Australia's test side for the Ashes in Australia

[flibbertyjibber]

How do you reckon England would go if Anderson was injured? I don't think they'd comsistently bowl Australia out twice, and that's accounting for our less than stellar batting line up and for the fact I rated Tremlett enormously in his last visit here.

In any event, I hope they both stay fit for the whole series because nothing blows more than having good players miss through injury. I know several England fans on here (not you btw) were hoping for injuries for some of our blokes last series, bit that's just ****ed, and those fans deserve to be driven to an assisted suicide.

England would be absolutely ****ed without Anderson.

What GF said Burgey.

 

[Spark]

The Australia seamers were definitely better in the 13 series, but with the injuries I'm not so sure. Harris and Siddle are about Anderson and Broad's level IMO, so it comes down to Johnson v Tremlett. Tremlett is somewhat of an unknown quantity, although I guess Johnson is as well.

If Patto was fit then the Aussies would definitely have the stronger attack. Any injury updates on him?

Aiming to be back for Perth, to no one's surprise.

There is still KP and Cook, but they will be relying on the likes of Root for partnerships. Don't get me wrong, I rate Root very highly, but that's a huge amount of pressure on a young player against what will be a very determined attack.

Bloke is a talent for sure but it's not often you see someone look so assured on the back foot and so mediocre on the front foot. Might have it slightly easier this time but I still wouldn't expect too many bouncers if I was him.

In the end, England are deserved favourites. But I'd suggest that the gap has tightened enough to say that an Australian win would be a surprise, but not that much of a surprise. Stranger things have happened in recent times, let's put it at that.

 

[Prince EWS]

What GF said Burgey.

Yeah. If Anderson didn't play a part in the series, I'd have Australia as favourites.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

It's reductive to say that if Jimmy is injured, we are screwed. He vanished for at least 2 test matches this summer and we dug in.

But I'm of the opinion that "only" a 2-1 to England is on the cards.

Although I think this Australia side is basically gash as a test cricket team, there are some dangerous individuals - Clarke, Warner ... and yes...Johnson - who can conspire to win a match, or maybe even 2.

Especially when you compound this with a few structural weaknesses in England's team. Where should Root play? Trott on **** form. The possibility KP will score big in one match, but play mediocre in the rest. Prior injury.

Like I say, England are the better side, but there are enough variables to give us a collective twitchy arse.

 

[Maximas]

I think Jackson Bird is also set to return around Perth/Melbourne, so our bowling stocks may well actually improve throughout the series, but fmd are we gonna be walking on a tightrope with Harris the whole way through.

 

[Furball]

It's reductive to say that if Jimmy is injured, we are screwed. He vanished for at least 2 test matches this summer and we dug in.

At Old Trafford he bowled like a drain and England's bowlers got flogged.

At Chester-le-Street he at least bowled economically.

When Anderson is either missing or bowling badly, England's attack goes to pieces. Broad, Bresnan, Swann and Tremlett/Finn should be a servicable enough attack without Jimmeh but for whatever reason the attack simply doesn't click without the great man's presence.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

At Old Trafford he bowled like a drain and England's bowlers got flogged.

At Chester-le-Street he at least bowled economically.

When Anderson is either missing or bowling badly, England's attack goes to pieces. Broad, Bresnan, Swann and Tremlett/Finn should be a servicable enough attack without Jimmeh but for whatever reason the attack simply doesn't click without the great man's presence.

He's the spearhead for sure. But if he were to play 3 matches for whatever reason, I'd still say that would be enough to win the series.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

I think Jackson Bird is also set to return around Perth/Melbourne, so our bowling stocks may well actually improve throughout the series, but fmd are we gonna be walking on a tightrope with Harris the whole way through.

Exactly, without Harris you're screwed. Not only is he more injury-prone than Anderson, his team are also far more clueless without him than Anderson's is.

 

[Cabinet96]

Anderson bowls a large chunk of overs and keeps it really tight, even if he's not threatening that much. England are a four man attack that centre around keeping it tight, so when a guy replaces Anderson who can't get through the workload and leaks more runs it tears England's plan to pieces and makes Broad and whoever the usual third seamer is less effective. Best example is England v Sri Lanka at Lords 2011

 

[Cabinet96]

I think Jackson Bird is also set to return around Perth/Melbourne, so our bowling stocks may well actually improve throughout the series, but fmd are we gonna be walking on a tightrope with Harris the whole way through.

Exactly, without Harris you're screwed. Not only is he more injury-prone than Anderson, his team are also far more clueless without him than Anderson's is.

Harris is awesome, but as an overall seam attack, I'd rate Pattinson, Bird, Siddle and Watson more highly than Harris, Siddle and Johnson. And given what's been said it seems likely that we could see the series finish with the former after starting with the latter. Australia have lived without Harris for large chunks before, and will do again. I think it was a massive bonus for them in England to have him around bowling like he did for four tests, and they weren't really expecting it. Strange looking back, but he wasn't selected for the first test and didn't make a lot of people's XI on here. People can throw out any old talk as to why he wasn't picked, but I myself didn't include him simply because he hadn't been a part of an Australian attack for ages and I thought there were other guys who would do better.

And it's absolute madness to say that England are less dependent on Anderson than Australia are on any fast bowler. This is a side that have played large chunks of their cricketer in the last few weeks with depleted seam attacks, and successfully managed to get around it because of fantastic depth in the department.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Are people really still advocating Watson as a test bowler?

 

[adub]

Yes. He's a way more consistent and valuable performer as 4th seamer than he has been as a batsman for the last three years.

 

[adub]

Stat of the Day.

The Gabba is Michael Clarke's 2nd most productive venue (after Adelaide). He has scored 916 runs @ 114.50 there with 4 centuries.

 

[benchmark00]

Now lets look at his one day stats.

 

[andyc]

Harris is awesome, but as an overall seam attack, I'd rate Pattinson, Bird, Siddle and Watson more highly than Harris, Siddle and Johnson.

Nah, Australia's ideal seam attack would (IMO) pretty comfortably be Pattinson, Harris, Siddle and Watson. Pretty confident that's what the selectors think too.

 

[benchmark00]

That's fine but that's not what 'net96 was arguing.

 

[Furball]

Exactly, without Harris you're screwed. Not only is he more injury-prone than Anderson, his team are also far more clueless without him than Anderson's is.

This is just flat out rubbish.

 

[morgieb]

The only way you can argue that Australia are more clueless sans Harris than England are sans Anderson is if you only watch Ashes matches.

 

[Prince EWS]

Nah, Australia's ideal seam attack would (IMO) pretty comfortably be Pattinson, Harris, Siddle and Watson. Pretty confident that's what the selectors think too.

Yeah he knows that; he's just saying that even if Harris got injured in the second Test and was ruled out for the rest of the series, then Australia's attack could actually improve despite that with the return of Pattinson and Bird, and Watson returning to full fitness.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Being honest with the amount of time Patto misses would anyone expect him to last 3 tests anyway?