*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[zaremba]

Haven't really backed my own team since 1989. Backing them now though, at least for the home series next year. Provided Strauss is still at the helm the current England players should all still be there, and not yet over the hill, and perhaps augmented by one or two new players of quality.

As things stand the Aussies look as though they'll have a good bowling attack, but one which is pretty inexperienced in English conditions, and, for the first time in recent memory, a pretty rickety batting line-up.

 

[fredfertang]

Can England afford to keep carrying Strauss, particulatly with such doubt over the number six berth?

He'll be fine - the knives have been out for him before and he always delivers, and the number six will have been sorted long before Australia arrive

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Can England afford to keep carrying Strauss, particulatly with such doubt over the number six berth?

Once Taylor is in the side they can.

 

[Crazy Sam]

For mine this series in England is not quite as important as it normally would be. The real question is going to be who will have the Ashes at the end of the Australian leg of the series. There's no real point in Australia winning it in England if they then lose it again 6 months later.

I also think there is a long way to go before we can reasonably determine an Australian lineup when you consider that half of the players we've used this summer were either not there 18 months ago or on the cusp of being dropped.

It'd be nice to see a heap of the potential contenders playing county cricket this season though.

 

[amanuensis]

Once Taylor is in the side they can.

When do you see him making his debut then?

 

[amanuensis]

He'll be fine - the knives have been out for him before and he always delivers, and the number six will have been sorted long before Australia arrive

His problems years ago were fundamentally technical - you can't say that now.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

When do you seem him making his debut then?

1st test v West Indies in May.

Morgan deserves to be dropped and Bopara not good enough to take the chance so Taylor's will come soon enough.

 

[amanuensis]

1st test v West Indies in May.

Morgan deserves to be dropped and Bopara not good enough to take the chance so Taylor's will come soon enough.

So Steyn et al after just 2 tests? Risky?

 

[Burgey]

Thread should really be called "Road to 2013/14 Mega Ashes tbh.

I think the series will come down to the batting. I'm still not convinced by Australia's batting - their top 3 this series has been pretty poor, opening stand at Perth aside. Full credit to Ponting and Clarke for getting Australia out of some pretty tricky situations, but I can't help feeling a more relentless attack, like England last winter, wouldn't have let Australia off the hook after picking up 3 early, cheap wickets.

There's a few questions over both teams' batting tbf.

As I CBF looking it up, how old is Pietersen? Personally think he's a fine player but from time to time I hear rumblings about his spot. I'm sure he'd like to still be playing though. The rest of the England line up seems the right age that they'll all still be about. From our POV I don't think Haddin will be and there's a big question mark on Hussey too. Ponting has bought himself time, even if his form tails off a bit. Besides, he seems to genuinely be enjoying his cricket again.

Watson will be in the top four if he's fit, obviously, and gives us five bowlers. It'll be a flat out fast bowling war, the way things are looking.

There's some interesting little series in the meantime, but genuine cricket lovers know this is the only game in town

I should say that I hope we prepare properly for it and send players over early to get set in the conditions. That will be vital for us.

 

[GIMH]

I think KP is 32, maybe 31

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So Steyn et al after just 2 tests? Risky?

Rather him in the side even then than Morgan or Bopara. Ideally i'd pick him next week but as he isn't on the tour that might be difficult.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Hopefully we can sort out our top order before these series, it could be very interesting if we do. Given we thought our bowling stocks were reasonably low until this summer hopefully the same happens with our batting. Would like to find 3 or 4 guys who could slot in easily....not sure it's going to happen though.

 

[Furball]

There's a few questions over both teams' batting tbf.

As I CBF looking it up, how old is Pietersen? Personally think he's a fine player but from time to time I hear rumblings about his spot. I'm sure he'd like to still be playing though. The rest of the England line up seems the right age that they'll all still be about. From our POV I don't think Haddin will be and there's a big question mark on Hussey too. Ponting has bought himself time, even if his form tails off a bit. Besides, he seems to genuinely be enjoying his cricket again.

Watson will be in the top four if he's fit, obviously, and gives us five bowlers. It'll be a flat out fast bowling war, the way things are looking.

There's some interesting little series in the meantime, but genuine cricket lovers know this is the only game in town

Current England side and their age in 2013:

AJ Strauss (36)
AN Cook (28)
IJL Trott (32)
KP Pietersen (33)
IR Bell (31)
EJG Morgan (27)
MJ Prior (31)
SCJ Broad (27)
GP Swann (34)
JM Anderson (31)
MS Panesar (31)

Also played Tests in the last year/contenders

CT Tremlett (31)
TT Bresnan (28)
RS Bopara (28)
ST Finn (24)

 

[Jacknife]

There's a few questions over both teams' batting tbf.

As I CBF looking it up, how old is Pietersen? Personally think he's a fine player but from time to time I hear rumblings about his spot. I'm sure he'd like to still be playing though. The rest of the England line up seems the right age that they'll all still be about. From our POV I don't think Haddin will be and there's a big question mark on Hussey too. Ponting has bought himself time, even if his form tails off a bit. Besides, he seems to genuinely be enjoying his cricket again.

Watson will be in the top four if he's fit, obviously, and gives us five bowlers. It'll be a flat out fast bowling war, the way things are looking.

There's some interesting little series in the meantime, but genuine cricket lovers know this is the only game in town

I should say that I hope we prepare properly for it and send players over early to get set in the conditions. That will be vital for us.

KP's 31, there's always rumblings about his spot for some reason but he's never been close to getting dropped imo, even at the worst of it he still averaged over 40. Agree about the highlighted bit.

 

[Burgey]

Cheers. For some reason I thought he was older. I'd think he's a lock too, certainly if I was picking the England side he would be.

 

[Burgey]

Oh, one guaranteed, locked in prediction.

Assuming he is fit and plays, Pattinson will be the pantomime villain of the English summer.

 

[GIMH]

You picking the England side isn't something I would be entirely comfortable with.

 

[GIMH]

Oh, one guaranteed, locked in prediction.

Assuming he is fit and plays, Pattinson will be the pantomime villain of the English summer.

Think Darren is pretty low down the pecking order now tbh

 

[Furball]

Road to the Ashes:

England

v Pakistan (n) 3 Tests - ongoing
v Sri Lanka (a) 2 Tests (March-April 2012)
v West Indies (h) 3 Tests (May-June 2012)
v South Africa (h) 3 Tests (July-August 2012)
v India (a) 4 Tests (November-December 2012)
v New Zealand (a) 3 Tests (February-March 2013)
v New Zealand (h) 2 Tests (May 2013)
v Australia (h) 5 Tests (June-August 2013)
v Australia (a) 5 Tests (November 2013-January 2014)

Australia

v India (h) 4 Tests - ongoing
v West Indies (a) 3 Tests (March-April 2012)
v South Africa (h) 3 Tests (November-December 2012)
v Sri Lanka (h) 3 Tests (December 2012-January 2013)
v India (a) 4 Tests (March-April 2013)
v England (a) 5 Tests (June-August 2013)
v England (h) 5 Tests (November 2013-January 2014)

 

[GIMH]

Sweet, we play the Aussies in the knowledge that, having won 19 Tests in a row, we have taken their world record from them.