Just read through the thread. Time for my replies.
If England yet again revert to the six-batsmen-five-bowler theory someone needs to be shot. That doesn't, of course, mean such a thing is unduly unlikely.
I agree with your whole 7 bats you have faith in thing, except how's the 5th bowler gunna work? I see no problem with 5 bats, a keeper, Broad then Swann, then 3 genuine bowlers.
Very confident in Australian conditions. Reckon Bollinger will have a big summer.
I reckon Johnson will stand out.
Are Philip Jaques, Phillip Hughes and David Warner not enough to show that neither Watson nor Katich should come anywhere near opening the batting for NSW?
Warners not an opening bat, at least not in FC cricket anyway.
Do you honestly think that David Warner is a more viable opening batter in first class cricket compared with Shane Watson?
If NSW named a full strength side with Clarke, Watson and Katich in it, Jaques and Hughes is not a definite opening combination.
Also this just shows how versatile someone like Katich is,
If I was naming a full strength NSW side, I'd start off with Jaques and Hughes, then Katich and Watson, purely because Jaques and Hughes are openers, and Katich and Watson are far better middle order options.
FWIW I don't think Oz's batting is far superior to ours; better, yes, but not out of sight.
It's the pace attack that scares me the most, tbh. Don't rate Bresnan, Finn's about 4 and looks a stress fracture waiting to happen, Jimmeh's neutered if it don't swing, Shahzad looks like he's been picked as much on what he can do with bat as with ball and Sid's permanently broken and keeps working out the combination to the larder.
Leaves Broad, pretty much. Lot of weight on those narrow shoulders.
I agree. Talk of our batting being much better isn't right if you ask me, Hussey's questionable and our number 6 isn't locked in. England on the other hand have their top 7 pretty locked in, provided they keep their form and fitness.
What I think Australia is far superior in, is our bowling. Our pacers are so much > England's it isn't funny.
Expecting us to lose games through poor batting rather than poor bowling, as has been said.
I can't see England getting a win, but I do see a draw or two, particularly with Ponting probably being over cautious, so I'll say 4-0 to Australia.