*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[GIMH]

Already plentiful discussion about who England should pick for this one so thought we could do with a thread.

Freddie will return, surely. Other than that, ****ed if I know what we should do.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Already plentiful discussion about who England should pick for this one so thought we could do with a thread.

Freddie will return, surely. Other than that, ****ed if I know what we should do.

 

[FBU]

I don't think Anderson will be fit so Sidebottom in for him.

 

[Pizzorno]

All we have to do is win on one of the flattest decks in the country with a batting line-up in which the tail starts at 2. Easy.

 

[FBU]

All we have to do is win on one of the flattest decks in the country with a batting line-up in which the tail starts at 2. Easy.

Strauss
Cook
Trott
Joyce
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Onions

 

[sledger]

Strauss
Cook
Trott
Joyce
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Onions

This, imo. With Anderson if he is fit.

 

[Pizzorno]

Bring in Paul Horton I say. Far more solid at the top of the order than Cook.

Why oh why did Marcus have to retire?

 

[Prince EWS]

Wouldn't want Trott in against the new ball (and yes I know he opens in one-day domestic stuff). If you were going to drop Bell and Bopara for him and Joyce, I'd run with this order:

3 Joyce
4 Collingwood
5 Trott
6 Prior

 

[Jamee999]

Strauss
Cook
Key
Collingwood
Prior
Joyce
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson/Harmison/Sidebottom depending on pitch/fitness
Onions

 

[JBH001]

Seems rough to throw in Joyce and Trott into such a must win situation, no?

I suppose Ramps and/or Tresco are absolutely out of the question?

Also, the Freddie circus of will he or wont he must stop. An early call would be best for all concerned.

If Freddie is unable to play, then it really does become interesting...

 

[whoami]

strauss
denly
carberry
joyce
collingwood
prior
flintoff
broad
swann
anderson or sidebottom
onions

i know this well never happen, oh well :P

 

[Uppercut]

I guess we can only hope he's doing something completely different with the test match strip than he's been doing for the FC games. Four games there this season, four draws. In the last match there, between Surrey and Leicestershire and ending five days ago, 593/5d played 608/4d.

 

[whoami]

he must be, 100%, no alternative

 

[pup11]

Strauss
Cook
Key
Collingwood
Prior
Joyce
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson/Harmison/Sidebottom depending on pitch/fitness
Onions

Yeah, pretty much the side that England should play at the Oval, but AFAIC even if they make these changes,they have taken a test too many in doing so, I don't think it would be easy for people like Key and Joyce to step into the middle of an Ashes series in such a crucial game.

The Oval pitch is also another huge factor for this test, if it is as flat as usual, then there is no chance of a result, so with all this time between the 4th and 5th test England need to come up with a result producing deck for the fifth test, and the only way to do it is, by keeping the pitch as dry and uneven as possible.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Am a bit concerned about the time between these two tests from Australia's point of view. Would prefer these tests to be back-to-back given this result. Although I guess it does give players like Johnson the chance to improve even further.

 

[pup11]

Am a bit concerned about the time between these two tests from Australia's point of view. Would prefer these tests to be back-to-back given this result. Although I guess it does give players like Johnson the chance to improve even further.

I'm not sure that long a break is necessarily a good thing for Mitch, as it has been said so many times, he is the kind of bowler who needs a lot of overs behind him, to hit his straps and bowl well.

Though that break is good for the likes of Hilfy, Clarke, Norfy to freshen up and rejuvenate themselves, as they have been the guys who done most of work for us through this series, and they definitely would benifit from bit of a rest.

The break would also ensure that Haddin too gets enough time to heal his broken/fractured finger, but everything said and done, I don't think Ponting and boys would ideally like this long a break, considering the kind of momentum they have on their side atm.

 

[slippyslip]

5th test at the Oval will be a bit like the last stage of the Tour de France for the general classification winner. A foregone conclusion and pretty much a leisurely stroll.

 

[Malleeboy]

If Freddie's not fit to play, it leaves England a choice of an extra batsman or bowler again.

All I can say Ronnie was inform in the practice match and won't be playing for Australia and given the time he's not spent playing this tour he'd be pale enough to play for England.

 

[0RI0N]

You guys reckon England will try a Mumbai 04 job on Australia at the Oval?Swann and Monty...
Desperate time and all that.
As for the Eng XI,don't even want to contemplate that potential selection nightmare.
0h & in on 1st page of epic thread.

 

[fredfertang]

In my dreams I'd go with

1.Strauss

A few odd decisions but a top batsman and a decent if somewhat unimaginative skipper

2.Trescothick

Surely he can be persuaded to play one "no strings attached remember '05 Marcus" more time?

3.Trott

I think there is something about the South African psyche

4.Ramprakash

At the Oval and with the country behind him - he's got ITB's scriptwriter

5.Collingwood

Deserves to stay - as long as he can sit in the middle order in relative anonymity he's fine

6. Prior

Proved his critics wrong in both his disciplines

7.Flintoff

Must play if he's remotely close to being fit for pshchological effect alone

8. Swann

Best we've got

9. Sidebottom

In form and in as the Burnley Express has blown a gasket

10.Harmison

His last test - he knows the scriptwriter too

11. Onions

Been quite impressed with him - better option than Broad to take wickets