal on-field team I would reckon, since we last played the Poms.

No Symonds, Bully Boy, Warne or McGrath.

The Poms will be offput by the silence!

 

[Noble One]

haha Yeah, we're a much less vocal on-field team I would reckon, since we last played the Poms.

No Symonds, Bully Boy, Warne or McGrath.

The Poms will be offput by the silence!

Although Australia have unearthed Johnson and Siddle since the previous Ashes series. Two of the more aggressive/mouthy fast bowlers going around.

 

[Johnners]

Wouldn't exactly call Johnson mouthy tbh. Only time I recall him doing such a thing was against Laxman.

That said, I probably wouldn't notice too much given that Johnners can do no wrong, and is basically the next best thing after God & Jesus.

 

[Matt79]

Jesus couldn't charge in at 145+kph all day the way Midge does tbh

 

[BoyBrumby]

I don't have anything startlingly original to add, but there does look to be rather too much hedging regarding the number 6 spot IMHO. No reserve specialist bat in the squad and yet the selectors opt for three possibles for the batting all-rounder spot. Smacks of a difference of opinion amongst the panel IMHO; no more than one of Watson, McDonald or North is in the XI at any given time, unless there's going to be another stacking of the batting farce like with White playing as specialist spinner in India.

& then folk moan that Symonds (another batting all-rounder, essentially) hasn't made the cut. Jaques (particularly) or Hodge unluckier for me.

 

[four_or_six]

I don't have anything startlingly original to add, but there does look to be rather too much hedging regarding the number 6 spot IMHO. No reserve specialist bat in the squad and yet the selectors opt for three possibles for the batting all-rounder spot. Smacks of a difference of opinion amongst the panel IMHO; no more than one of Watson, McDonald or North is in the XI at any given time, unless there's going to be another stacking of the batting farce like with White playing as specialist spinner in India.

& then folk moan that Symonds (another batting all-rounder, essentially) hasn't made the cut. Jaques (particularly) or Hodge unluckier for me.

I think that Jaques only had back surgery six weeks ago, a follow-up from the first lot not working properly. It'll be interesting to see if he makes a comeback in the A-team matches. I hope so, he's been so unlucky with the timing of his injury.

I don't think it's too much of a problem having Watson/North as the backup batsman. They both usually bat higher than 6, and they're probably (Hodge aside) two of the better batsmen in state cricket anyway.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think that Jaques only had back surgery six weeks ago, a follow-up from the first lot not working properly. It'll be interesting to see if he makes a comeback in the A-team matches. I hope so, he's been so unlucky with the timing of his injury.

I don't think it's too much of a problem having Watson/North as the backup batsman. They both usually bat higher than 6, and they're probably (Hodge aside) two of the better batsmen in state cricket anyway.

Suspect you're probably right, but I didn't follow the Oz domestic stuff all that closely this year (mainly 'cos we didn't run a Dream Team comp) to know for sure. However, I still reckon neither would've got the nod if they didn't turn their arms over. Watto clearly has the game to bat top six in tests, but still averages under twenty after half-a-dozen-ish tests. Albeit broken up by long interludes for repairs.

 

[Richard]

My first thoughts on seeing the squad were that I was glad Symonds isn't there, tbh. Uppercut has kinda summed up why.

I'm gutted - I was really hoping to see Symonds made a complete fool of and dropped from Test cricket in a way that satisfactorily reflected his incapacity for it rather than his inability to behave properly.

 

[Uppercut]

I'm gutted - I was really hoping to see Symonds made a complete fool of and dropped from Test cricket in a way that satisfactorily reflected his incapacity for it rather than his inability to behave properly.

Your Symonds hate almost proves my point about him getting up the noses of the opposition. He might well be made a fool of and prove you all right, but he'd probably score a match-winning century after having been dropped on 23 and given not-out on 45 for not hitting the ball when caught at cover. You'd rant and moan and facepalm all over the boards about how lucky and non-test-class and really-quite-crap he is but he'd go home with the Ashes.

 

[Matt79]

I'm gutted - I was really hoping to see Symonds made a complete fool of and dropped from Test cricket in a way that satisfactorily reflected his incapacity for it rather than his inability to behave properly.

Welcome to the next twenty years of people raising his now decent record and you having to set them straight.

 

[Burgey]

I don't have anything startlingly original to add, but there does look to be rather too much hedging regarding the number 6 spot IMHO. No reserve specialist bat in the squad and yet the selectors opt for three possibles for the batting all-rounder spot. Smacks of a difference of opinion amongst the panel IMHO; no more than one of Watson, McDonald or North is in the XI at any given time, unless there's going to be another stacking of the batting farce like with White playing as specialist spinner in India.

