*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[howardj]

You can take it as read that, given the events of the last 48 hours, David Warner will not play the 1st Test

So therefore six of the following seven will (unless Invers has completely lost his mind and continues to bat our keeper at six, with someone like Faulks at seven)

Cowan, Hughes, Usman, Smith, Clarke, Watson, Rogers

With a sub 30 average in his last two years of Test cricket, I think Hughes should be the one under the gun. I just can't see him offering any sort of stability at the top of the order. I would love to see Steve Smith rewarded for his fine performances in India, and on the A team tour so far..

 

[uvelocity]

bloody oath smith should be rewarded. think both he and henriques were hard done by after the performances they did put up over there

 

[Maximas]

just to clear-up on Fawad, he has been sent home to finish his citizenship business, Agar is staying on in the same manner as he did in India, either could still be added to the test squad.

 

[adub]

You can take it as read that, given the events of the last 48 hours, David Warner will not play the 1st Test

So therefore six of the following seven will (unless Invers has completely lost his mind and continues to bat our keeper at six, with someone like Faulks at seven)

Cowan, Hughes, Usman, Smith, Clarke, Watson, Rogers

With a sub 30 average in his last two years of Test cricket, I think Hughes should be the one under the gun. I just can't see him offering any sort of stability at the top of the order. I would love to see Steve Smith rewarded for his fine performances in India, and on the A team tour so far..

I agree Warner looks like he'll be carrying drinks in the first test. With that being so and if no one stands up and makes runs in the lead up games Faulks at 7 might not be the worst decision.

I have pretty high hopes for Hughes, but he isn't delivering on them yet and Khawaja isn't doing any better. I frankly struggle to see both in the same side and wouldn't be at all surprised to see neither. I'd stick with Hughes as the incumbent on the back of how he fought in the last two tests, but he needs runs soon.

I've always thought Rogers looks best in our line up at 3 and rather than open with him and Cowan I'd leave him there. Warner's brain explosion gives Watson the chance to make his case as an opener again. I don't think he's up to it, but he wants it so let him prove the doubters wrong. If he goes in and makes runs then great, if not then after a couple of tests of failure you can safely **** him off for good and bring Warner back in.

That would leave no.6 to sort. I'd be happy enough to go with Smitteh as I think it could be his long term role, but we're not talking about any batsmen with great records outside of Clarke (and Rogers at least at fc level) so playing a guy like Faulkner who is probably just as likely to chip in with a 50 as most of the 'specialist batsmen' and picking up a bit of extra bowling might be the way to go. Of course I'd rather we had 8 or 9 bats with good solid mid-40s averages to choose from so that the idea would never be considered, but we don't. If it comes down to a choice of say a Khawaja scratching about for 20 or Faulkner doing the same I'd be very tempted to pick the Taswegian.

 

[adub]

Rogers to ton up in the first test.

 

[dermo]

Cowan
Rogers
Hughes
Khawaja
Clarke
Smitteh

**** Warner right off, Smitteh should get the 6 cause you no that **** will put in 110% and deserves to be rewarded for his performances in India and on the A tour and he sure as hell wont be the **** on the drink at 3am, Clarke obviously gets the 5. Watson could potentially come in for Hughes or Usman, and if he did i'd let him open and put Rogers in at 3 and Hughes/Usman at 4. Cowan deserves to be there for the time being and as has been said before they wouldn't have brought Rogers to get him to run the drinks so he will be there.

 

[Burgey]

I thought there was something I didn't like about having four lefties straight up in your line up, Dermo. But I actually think I'm just worried at the line up, not the fact they're left handed. :-/

 

[uvelocity]

left handers are first in front of the firing squad for mine

 

[Spikey]

we may as well open with watson because then it'll be far easier to drop him after the 2nd test if need be

 

[Spikey]

someone said somewhere on the internet that the lead-up to this ashes was the worst ever but i dunno know, our lead-up to the last ashes series was pretty bad too

 

[adub]

someone said somewhere on the internet that the lead-up to this ashes was the worst ever but i dunno know, our lead-up to the last ashes series was pretty bad too

X Doherty and M Johnson are not even being discussed as potential fly in replacements in case of injury crisis, so it's a vastly improved lead up.

 

[Tangles]

I'd be ok with dropping Watson but he is a lock now that Arthur has gone. Can't see him opening though. Rogers and Cowan will open so its the 4 or 6 debate with Watson again.

 

[Maximas]

I'm so sick of Watson getting this golden run based on 2 and a half year old form, I like the idea of opening him and Cowan with Rogers at 3, I also rather like the idea of Warner and Watson vying for a spot rather than having them both in whilst shunting Hughes, Cowan or Rogers out.

 

[NUFAN]

I wonder if the Boof appointment will give Cosgrove more chance of making the team?

I don't expect this XI to be selected necessarily, but I would pick:

1 WATSON
2 COWAN
3 ROGERS
4 CLARKE
5 KHAWAJA
6 SMITH
7 HADDIN
8 SIDDLE
9 PATTINSON
10 HARRIS
11 LYON

 

[Justo]

Reckon Boofs appointment makes Khawaja more likely. I'd go with the below personally (this considers that Warner doesn't get any warm ups). I'm not considering anyone outside the current squad either.

1. Rogers
2. Cowan
3. Hughes
4. Watson (if he bowls) or otherwise Khawaja (not a big fan though tbh)
5. Clarke
6. Smith
7. Haddin

I'm not really worried about the bowling as long as all the front line bowlers are ahead of Faulkner. Unless he absolutely rips it up in the warm ups he shouldn't get a game IMO. That said I do think Patto, Harris, Bird and Lyon would be the best overall attack.

 

[the big bambino]

Rogers to ton up in the first test.

I promise to like this if it happens.

 

[Maximas]

I promise to like this if it happens.

when it happens

 

[Furball]

I'm so sick of Watson getting this golden run based on 2 and a half year old form, I like the idea of opening him and Cowan with Rogers at 3, I also rather like the idea of Warner and Watson vying for a spot rather than having them both in whilst shunting Hughes, Cowan or Rogers out.

Try 4 years old. He shunted it in the last Ashes.

 

[Ruckus]

He was the second highest Aus run-scorer and had the second-highest average at 48, behind only Hussey. He wasn't magnificent by any means, but he was one of the few who actually didn't disgrace themselves. The next highest average was Haddin at 45, and then after that Steve Smith at 31.80, so that puts Watson's performance in some perspective. Didn't realise how badly Clarke performed...jesus...an average of 21.44. Well, beats Ponting's average of 16.14 . Bloody shocking series.

Edit: if you take away Ponting's top score, a 51 not out, which I remember was scored in the most pressure free situation and essentially his runs were not needed (batting for an inevitable draw), his average would have been 8.9! That's got to be one of the worse major series' ever by a great of the game.

 

[the big bambino]

Take away Clarke's 80 at Adelaide, which was just an average booster in the circumstances, and his series average fell to 14. Both Ponting and Clarke batted a posn too high that series. Though eventually with Ponting his decline was terminal whereas Clarke looks real good at 5.