*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[Red]

Is there any chance we'll see this by the third or fourth test?

- Rogers
- Cowan
- Hughes
- Khawaja
- Clarke
- Lehmann
- Haddin
- Siddle
- Pattinson
- Harris
- Lyon

 

[flibbertyjibber]

No.

 

[grecian]

Tremlett on the TV, and he isn't limping

 

[Burgey]

Lehmann has said Watson will open. That would likely mean one of Hughes, Cowan or Rogers will miss out.

 

[hendrix]

Surprised that everyone seems to be including Hughes in the side. Honestly from what I've seen of him (which being a kiwi, was mostly his giving Guptill catching practice) I wouldn't have him in the same postcode as Jimmy Anderson for his own safety. Does no-one think Wade might score more runs than Hughes playing as a batsman?

Have never seen Bird bowl at all, but the comments on here intrigue me. I seem to recall similar things being expressed about Copeland - what happened there?

Bird looks the goods to me, and a genuine 1st change bowler who would maintain the pressure.

That said, he can't be picked ahead of Siddle.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Is there any chance we'll see this by the third or fourth test?

- Rogers
- Cowan
- Hughes
- Khawaja
- Clarke
- Lehmann
- Haddin
- Siddle
- Pattinson
- Harris
- Lyon

We can hope.

 

[Top_Cat]

Lehmann has said Watson will open. That would likely mean one of Hughes, Cowan or Rogers will miss out.

Yarp.

Somerset v Australians, Taunton, 1st Day : Shane Watson to open in Ashes - Darren Lehmann | Cricket News | Australia in England - The Investec Ashes | ESPN Cricinfo

So, like I've been saying, Cowan's gone. Nothing short of a very big lot of runs in the warm-ups can save him from the Roginator now.

 

[Nate]

The fast bowling situation is a tricky one. I wouldn't want Faulkner anywhere near the side, including at number six. Patto is a lock. Harris should be picked, but will inevitably break down. Bird's form has been wonderful. Starc can run through a side. And Siddle is vego-dependable.

I don't think we can go wrong really. I'd probably go Patto-Harris-Bird, but can understand the justification for the others.

 

[Tangles]

Unless the plan is Watson, Cowan and Rogers at 3. What would be interesting is him saying that Warner will play with no lead up cricket.

 

[Top_Cat]

Warner at 3.

You heard me.

 

[AlanJLegend]

With Watto to open, I'll be very interested what other changes Boof will make to the top 6. I would go with something like;

Watson
Rogers
Warner
Cowan
Clarke
Hughes
Haddin

As much as Cowan seems like a lovely guy, if he doesn't perform in the first couple of tests Khawaja comes in. Warner won't have played any warm-up games and as much as I wish we could leave him out as a matter of principle, we can't afford not to pick the best team. Pick either him or Hughes to be a long-term number 3.

 

[Maximas]

I would hate to see all 5 openers we have in the same side, pick three of them (IMO Watson, Cowan and Rogers) and let Warner come in for anyone whose form drops, then Hughes, Clarke, Khawaja/Smith.
As for bowlers, Starc has suddenly stormed back into contention, but I still think Siddle, Pattinson and Harris is looking good, Siddle needs to bowl better in the rest of the warm-ups though. Bird is probably his replacement, and Starc slots in behind the other two, I really don't know what role Faulkner could play if he was picked.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

I'd like to see Cowan as a Diet Trott figure at 3. He can act as insurance against collapses, and let's face it - the biggest problem we have is losing two or three wickets in succession.

 

[Dan]

So lets give him a proper go to show it this time then. He's played seven tests since his recall, four of which were in conditions that couldn't be more foreign to the conditions he'll get in England. I wasn't completely convinced about his recall, because I felt he probably needed a bit longer to work on his game before getting another go, but now that he's been given one, you can't just bin him against straight away.

And the thing is, at the back-end of the India tour you could tell he'd worked his arse off to improve - following his complete lol-worthiness against spin in the first two tests, he knuckled down and made a couple of decent scores (69 in the second dig at Mohali before getting a shocker of an lbw decision, then 45 in the fourth game before copping one in the helmet from Sharma off a length).

He wasn't great, but he'd worked hard to not be completely useless at the end of the series. And that's what we need from out batsmen right now - hard work to overcome technical flaws.

 

[Burgey]

I don't think there's any doubt Hughes has worked his proverbial off trying to fix his technique. And he's had to do it while being in and out of the test side to boot. Whether he ultimately makes it or not, I don't know. But you can't fault his effort at trying to change his game. He deserves a lot of credit for that.

 

[Tangles]

I wonder if Watson has been told he gets all 5 tests to prove his worth? That would be a luxury we can't afford if he doesn't score and were losing. I agree with only picking 3 openers though. But if Watson opens either we call Hughes a middle order bat or Uzi and Smith have to bat 4 and 6. They have loaded the team with them.

 

[Top_Cat]

I'd like to see Cowan as a Diet Trott figure at 3. He can act as insurance against collapses, and let's face it - the biggest problem we have is losing two or three wickets in succession.

My opinion but it's not really the Aussie way to have a number 3 who knuckles down then scores at a similar rate after absorbing the pressure innit. Last one of that sort was probably Yallop. So I'd guess the selectors would be more likely to go with Warner or Hughes than Cowan.

Still burning that the selectors seem to have hitched their wagon to Watson, tbh.

 

[adub]

Still burning that the selectors seem to have hitched their wagon to Watson, tbh.

So long as they don't take 5 or more tests to accept it's not working if it isn't working. He's been averaging mid 20s as an opener, no.3 and no.4 since the last ashes as well as missing significant chunks due to injuries and indiscretions. 2 maybe 3 tests tops for mine. Make scores (and 30s ain't scores) or **** off. He's got his wish, now he has to deliver.

 

[Furball]

I wonder if Watson has been told he gets all 5 tests to prove his worth? That would be a luxury we can't afford if he doesn't score and were losing. I agree with only picking 3 openers though. But if Watson opens either we call Hughes a middle order bat or Uzi and Smith have to bat 4 and 6. They have loaded the team with them.

He's probably got all 10. He's the golden boy, remember.

 

[adub]

He's probably got all 10. He's the golden boy, remember.

Sometimes I wonder if he's a country member...