& then folk moan that Symonds (another batting all-rounder, essentially) hasn't made the cut. Jaques (particularly) or Hodge unluckier for me.

Watson's FC record probably suggests he's good enough to be considered as a reserve specialist batsman though.

 

[Richard]

Your Symonds hate almost proves my point about him getting up the noses of the opposition. He might well be made a fool of and prove you all right, but he'd probably score a match-winning century after having been dropped on 23 and given not-out on 45 for not hitting the ball when caught at cover. You'd rant and moan and facepalm all over the boards about how lucky and non-test-class and really-quite-crap he is but he'd go home with the Ashes.

I almost followed the contents of that post with a "which probably means he'll score a match-winning century after having been dropped on 23 and given not-out on 45 for not hitting the ball when caught at cover" (or similar) but decided against it TBH.

Even those as fortunate as Symonds generally have their fortune run-out eventually. The likes of Trescothick who benefited from it all career are exceptionally rare.

I'd be willing to take the chance of the fortune continuing for the opportunity to see it cease. I always back my own team against players like Symonds, even though I know full well there'll be times when all does not go to plan. The best comparison I can give is probably Stuart MacGill. MacGill against England (and South Africa) was mostly very poor indeed but in a couple of games he took 7-142 and 12-105 (or so) and this completely distorted his overall record and made it look like he'd done consistently well when in fact he'd done consistently poorly and occasionally exceptionally.

Paul Collingwood is another who's similar.

 

[Richard]

Welcome to the next twenty years of people raising his now decent record and you having to set them straight.

Ind33d. Ditto... well, yes, MacGill.

 

[Uppercut]

I almost followed the contents of that post with a "which probably means he'll score a match-winning century after having been dropped on 23 and given not-out on 45 for not hitting the ball when caught at cover" (or similar) but decided against it TBH.

Even those as fortunate as Symonds generally have their fortune run-out eventually. The likes of Trescothick who benefited from it all career are exceptionally rare.

I'd be willing to take the chance of the fortune continuing for the opportunity to see it cease. I always back my own team against players like Symonds, even though I know full well there'll be times when all does not go to plan. The best comparison I can give is probably Stuart MacGill. MacGill against England (and South Africa) was mostly very poor indeed but in a couple of games he took 7-142 and 12-105 (or so) and this completely distorted his overall record and made it look like he'd done consistently well when in fact he'd done consistently poorly and occasionally exceptionally.

Paul Collingwood is another who's similar.

Well, meh. If MacGill bowled more consistently but didn't tear England apart on occasion and ended up with the same figures he'd be criticised for not running through sides and winning matches often enough. Like Flintoff.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Watson's FC record probably suggests he's good enough to be considered as a reserve specialist batsman though.

Yeah, I more or less said as much with the added rider we've seen precious little evidence in tests so far:

Watto clearly has the game to bat top six in tests, but still averages under twenty after half-a-dozen-ish tests. Albeit broken up by long interludes for repairs.

Still reckon it's his putative all-rounder status that got him the nod tho. Despite arguably being better for him if he knocked the bowling on the head and concentrated on being top six bat alone.

 

[Matt79]

Its probably a chicken and egg thing, but if Watson allrounder status hadn't got him the nod, you'd think that they might have found room for Hodge on the squad, but as it is, with North and Watson on the squad, deemed him a luxury.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Its probably a chicken and egg thing, but if Watson allrounder status hadn't got him the nod, you'd think that they might have found room for Hodge on the squad, but as it is, with North and Watson on the squad, deemed him a luxury.

Yeah, fair enough. Can see the thought process, even if I don't agree. If (say) Ponting and Hussey come down with a case of the Jimmy Brits on the morning of a test I (as an Englishman) would be far happier to see a top six featuring McDonald & Watson than Hodge or Jaques tho.

Can't plan for every eventuality tho, tbf.

 

[Matt79]

Meh, Katich and Hughes will still be going long after Ponting and Hussey have stopped spray-painting the porcelain.

EDIT: Btw Brumby, been wanting to ask you, what the hell is that avatar? I mean, I get that he's holding the Ashes urn, but what's with the weirdo harlequin?

 

[pasag]

Meh, Katich and Hughes will still be going long after Ponting and Hussey have stopped spray-painting the porcelain.

EDIT: Btw Brumby, been wanting to ask you, what the hell is that avatar? I mean, I get that he's holding the Ashes urn, but what's with the weirdo harlequin?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashes_to_Ashes_(David_Bowie_song)

Best avatar on the site.