*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[Dan]

To be clear, I would pick 6 specialist bats, our 4 best bowlers, and our best keeper

However, in a broader squad of 17, one allrounder should be picked

As I say, name your 17 man squad, and 15-17 opens yourself up to criticism

1. Michael Clarke
2. Ed Cowan
3. David Warner
4. Phil Hughes
5. Shane Watson
6. Steven Smith
7. Matthew Wade
8. Peter Siddle
9. James Pattinson
10. Mitchell Starc
11. Nathan Lyon
12. Jackson Bird
13. Ryan Harris
14. Usman Khawaja/Alex Doolan
15. Brad Haddin
16. Josh Hazlewood
17. Moises Henriques

Picked Hazlewood for the last pace spot for development. If you wanted to, you could take either Sayers or Faulkner because they'd be more likely to hold together. Copeland will be over there anyway, so yeah.

Additionally, Khawaja tours only because Burns, Bailey and Voges are on county duty anyway (IIRC). I'd probably draft one of them in if we got that desperate. I'm 50/50 between him and Doolan at the moment.

No second spinner because Agar's over there with that academy swap thingo (again, IIRC) and we could call him up from there if need be.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Agar will not play Tests for at least two more seasons. Sure, he's good, and he may even be the best we've got, but he needs time to develop his cricket brain to think batsmen out - and to provide him with the cast-iron confidence that he belongs in FC cricket. He hasn't even done a full FC season yet.

 

[Prince EWS]

Agar will not play Tests for at least two more seasons. Sure, he's good, and he may even be the best we've got, but he needs time to develop his cricket brain to think batsmen out - and to provide him with the cast-iron confidence that he belongs in FC cricket. He hasn't even done a full FC season yet.

Pretty ballsy to assume CA actually share your mindset though, especially since they completely contradicted it with the initial selection of Lyon.

"Agar should not play Tests for at least two more seasons" ... sure. But will not? Based on what you said? Hmm.

 

[Cabinet96]

My squad wouldn't be too dissimilar to Dan's but I'd chuck Hilfenhaus in for Hazelwood and would consider brining Bailey instead of Khawaja or Doolan.

Pretty ballsy to assume CA actually share your mindset though, especially since they completely contradicted it with the initial selection of Lyon.

"Agar should not play Tests for at least two more seasons" ... sure. But will not? Based on what you said? Hmm.

Haha, quite.

 

[Spikey]

agar should play tests so ashton turner gets a chance to play for WA imo

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Pretty ballsy to assume CA actually share your mindset though, especially since they completely contradicted it with the initial selection of Lyon.

"Agar should not play Tests for at least two more seasons" ... sure. But will not? Based on what you said? Hmm.

Yeah, after the way they have given debuts out like confetti in recent years it wouldn't be a shock if he was selected way too soon.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Pretty ballsy to assume CA actually share your mindset though, especially since they completely contradicted it with the initial selection of Lyon.

"Agar should not play Tests for at least two more seasons" ... sure. But will not? Based on what you said? Hmm.

Let's meet halfway. "Oughtn't"?

But yes, will put up the obligatory avatar if he makes the squad for either Ashes series.

Edit: the cupboard when Lyon snagged his baggy green was at its absolute barest. Hauritz's confidence was shot by being dropped on the morning of the Ashes and then overlooked again for yet another inexperienced spinner when Doherty's ineptitude came home to roost. Now, at least, we have one somewhat consistent spinner who is in more danger of being actually dislodged by someone better than being dropped for being crap (Hyderabad notwithstanding).

It was basically Russian roulette with five bullets and Lyon was the empty chamber.

 

[social]

Agar will not play Tests for at least two more seasons. Sure, he's good, and he may even be the best we've got, but he needs time to develop his cricket brain to think batsmen out - and to provide him with the cast-iron confidence that he belongs in FC cricket. He hasn't even done a full FC season yet.

