*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[hendrix]

yeah I see a lot to be excited about with Bird

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Bird is very similar to Southee in style so he'll take a fair few if he's anywhere near his best. Expecting him to end Compton's career if Patto doesn't get there first.

 

[the big bambino]

Hazlewood got all the limelight but Bird kept taking the wickets. Eventually he couldn't be ignored and the tests he played showed what a good bowler he is. It maybe coincidence but with the rise of Bird Hazlewood appears to be getting his **** into better order.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Will be interesting to see how Root holds up against spin, if Patto hasn't already decapitated him.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Ok here's a couple of sleepy-in-the-office what ifs to ponder.

What if it's 2-2 (or 1-1) going into the final Test.

1. If it came to declaration time, or speeding things along to win the series outright, do we think Eng/Cook would press things along at all, and have some balls, or be happy to sit on the Ashes retaining draw. Actually I think based on the NZ game this isn't much of a mind bender. How about instead - Eng fans, would you WANT Eng to risk going for the win, or be happy to draw it?

2. If it ended up a draw and Eng thus retained the Ashes, considering Aus are supposedly such underdogs, would they still be just as gutted as if they flopped it 5-0? (Officially I can see Michael Clarke making noises to that effect). But what would the reaction from Oz fans be, would it be seen as a "good effort"? Or just another fail. Thank you

 

[Burgey]

Ok here's a couple of sleepy-in-the-office what ifs to ponder.

What if it's 2-2 (or 1-1) going into the final Test.

1. If it came to declaration time, or speeding things along to win the series outright, do we think Eng/Cook would press things along at all, and have some balls, or be happy to sit on the Ashes retaining draw. Actually I think based on the NZ game this isn't much of a mind bender. How about instead - Eng fans, would you WANT Eng to risk going for the win, or be happy to draw it?

2. If it ended up a draw and Eng thus retained the Ashes, considering Aus are supposedly such underdogs, would they still be just as gutted as if they flopped it 5-0? (Officially I can see Michael Clarke making noises to that effect). But what would the reaction from Oz fans be, would it be seen as a "good effort"? Or just another fail. Thank you

It's a fail. Anything but winning the Ashes is a failure. This goes to the matter I've raised before, where the English are used to mediocrity and to losing. That's why, for some bizarre reason they think it's a matter of pride their supporters continue to turn up and sing in their thousands, celebrating as their team gets hosed out time after time.

We don't tolerate that here. A drawn series, whether we hold the trophy or not, is a failure, and our team should be subjected to derision and ridicule if it happens.

 

[social]

Presently Aus has no one as established as Roberts or Holding coming through so there's no comparison with the old WI. We aren't as credentialled as England's attack. Our bowlers could do well in Eng but we are behind our opponents at this time.

For mine our fortunes will depend on how we manage Harris, Pattinson and Bird throughout the series as I think those 3 will pressure England most (though I've been hearing Starc's been impressive practising with the duke). As both seem prone to injury I was thinking we could rotate Harris with Pattinson, maybe playing them together for a test atleast. I'm hoping Bird can get through the series too but would pair him with Starc for one spot. Siddle to be a regular on account of his superior fitness compared to the others.

Sorry but that's just not correct

If you look at the Windies at the time of WSC, Roberts was the only established bowler having played 25 tests

Holding had played 13 tests but had been out for a year with injury - sound familiar?

Garner and Croft had only played a few matches each, Daniel was already proving to be a flash in the pan whilst Marshall was a few years away from debut

For Oz, Siddle is clearly an established bowler albeit not remotely in the class of Roberts

The problem to date is our best bowlers (Pattinson, Harris, Bird and Cummins) have all missed more test matches than they have played

Having said that, it is undeniable that they are all world class talents and could POTENTIALLY form an awesome attack in the future IF they overcome their injury problems AND IF they do justice to their ability

 

[Adders]

Will be interesting to see how Root holds up against spin, if Patto hasn't already decapitated him.

What ****ing spin........Nathan Lyon

Not much of a yardstick I know but his one test & ODI series in India is a reasonable indication that he wouldn't be losing sleep over your "tweakers"

 

[Burgey]

Yeah, he played two tests, bowled badly, learnt from it and took five-fer in his third. Plainly a useless cricketer.

 

[Adders]

Yeah, he played two tests, bowled badly, learnt from it and took five-fer in his third. Plainly a useless cricketer.

I was talking about Roots batting not Lyons bowling....dumbass!!

 

[Burgey]

You slagged off Lyon. I think you under rate him at your peril (as much as you can with an orthodox sort of finger spinner, they're not much as a species IMO).

