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

[Burgey]

I'd say they bowled well to him and he also got some jaffers like the first innings at TB.

 

[Burgey]

I should also say I don't think you're all that bright.

 

[centurymaker]

As long as any more of the aussie bowlers don't get injured, aus will be fine bowling-wise.

 

[Captain_Cook]

I should also say I don't think you're all that bright.

Some things never change, I'm a stupid pom, you're a convict. Yawn...

 

[flibbertyjibber]

As long as any more of the aussie bowlers don't get injured, aus will be fine bowling-wise.

Siddle and Harris yes but if the others they go for are Johnson and Hilfenhaus then all England fans will be delighted.

 

[morgieb]

Siddle and Harris yes but if the others they go for are Johnson and Hilfenhaus then all England fans will be delighted.

You seriously under-rate Hilfy IMO. He's a much better bowler than in 2010. Even on his bad days (i.e. his action is low) he'll keep it tight at least, just won't be much of a wicket-taking threat. To compare him with Johnson is pretty ignorant.

 

[andyc]

Yeah look given that the alternative is Johnson, at this stage I'd be stoked if they went with Hilfy for Brisbane. He did have a ripper of a series against India (that ball to Laxman, wow). He is like Johnson in that you can't quite be sure which type of bowler will turn up on the day, but at least if you get darkest-timeline, early outswinging Hilfy, he won't go at 4+ an over and **** everyone else up.

Plus he runs in all day.

 

[NUFAN]

I would be disappointed if the battle was still between Johnson and Hilfenhaus for the third bowling spot.

I know Chadd Sayers has fans on here but I'm surprised that the media and selectors don't appear all that interested in a bowler who had match figures of 8-92 representing Australia A in his last match against an English county and just took match figures of 7-98 to help SA win the most recent Shield match.

 

[andyc]

Yeah, I've read a number of articles the last few days talking up how great the current domestic form of a number of players are (Smith, Warner, Rogers, even Johnson), while completely failing to mention Lynn and his 160 average as well. If the player's not on the radar he's simply not on the radar. From the media alone, it seems pretty clear that we're looking at Johnson and Hilf for the third seamer and Bailey as a lock for 6 with Marsh, Usman or D00ls behind.

 

[morgieb]

At least Doolan is being mentioned, I guess.

No way Lynn should be in contention until the end of the season at least IMO. But he has started the season very well and has scored runs at Shield level in the past.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Funnily enough, and as truly dreadful as he can play, Johnson is the biggest outright match winner you have. That being - the guy who can literally win a match on his own. He even managed this once in 10/11, at Perth. It's just the 'orrible dross he serves up the rest of the time.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Coco, what is your explanation for Clarke's poor series (187 aside it was a bad series for him)? Did England bowl well to him? Was he a bit out of form?

I would say a bit of both just as is the case with Cook. If you Aussies claim to have found Cook's achilles heel, we can say that we've found Clarke's because he could only get a century on a road and Australia are supposed to be preparing bouncy wickets. God help Michael Clarke...

And Clarke was plain awful in 10/11

 

[GuyFromLancs]

If we're forgetting about the bowling in the last series then we might as well extend it past the series before that. The issue we have this time is injuries to our frontline bowlers, which may mean we are less effective with the ball (in all likelihood it will). The issue in 10/11 wasn't that the series was in Australia, it was that we performed very, very poorly with the ball. England also batted very well, but bowling both sides of the wicket never ends well anywhere.

Some of the suggestions here hinting at the bowling in England not being a real factor in some of England's players not doing as well as they could have are just completely clueless.

I've always thought of Australia being a very hard place to bowl in general. For years the McGrath/Warne factor glossed over this for you guys - meanwhile whilst the rest of the world had to suffer (mostly in vain).

In 10/11, I think what we saw was quite simply mediocre bowlers toiling in unhelpful conditions (compounded by a batting lineup unable to concentrate for more than 10 minutes) So welcome to reality, Australia!!

The world we've lived in for decades!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

You seriously under-rate Hilfy IMO. He's a much better bowler than in 2010. Even on his bad days (i.e. his action is low) he'll keep it tight at least, just won't be much of a wicket-taking threat. To compare him with Johnson is pretty ignorant.

Yeah but we have already won the two ashes series that both played in so why would they concern us that much?

 

[Cabinet96]

Coco, what is your explanation for Clarke's poor series (187 aside it was a bad series for him)? Did England bowl well to him? Was he a bit out of form?

I would say a bit of both just as is the case with Cook. If you Aussies claim to have found Cook's achilles heel, we can say that we've found Clarke's because he could only get a century on a road and Australia are supposed to be preparing bouncy wickets. God help Michael Clarke...

Bit controversial maybe, but I genuinely believe Clarke won't be as troubled by the short ball in Australia as he was in England, even though the wickets will be faster and bouncier.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah but we have already won the two ashes series that both played in so why would they concern us that much?

People are immune to improving? Look I get that it's somewhat funny that the same four seamers are the main ones in contention for the Gabba (here's hoping Patto and Bird will get well soon) but if you're not seriously telling us they won't do much because they didn't win Australia the Ashes three years ago. And Hilf was pretty good in 09, so I don't know why you're using that series against him.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

People are immune to improving? Look I get that it's somewhat funny that the same four seamers are the main ones in contention for the Gabba (here's hoping Patto and Bird will get well soon) but if you're not seriously telling us they won't do much because they didn't win Australia the Ashes three years ago. And Hilf was pretty good in 09, so I don't know why you're using that series against him.

Just saying that they won't put the fear of god into England as the Aussie side isn't as good as in 09 and they couldn't beat us then so why now with the same attack?

 

[Burgey]

Some things never change, I'm a stupid pom, you're a convict. Yawn...

No what I meant was just because player A has a poor series because of X, doesn't mean player B had a poor series because of X as well. You can't make that assumption.

 

[Furball]

There's absolutely no way Hilfenhaus represents a better option than Johnson for an Ashes series. None whatsoever.

 

[Cabinet96]

Well that settles it.