Road to the 2015 Ashes in England

[aussie tragic]

So with no West Indies v Australia thread, I guess it's just part of the 'Road to the Ashes'

Watson may have just handed over his spot due to staying home for his childs birth (good on him).

Also unlikely to play 2 spinners with Watson out, so team for 1st WI test could now be...

Warner
Rogers
Smith
Clarke
SMarsh
MMarsh
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Hazelwood
Lyon

 

[harsh.ag]

Siddle??

 

[aussie tragic]

Siddle??

Well only other option was Starc and I thought we should save him for the English

Actually the only changes since the last test were likely to be Clarke for Burns and Johnson for Harris, so yeah Starc should be there

 

[Antihippy]

The only thing saving starc for the English will accomplish is making him underdone in red ball cricket. Also get smashed in red ball cricket like always.

If we want him to improve he needs to stay in the team longer.

 

[Stapel]

I've got tickets for the 4th day of the 4th test (9th of August)! Yaaay!

This means me and mrs. Stapel will go camping (tent) in The English Midlands from the end of July until mid August. As customary to me, and as always to mrs. Stapel's slight annoyance, it wasn't properly thought over, but we're both excited to go. Now, we face some unexpected choices to make:

-Get tickets for the 3rd Test as well? I've known myself for few years now. I will propably simply do so. The rotten thing is that tickets are expensive (85 pounds in Nottingham, 93 pounds in Birmingham) and that a pound is worth 1,50 euros, rather 1,10 a couple of years ago.
Return tickets to the island of pommy bastards:
-The somewhat romantic idea of sailing from Rotterdam to Hull from 8pm until 9am costs 850 euros. That's a no.
-From Hoek van Holland to Harwich (10pm - 6:30 am) is 450 euros.
-Boat from Northern France to Kent is 150 euros, tunnel is 200 euros.
-So, we're considering to come in at Harwich and leave via France...., I guess

The question raised is that, rather than taking a car accross the North Sea, we should go by plane, hire a car and find B&B's, instead of finding camping sites. My main concern is this: should I book in advance for B&B's? It's something I strongly dislike.

Any ideas?

 

[Goughy]

I've got tickets for the 4th day of the 4th test (9th of August)! Yaaay!

This means me and mrs. Stapel will go camping (tent) in The English Midlands from the end of July until mid August. As customary to me, and as always to mrs. Stapel's slight annoyance, it wasn't properly thought over, but we're both excited to go. Now, we face some unexpected choices to make:

-Get tickets for the 3rd Test as well? I've known myself for few years now. I will propably simply do so. The rotten thing is that tickets are expensive (85 pounds in Nottingham, 93 pounds in Birmingham) and that a pound is worth 1,50 euros, rather 1,10 a couple of years ago.
Return tickets to the island of pommy bastards:
-The somewhat romantic idea of sailing from Rotterdam to Hull from 8pm until 9am costs 850 euros. That's a no.
-From Hoek van Holland to Harwich (10pm - 6:30 am) is 450 euros.
-Boat from Northern France to Kent is 150 euros, tunnel is 200 euros.
-So, we're considering to come in at Harwich and leave via France...., I guess

The question raised is that, rather than taking a car accross the North Sea, we should go by plane, hire a car and find B&B's, instead of finding camping sites. My main concern is this: should I book in advance for B&B's? It's something I strongly dislike.

Any ideas?

I had no frame of reference but there is no way the bolded is true. I checked and it is! That is an insane price.

 

[Stapel]

I had no frame of reference but there is no way the bolded is true. I checked and it is! That is an insane price.

Yeah, and fine that it doesn't matter, as there are many alternatives. It's just that I am amazed....... Couldn't believe it either. Return tickets across the North Sea for two adults in a FIAT Panda for 850 euro..................

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The only thing saving starc for the English will accomplish is making him underdone in red ball cricket. Also get smashed in red ball cricket like always.

If we want him to improve he needs to stay in the team longer.

If he doesn't improve with the red ball may bowl his way out of the side in WI series.

 

[Spark]

That's not a major concern, though, given that Harris + Johnson + Hazlewood is first choice.

 

[harsh.ag]

That's not a major concern, though, given that Harris + Johnson + Hazlewood is first choice.

Harris isn't playing in Windies though, and if Starc can outshine Hazelwood enough, he may make it into the first team for the Ashes.

 

[Spark]

Harris isn't playing in Windies though, and if Starc can outshine Hazelwood enough, he may make it into the first team for the Ashes.

Would be great if he did, because I suspect Haze isn't one to have too many off days. I personally think Haze complements the attack better than Starc, who would have to play a slightly awkward role between Johnson's and a standard 3rd seamer's.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, think that Hazelwood is a better balanced player for our attack.

 

[Stapel]

Yeah, think that Hazelwood is a better balanced player for our attack.

Is that what the Aussie attack is looking like? Johnson, Harris, Hazlewood, Lyon? With Starc being the foremost candidate to take a spot?

I'm quite in the blind, especially with no RL cricket talk around. So these questions might be off, but: What about Siddle, Cummins & Pattinson? I take it Lyon has finally cemented his spot, not?

 

[watson]

That's not a major concern, though, given that Harris + Johnson + Hazlewood is first choice.

Probable the best pace attack available. Hazlewood is pure class and suely has to play first up. Stark and Cummins unlucky.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Lyon is one of those guys who always seems like he could be dropped. If Fawad out-performs him in a few games he could be 13th man by the Ashes.

 

[Antihippy]

Is that what the Aussie attack is looking like? Johnson, Harris, Hazlewood, Lyon? With Starc being the foremost candidate to take a spot?

I'm quite in the blind, especially with no RL cricket talk around. So these questions might be off, but: What about Siddle, Cummins & Pattinson? I take it Lyon has finally cemented his spot, not?

Siddle has fallen off for quite a while now, cummins is still coming back from injury and is easing back with LO stuff, and Pattinson is constantly injured.

I honestly hope that the selectors won't jerk around lyon anymore. His place seems relatively solid.

 

[harsh.ag]

Lyon is rock solid now. They've finally got it right.

Hope Pattinson makes a comeback. A truly classy bowler. Have him as the successor to Harris when he is done.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, Lyon stays. Ahmed an option in the Windies if two spinners required.

 

[Dan]

Probable the best pace attack available. Hazlewood is pure class and suely has to play first up. Stark and Cummins unlucky.

Can't say Ned's too unlucky; when things went wrong for his side a few seasons ago heads had to roll and, well, he became the scapegoat. He was never coming back again after that.

Tony's an understandable omission too -- prolific ball tamperer. Sure, he could solve world peace by strapping a few gadgets to the leather, but that time he embedded it with AI and a supercomputer to analyse a batsman's weaknesses in real-time and bowl him an unplayable ball was just not cricket!



Oh, you meant Mitchell Starc...

 

[Top_Cat]

Prolific ball tamperer is a top insult, but.