How many runs will Alastair Cook score in the 2013/14 Ashes?

[Burgey]

Notice how Adders went missing when the WA Second XI knocked up 450 but returned when England had a good day?

No doubt hoping for fair weather this summer.

Apparently it's wet and cold in Hobart this morning too. Dunno how much play they'll get.

 

[Adders]

I think it had more to do with what was dished up than the conditions in which it was served.

Well judging by the 30+ pages in the "Australia's test side for the Ashes in Australia" thread, it is still anyone's guess what your starting 11 will be in Brisbane. But I am seeing the names of Harris, Johnson, Dougeh and Siddle being bantered around........is it just me or has that got a distinct sniff of deja vu about it??

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well judging by the 30+ pages in the "Australia's test side for the Ashes in Australia" thread, it is still anyone's guess what your starting 11 will be in Brisbane. But I am seeing the names of Harris, Johnson, Dougeh and Siddle being bantered around........is it just me or has that got a distinct sniff of deja vu about it??

Just need to recall Doherty and Beer now.

 

[Adders]

Notice how Adders went missing when the WA Second XI knocked up 450 but returned when England had a good day?

LOL, a comment so often thrown around sports forums but seldom ever true........c'mon Burgey, that was beneath you mate.

I can assure you my comings and goings on this forum will never have anything to do with the state of play on a cricket pitch.....ever.

 

[Captain_Cook]

Harris is still fit, Cook has the same weaknesses,

Cook was woefully out of form this summer, he got himself out more than he was got out. Had he been in form he would have left those leg side and wide deliveries. His class showed that he still got three fifties despite looking so uncomfortable it was painful to watch. Cook is a grafter and that's why he's due a good series averaging 50 odd.

 

[Burgey]

Harris is quality, was the best bowler in England. Siddle gives little away tbh, neither does Watson (assuming he's fit) and Lyon bowled fine in England. The only real issue is the third quick, which seems as though it will be Johnson, sadly.

Dougeh is bowling pretty well ATM, but I don't think they'll pick him. If they want to, they could do what they did last time - leave him in SA playing T20, let him get injured, tell him not to play pre Brisbane, don't play him there, give him one FC match before picking him for Adelaide with no bowling, fitness or form. Then dump him when he bowls ****.

 

[Burgey]

Cook was woefully out of form this summer, he got himself out more than he was got out. Had he been in form he would have left those leg side and wide deliveries. His class showed that he still got three fifties despite looking so uncomfortable it was painful to watch. Cook is a grafter and that's why he's due a good series averaging 50 odd.

You're selling short the plans set for him, and how well they were executed. Look at Genesis, not Revelation - not just the ball which gets him out but the setting up of the bloke too.

 

[Maximas]

Adders vs Burgey quite an amusing battle atm

 

[91Jmay]

Adders vs Burgey quite an amusing battle atm

Its got a sniff of the Jeremy Clarkson vs Piers Moron about it tbh.

 

[Burgey]

I always welcome a review from CW's own Neville Cardus.

 

[Captain_Cook]

You're selling short the plans set for him, and how well they were executed. Look at Genesis, not Revelation - not just the ball which gets him out but the setting up of the bloke too.

I don't buy that line of thinking. Harris bowled incredibly but Cook was struggling last summer before a ball was bowled. The CT had taken a lot out of him and he wasn't playing fluidly.

To be fair to Cook, he has always struggled against quality pace in England. 2009 was disappointing for Cook as well. However, unless Clark makes and unlikely return from retirement, I think your bowlers lack the discipline to bowl full enough for the required time to get Cook out cheaply once he's in. The bouncy wickets make their job twice as hard as the slow wickets in August.

I don't think he'll average 27 again but improved strategy should stop the double tons and the 766 run massacre of 10/11.

 

[Riggins]

Yeah Captain_Cook is right. How well you play against someone has no impact on their performance.

 

[Burgey]

Well, they did it for five tests in England. I don't think bowling discipline was Australia's problem in the last series at all.

 

[social]

I thought last time it was wetter than and cooler than usual which meant pitches did a bit more than they usually do? If the pitches are anything like they were last season they'll very much be roads.

Brisbane was a road for virtually all 5 days except for when it rained overnight and Australia were batting the next morning anyway

Adelaide - road

WACA - very quick and resulted in 2 failures

MCG - good bowling conditions for 2 sessions and a road thereafter

SCG - see MCG

As an example, weather in Brisbane has been very different this year to recent past with record temps for Aug, Sept and Oct punctuated by storms whereas last few years has seen flooding and cool weather

As Qld is tropical, grass does not grow in latter conditions resulting in slow dead pitches

If weather continues like this (and forecast for this week is for 5 * 30+ days followed by a storm), pitch is likely to be very fast

None of which means Cook will fail btw but I cant imagine "conditions" of last series (i.e. roads + ****e bowling) will be easier this time around

 

[Son Of Coco]

Cook was woefully out of form this summer, he got himself out more than he was got out. Had he been in form he would have left those leg side and wide deliveries. His class showed that he still got three fifties despite looking so uncomfortable it was painful to watch. Cook is a grafter and that's why he's due a good series averaging 50 odd.

**** me dead...

 

[Captain_Cook]

Yeah Captain_Cook is right. How well you play against someone has no impact on their performance.

This isn't a case of McGrath vs Atherton. The bowling was tight but Harris aside just required time at the crease to solve. Cook doesn't care about his strike rate yet some of the deliveries he went after were one day wide full deliveries and leg side ones. Cook isn't usually bothered about being starved of runs. That's why I believe his poor form was 60% and disciplined bowling was 40% of why he was neutered.

For a player so comfortable on the backfoot, the extra bounce on offer will let Cook use his strengths and hinder the bowlers in finding a full enough length rather than settling at back of a length.

 

[Burgey]

That last paragraph is tosh, sorry.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

This is a rough guess, but here goes

Brisbane

65 & 54

Adelaide

188 & DNB (England in this match will declare on 701 for 3)

Perth

8 & 49

Melbourne

155 & 87*

Sydney

45 & 40



Sorry I can't be more specific

 

[uvelocity]

aint been much storms for a while tbh, don't think i've mowed more than once since the two weeks of winter we had in july

 

[Riggins]

That last paragraph is tosh, sorry.

lol, just the last paragraph?