Invers was the one who came up with the mix of players for the squad so I think it's safe to assume that there will be 2 spinners

Aside from Lyon, the only options are:

SOK - deserves to go but it is abundantly clear that he isnt really wanted

Doherty - doesnt deserve to go but it is abundantly clear that he is wanted more than SOK

Beer - see Doherty

Maxwell - see Doherty and Beer

Agar - shouldnt go but it is abundantly clear that he is wanted more than SOK

Fawad Ahmed - doesnt deserve to go

Whilst the reality is that we shouldnt even be taking 2 spinners, we are probably going to be stuck with a popularity contest and that may mean Agar gets a gig because he is the lesser of all evils

 

[social]

Let's meet halfway. "Oughtn't"?

But yes, will put up the obligatory avatar if he makes the squad for either Ashes series.

Edit: the cupboard when Lyon snagged his baggy green was at its absolute barest. Hauritz's confidence was shot by being dropped on the morning of the Ashes and then overlooked again for yet another inexperienced spinner when Doherty's ineptitude came home to roost. Now, at least, we have one somewhat consistent spinner who is in more danger of being actually dislodged by someone better than being dropped for being crap (Hyderabad notwithstanding).

It was basically Russian roulette with five bullets and Lyon was the empty chamber.

IIRC, Hauritz actually performed well whilst the Ashes were on but has been ordinary ever since

 

[Burgey]

Is there an A tour to England running parallel to the Ashes series?

 

[Viscount Tom]

Not sure if its parallel to the Ashes or the Champions Trophy I think its the latter.

 

[dermo]

i fully expect some worthless **** like maxwell to play one decent game in the champions trophy, thus in the eyes of invers and co. becoming a lock in for the first test

 

[honestbharani]

I had thought abt him at no.3 before they settled on Hughes. So yeah I'd consider him lower but on the condition we leave Clarke at 5. Straight swap for Usman in that case with Cowan back in the side.

Cowan
Watson
Hughes
Clarke
Warner
Smith
Wade/Paine (wk)
Siddle
Pattinson
Starc/Harris
Lyon



I actually think this side is pretty decent.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Personally I think the Warner/Cowan partnership is developing extremely nicely, and would hate to see it tampered with.

Would hate to see Twatto call a press conference about his readiness to open, get the slot by media pressure and then run Cowan out 3 times in the series.

 

[Burgey]

Not sure if its parallel to the Ashes or the Champions Trophy I think its the latter.

Cheers.

The important thing on tour, any tour, is to dominate. Be it the Ashes or an end of season trip to The Rock, it doesn't matter where you are. You have to dominate. I hope the lads keep this in mind when they're hitting up the clubs and bnars of England while they're away.

 

[Tangles]

With Invers commenting that Voges and Rogers are in their thinking I wonder what that really means. I can't think both would tour and of the 2 Voges has the better shot. Younger and a lower order bat. Rogers would mean messing with Cowan/Warner which I don't think the selectors want to do. If Voges tours is he on the bench or does he slot straight in at 4 or 6?

 

[LongHopCassidy]

4 you'd think, God willing Watson is demoted to 6.

 

[the big bambino]

Contracts have come out with no clear policy explaining them. Steve Waugh has sledged England and Mallet has boosted Sayers while the selectors have gone grave robbing and dug up Voges as a possible tourist. Getting pretty uneasy with the way things are shaping. Particurlarly with a 4 zip drubbing behind us. My major worry is that they'll pick fiddly bitsers instead of specialists to tour. I think thats the type of player Micky Arthur prefers. I saw the offsiders and they preferred specialists. Gideon Haigh might be a better selector than Invers atm.

 

[Maximas]

the current selection panel has publicly stated that they prefer players with skills in multiple disciplines. I'm outraged at some of the selections that have occurred because of this, Glenn Maxwell being one that immediately comes to mind. The test arena is not one for these types of players, and in any case, the selectors are picking the crappy all-rounders over the good ones(Ashley Noffke probably wishes he was playing now).

I want to see specialist batsmen and bowlers (and keepers!) picked who have been performing at shield level. I don;t have any faith that this will happen though, John Inverity is ruining Australian cricket.

 

[Spark]

bring me all these specialist batsmen that have been performing at shield level