*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[aussie tragic]

Assuming he's fit, if Bird doesn't play the first Ashes test I will mail you my left nut.

I have this filed away

I agree Bird should now play every Test, but who to drop from Siddle, Pattinson and Starc. I know Starc is the obvious one, but being LH, handy bat and only 22, he's potentially a bigger star of the future?

 

[Spikey]

i more concerned with maxwell at 7. **** samit patel

 

[benchmark00]

I have this filed away

I agree Bird should now play every Test, but who to drop from Siddle, Pattinson and Starc. I know Starc is the obvious one, but being LH, handy bat and only 22, he's potentially a bigger star of the future?

You drop Siddle.

 

[aussie tragic]

i more concerned with maxwell at 7. **** samit patel

Well who else for the top 6 so Wade can bat 7?

Doolan (not proven long term), Ferguson (averages 35 in FC), Cosgrove (too fat to fit on the plane), Bailey (can't score a FC run)....maybe Burns if he has a good end of season?

 

[aussie tragic]

You drop Siddle.

Yep, but I live in Victoria so didn't want to be the one to say it

 

[Pothas]

From an England point of view I would be an awful lot happier if they go with Starc over Bird from what we have seen in this series.

 

[Spikey]

Well who else for the top 6 so Wade can bat 7?

Doolan (not proven long term), Ferguson (averages 35 in FC), Cosgrove (too fat to fit on the plane), Bailey (can't score a FC run)....maybe Burns if he has a good end of season?

wade 6
keeper 7 (likely haddin. but paine might luck into some runs)

 

[Burgey]

One thing which might not help Starc in England is the potential for him to create footmarks for Swann to exploit. It wouldn't influence my decision, but it may the selectors.

Everyone knows Swann is a downhill skier who needs everything in his favour in order to look anything other than park standard, so they may not want to give him any assistance.

 

[morgieb]

One thing which might not help Starc in England is the potential for him to create footmarks for Swann to exploit. It wouldn't influence my decision, but it may the selectors.

Everyone knows Swann is a downhill skier who needs everything in his favour in order to look anything other than park standard, so they may not want to give him any assistance.

Could also help Lyon though. Works both ways.

 

[Howe_zat]

Hilfenhaus no longer in it?

 

[morgieb]

Hilfenhaus no longer in it?

I'd still take him but yeah I doubt it.

 

[Ruckus]

I have this filed away

I agree Bird should now play every Test, but who to drop from Siddle, Pattinson and Starc. I know Starc is the obvious one, but being LH, handy bat and only 22, he's potentially a bigger star of the future?

I like the variation someone like Starc brings to the table if the others bowlers are any of Siddle, Pattinson and Bird, but he just isn't that good still. If he has one of his bad spells, which frankly seems to happen at least once every match, he'll be punished. Not to mention any pressure put on by the others bowlers like Bird will be much diminished. We can get away with having a loose-cannon type bowler against weak teams like SL, but it won't pay off against a team like England - it sure didn't against SA. We need to put together our absolute A team against England, and to do that we have to compile a bowling attack based on the principle of being able to build pressure as a group (much like how England's bowlers operated against us in the 2010/11 Ashes series). For me, the attack at this stage should be Pattinson, Siddle, Bird. Would only consider playing Starc if we go in with 4 quicks, but even still I'd be tempted to go for someone like Hilfenhaus over him given how well he did in 2009. Would also love to see someone like Butterworth come into the equation too, but I doubt it will happen.

 

[benchmark00]

Ruckus be Ruckusin.

 

[Ruckus]

On Starc too, and I think Taylor or someone mentioned it in the commentary, I'd like to see him try to emulate someone like Garner and bowl lots of yorkers and lots of aggressive short balls at the body. Until he can master his control of a good length, I don't think he is playing to his strengths. He always looks better when he is bowling with the older ball and against tail enders, because his approach there is to send in fast yorkers or bounce them out. And with his natural attributes I think he would have good success against any batsmen using those tactics. By all means he should try and throw in some inswingers if the conditions suit, but I don't think his approach should be centered around that at this stage.

 

[sphynx]

One of the lefties will play in England, unless Bird absolutely rips it up in India.


Siddle is a lock, he won't be dropped.

Pattinson is just about the best young quick in the world, and probably Australia's #1 bowler, he's in.


Starc will get the nod over Johnson imo. His yorker is a throwback to Garner, Younis and Akram, moves an absolute ****ing mile, and has the ability to knock over top order and tail enders alike with it. Will definately claim a few scalps in reverse conditions in England. Add to that, he's probably just as good as Johnson with the bat, 22 years old, and has heaps of development in him.

The swing factor is huge in England, and Starc has swung the old ball in every single test match he's played in, thats the reason he will play over Johnson imo.

Bird will be the first reserve imo, will probably play 2 Ashes tests, if Starc and Pattinson are rested. Possibly more in Australia.


If Bird takes a couple of bags in India, then it may be an entire right handed attack.


Bird reminds me a bit of a McGrath/Anderson hybrid. That wicket he took today with the reverse swing moving accross the leftie, was an absolute jaffer.

 

[Spark]

Assuming he's fit, if Bird doesn't play the first Ashes test I will mail you my left nut.

Yeah agreed. He wasn't at his best today IMO (Johnson was better), bowled a bit too straight, but still looked the best bowler overall reasonably comfortably. His natural length is excellent, he rarely gives any width at all, and his action is a joy to watch (from side-on, anyway). Just glides through the crease, none of this stutter-up-and-explode-through-the-crease thing that others (ahem MJ) have going on.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Could also help Lyon though. Works both ways.

Yep our numbers 10 and 11 could be in trouble.

 

[uvelocity]

i more concerned with maxwell at 7. **** samit patel

yes

Could also help Lyon though. Works both ways.

you just lost your posting license ****

its bird then sids (rock)
pato then cummo then haze (spear)
starc then johnsons (kookoo)
lyon then young (lol young)

they lost their balls this test mainly because they knew they could pick anyone and we'd win, but as proven in perth if you pick the wrong ****s - you get done. feeling a lot of watson as a bat only for edman, and khawaja to come in...... the bowling is a plethora of riches.

 

[Spikey]

i just saw it as typical aus selections. got 4 fast bowlers worth picking and only 3 spots? who cares. we'll make a 4th spot!

 

[Burgey]

Yep our numbers 10 and 11 could be in trouble.

Quite right. The rest will be out before he gets a bowl.