England 05 v England 13

[Riggins]

Simon Jones the difference. 05 would win imo.

 

[Furball]

The current side would hammer the 2005 side.

 

[GIMH]

The current side would hammer the 2005 side.

Don't be absurd. I'd probably take the current one but it's close.

The 05 side has Freddie at the peak of his powers. Would back them against anyone. Other than him the current one is probably better man for man.

 

[Burgey]

I dunno about that. The 05 side had a better attack all round, even accepting Swann > Giles. They had a five man attack which could make merry with the current line up, which didn't pass 400 iirc in the just completed series on pretty dry decks.

 

[Furball]

I dunno about that. The 05 side had a better attack all round, even accepting Swann > Giles. They had a five man attack which could make merry with the current line up, which didn't pass 400 iirc in the just completed series on pretty dry decks.

None of Harmison, Hoggard or Giles would get anywhere near the current side.

 

[Burgey]

None of Broad, Swann or Bresnan would cause the 05 Australian batting line up to raise a sweat.

 

[GIMH]

Broad at his best would. The Broad of the Durham Test this summer, or V India in 2011. And he's a better bowler than Harmison.

Similarly, whatever you think of Swann, he'd do better than 10@57 a la Giles.

 

[GIMH]

None of Harmison, Hoggard or Giles would get anywhere near the current side.

Nah, way off. Giles wouldn't.

Hoggard > Bresnan
Harmison > Finn

 

[Cabinet96]

Nah, way off. Giles wouldn't.

Hoggard > Bresnan
Harmison > Finn

Bresnan and Finn don't play in the same side though. It's more Harmison or Broad.

It's hard with the different balances though. I think you have to just take Freddie as an anomaly and say he'd be in instead of any number 6.

 

[GIMH]

Bresnan and Finn don't play in the same side though. It's more Harmison or Broad.

It's hard with the different balances though. I think you have to just take Freddie as an anomaly and say he'd be in instead of any number 6.

That's kind of my point though. They both played the series and each are inferior to at least one of the other guys. I'd have Hoggard over both of them for the record, and Harmison would be under serious consideration for the 2013 side. I mean look at the touring squad FFS. In fact, Harmy 05 would be a shoo-in.

Combined XI

Cook
Trescothick
Vaughan*
Pietersen (05 version)
Bell (13 version)
Flintoff (***y bastard)
Prior+
Broad
Swann
Anderson
S Jones

 

[Furball]

That's kind of my point though. They both played the series and each are inferior to at least one of the other guys. I'd have Hoggard over both of them for the record, and Harmison would be under serious consideration for the 2013 side. I mean look at the touring squad FFS. In fact, Harmy 05 would be a shoo-in.

Combined XI

Cook
Trescothick
Vaughan*
Pietersen (05 version)
Bell (13 version)
Flintoff (***y bastard)
Prior+
Broad
Swann
Anderson
S Jones

Swap Prior and Flintoff, get Vaughan the **** out of the side.

 

[GIMH]

Flintoff 05 bats above Prior, no doubt about that.

Vaughan captains the side.

 

[Jono]

No wayyyyyyy.

 

[Jono]

Swap Prior and Flintoff, get Vaughan the **** out of the side.

So so hard.

 

[Furball]

Flintoff 05 bats above Prior, no doubt about that.

Vaughan captains the side.

Jimmeh hates Vaughan the captain.

Get him to ****, stupid Yorkshire prick.

 

[Bahnz]

Strauss was in pretty good form in the 2005 ashes. On form he probably deserves a spot ahead of Cook.

 

[Howe_zat]

Strauss was in pretty good form in the 2005 ashes. On form he probably deserves a spot ahead of Cook.

Cook's just hit 154*. He'll be fine

Ftr I think the current side's managed a lot more. It's essentially the same team as over the last 3 years and I don't think the 2005 team would have won in India or so easily in Australia.

 

[wpdavid]

Cook's just hit 154*. He'll be fine

Ftr I think the current side's managed a lot more. It's essentially the same team as over the last 3 years and I don't think the 2005 team would have won in India or so easily in Australia.

Drew in India didn't they? Without some key players and against a stronger Indian side IIRC.

Hard to argue that they'd have won so easily in Australia, as no-else has done that. But the current side hasn't looked as good for much of the time since then. I think it was one of those things when everything comes together beautifully, including the state of the opposition.

I suppose a better comparison might be how they fared against the best side in the world at the time. And we all know how the current lot went against SA in 2012.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think it was one of those things when everything comes together beautifully, including the state of the opposition.

If anything I think that's an apt description of 2005 more than 2011/12.

 

[wpdavid]

If anything I think that's an apt description of 2005 more than 2011/12.

Yeah, it's probably true for both.