No need to be snarky mate. Tough day at the pedestrian plaza selling pens?

 

[Adders]

You slagged off Lyon. I think you under rate him at your peril (as much as you can with an orthodox sort of finger spinner, they're not much as a species IMO).

No need to be snarky mate. Tough day at the pedestrian plaza selling pens?

lol, that wasn't snarky mate, you'll have to grow a thicker skin than that for these series!! Truth be told I just wanted to throw in the "dumbass" comment to see if it was deemed acceptable banter around here.

I actually had a good day selling my pens, not in the plaza but out on the road. Posting this sitting in a very nice Newcastle pub, finishing my 3rd schooner......lifes good.

 

[Burgey]

Ah good one! Hope you've been up to the Merewether pub there. They do a decent feed too.

 

[Adders]

Ah good one! Hope you've been up to the Merewether pub there. They do a decent feed too.

First night in town and looking for somewhere decent to go for a beer and a meal......the place you speak of is only a short taxi ride away.......better be good Burgey or you and I will really really be at loggerheads before the cricket starts!!

Nah, nice one man, I'll check it out.

 

[Burgey]

It's a shame it isn't summer. It's just across the road from the beach. Great view. Haven't been there for a while. Hope it checks out ok

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Ok here's a couple of sleepy-in-the-office what ifs to ponder.

What if it's 2-2 (or 1-1) going into the final Test.

1. If it came to declaration time, or speeding things along to win the series outright, do we think Eng/Cook would press things along at all, and have some balls, or be happy to sit on the Ashes retaining draw. Actually I think based on the NZ game this isn't much of a mind bender. How about instead - Eng fans, would you WANT Eng to risk going for the win, or be happy to draw it?

2. If it ended up a draw and Eng thus retained the Ashes, considering Aus are supposedly such underdogs, would they still be just as gutted as if they flopped it 5-0? (Officially I can see Michael Clarke making noises to that effect). But what would the reaction from Oz fans be, would it be seen as a "good effort"? Or just another fail. Thank you

Depends what the pitch is like and what sort of target the chase is. Prefer to win it obviously but wouldn't want to hand them on a plate to the opposition with a dodgy declaration.

 

[sphynx]

Sorry but that's just not correct

If you look at the Windies at the time of WSC, Roberts was the only established bowler having played 25 tests

Holding had played 13 tests but had been out for a year with injury - sound familiar?

Garner and Croft had only played a few matches each, Daniel was already proving to be a flash in the pan whilst Marshall was a few years away from debut

For Oz, Siddle is clearly an established bowler albeit not remotely in the class of Roberts

The problem to date is our best bowlers (Pattinson, Harris, Bird and Cummins) have all missed more test matches than they have played

Having said that, it is undeniable that they are all world class talents and could POTENTIALLY form an awesome attack in the future IF they overcome their injury problems AND IF they do justice to their ability

I heard Troy Cooley interviewed the other day.

Cummins has always been set for the return Ashes series, he's on the Australia A tour to Eng/Ire/Scot, but he's just doing net bowling. He's hoping to be fully fit mid year so he gets the entire start of the SS season.

From what he said, they've basically tried to re-work his entire action, get it alot more streamline, less falling over at the crease.

He said it had been alot of hard work, but they are starting to get benifits, he said he expects him to be 4 or 5 kph quicker, which is pretty amazing considering he was bowling 150 k/ph at 18.

Pattinson, Cummins and Harris is some sort of attack if they can get it together.

 

[uvelocity]

It's a shame it isn't summer. It's just across the road from the beach. Great view. Haven't been there for a while. Hope it checks out ok

some lovely little shops nearby too

starceh is gonna rip **** up. they all are. so many poms feeling ****y after seeing johnson and hilf under pontings captaincy in the last encounter are going to be getting that awful feeling about 10:50 on the first morning at 4/32 mark my words

 

[Spark]

I heard Troy Cooley interviewed the other day.

Cummins has always been set for the return Ashes series, he's on the Australia A tour to Eng/Ire/Scot, but he's just doing net bowling. He's hoping to be fully fit mid year so he gets the entire start of the SS season.

From what he said, they've basically tried to re-work his entire action, get it alot more streamline, less falling over at the crease.

He said it had been alot of hard work, but they are starting to get benifits, he said he expects him to be 4 or 5 kph quicker, which is pretty amazing considering he was bowling 150 k/ph at 18.

Pattinson, Cummins and Harris is some sort of attack if they can get it together.

on the other hand, troy cooley

 

[the big bambino]

on the other hand, troy cooley

Exactly. Probably the last we'll see of Cummins.