*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

[flibbertyjibber]

I think Bresnan will make way for Broad later in the summer. Onions will have to try and displace Finn, I think.

That sounds about right.Bresnan should become a valuable member of the one day side and play every game at that level but as much as i like him he seems to lack penetration in tests so somebody else should be given his place at some point.

Finn will take some shifting,this lad looks a real prospect and has appeared from nowhere really as this time last summer hardly anybody had heard of him.

 

[Furball]

Would take Harmy over Bresnan every day, tbh.

Don't get me started on Bresnan, who's utterly hopeless.

He's taken 10 wickets @ almost 50 in 5 Tests. All 5 Tests have come against Bangladesh or West Indies.

 

[pasag]

TBH, thinking about it, Darren Pattinson might be one of the best 4 or 5 English qualified bowlers for Australian conditions...

 

[BoyBrumby]

TBH, thinking about it, Darren Pattinson might be one of the best 4 or 5 English qualified bowlers for Australian conditions...

You kidder, you.

 

[Jono]

Everyone that insulted Richmond in this thread can gagf

 

[pasag]

You kidder, you.

I'd like to hear why not.

Have been following him here domestically since the England debut, he's had quite a good time of it in Australia. He'd certainly be miles ahead of Anderson and Bresnan in Aus conditions (if Bresnan plays here it'll be time to open up the record books), probably Sidebottom as well in his latest reincarnation. If you can point to a more Australian prepared bowler eligible for England I'd like to hear it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'd like to hear why not.

Have been following him here domestically since the England debut, he's had quite a good time of it in Australia. He'd certainly be miles ahead of Anderson and Bresnan in Aus conditions (if Bresnan plays here it'll be time to open up the record books), probably Sidebottom as well in his latest reincarnation. If you can point to a more Australian prepared bowler eligible for England I'd like to hear it.

Think averaging nearly 90 for his 10 wickets last year has pretty much ended whatever hopes he had. Not sure how he went for Vic last season, but think there'd be an outright mutiny if he was recalled now.

We tried doing something similar (picking a bloke because of his familiarity with Oz conditions when his form doesn't really justify it) with McCague in 94/95 and he got absolutely flogged in the one test he played.

 

[pasag]

Think averaging nearly 90 for his 10 wickets last year has pretty much ended whatever hopes he had. Not sure how he went for Vic last season, but think there'd be an outright mutiny if he was recalled now.

We tried doing something similar (picking a bloke because of his familiarity with Oz conditions when his form doesn't really justify it) with McCague in 94/95 and he got absolutely flogged in the one test he played.

Averaged 26 last season, last time I checked, cbf looking again but from memory he had pretty close to the best average in the comp, playing most of his cricket on some pretty average pitches so certainly not a case of "form not really justifying it" when it would be the exact opposite. Not sure if he'd do well at all tbh, but he'd be certainly better than Anderson and Bresnan over here.

Australia's gameplan is basically see off the better bowlers and then target the weak links, like yer Mahmood's or whatever. I reckon Pattinson would fill that third bowler gap nicely after Broad and Onions not giving us that opportunity. Might not take a shedload of wickets but would keep things nice and tight and as we saw last season, dry up runs against Aus and they'll do something stupid and gift you their wicket.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Well, fair play then. Bizarre he had such a good season in Oz when he was almost literally chucking pies up here. Quick gander at cricinfo shows he's started ok this year (19 @ 26) but is behind a lot of the usual suspects (Woakes, Hoggard, Kirby, Mahmood, Harris) in the list.

 

[Top_Cat]

We tried doing something similar (picking a bloke because of his familiarity with Oz conditions when his form doesn't really justify it) with McCague in 94/95 and he got absolutely flogged in the one test he played.

McCague was sick, pissing out both rings I'm led to believe.

As for Pattinson, I see the sense in what pasag is saying but I'd think it still a massive risk picking him in a Test against the Aussies. Generally, in my view, a bloke who is picked as a contributor at Test level should have been dominating at state level. The step up in class for a guy who was not that much above a solid contributor for Vic would likely find him out.

Wouldn't disgrace himself, though, and in fairness the decks last year weren't that friendly to bowlers, especially at home.

 

[BoyBrumby]

McCague was sick, pissing out both rings I'm led to believe.

Nah. He did cry off one test and it was (possibly unfairly) suggested it was more to do with his arse (or lack thereof) than his supposed stomach upset, but AFAIK he was ok for his solitary test.

 

[Top_Cat]

Certainly bowled arse, that's for sure. Slater tore him a new one.

 

[Riggins]

As far as tearing up opening bowlers though slater was as good as it gets.

 

[FBU]

How are the bowlers doing so far this year

Australia

4 matches 131.5 overs 19 wickets at 22.21 econ 3.20 s/r 41.6 - Bollinger
2 matches 70.3 overs 9 wickets at 23.00 econ 2.93 s/r 47.0 - Harris
2 matches 61.2 overs 6 wickets at 25.50 econ 2.49 s/r 61.3 - Siddle
4 matches 148.1 overs 18 wickets at 27.94 econ 3.39 s/r 49.3 - Johnson
4 matches 171.4 overs 16 wickets at 32.43 econ 3.02 s/r 64.3 - Hauritz
3 matches 52.0 overs 4 wickets at 35.75 econ 2.75 s/r 78.0 - Watson

Hilfenhaus to return

England

3* matches 124.3 overs 13 wickets at 32.00 econ 3.34 s/r 57.4 - Anderson
3* matches 92.0 overs 10 wickets at 34.30 econ 3.72 s/r 55.2 - Finn
5* matches 262.4 overs 23 wickets at 34.65 econ 3.03 s/r 68.5 - Swann
3* matches 127.0 overs 9 wickets at 43.33 econ 3.07 s/r 84.6 - Bresnan
4 matches 149.0 overs 10 wickets at 49.20 econ 3.30 s/r 89.4 - Broad
1 match 31.0 overs 2 wickets at 49.00 econ 3.16 s/r 93.0 - Sidebottom
1 match 42.0 overs 3 wickets at 52.00 econ 3.71 s/r 84.0 - Onions

Not looking very good for England bowlers.

 

[Burgey]

Had forgotten about Onions tbh. Reckon he'd do ok here. Strikes me as a pretty clever bowler tbh. Is he out of favour atm?

 

[morgieb]

Had forgotten about Onions tbh. Reckon he'd do ok here. Strikes me as a pretty clever bowler tbh. Is he out of favour atm?

Long-term injury.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Bresnan the new O'Brien imo. Will carve it up in no time.

 

[morgieb]

Bresnan's 25. O'Brien wasn't good until 31. Can't see him carving up in the next 12 months.

 

[King Pietersen]

WTF_Ben's chipped in with his Pre-Ashes thoughts in a message to me on Twitter:

@aussieicon91: Finn is ****ing rubbish .. already written off england to retain the ashes .. 5 nil white wash

He's not shy of voicing his opinion Ben. Should definitely come back for the next Ashes, he's such good entertainment value. Just have to make sure I close my VM's if he does come back.

 

[PhoenixFire]

WTF_Ben's chipped in with his Pre-Ashes thoughts in a message to me on Twitter:

@aussieicon91: Finn is ****ing rubbish .. already written off england to retain the ashes .. 5 nil white wash

He's not shy of voicing his opinion Ben. Should definitely come back for the next Ashes, he's such good entertainment value. Just have to make sure I close my VM's if he does come back.

Nah, he's just a **** and I hope he stays banned.