Road to the 2015 Ashes in England

[The Battlers Prince]

The last series in England was all slow pitches and I was really wanting someone like Johnson at the time. This time around we have two left arm firebrands and the control of Harris and Haze in the squad. I see this as an absolute opportunity for the Oz quicks to assert themselves overseas.
In the past too I've been worried by Starc's ability to hold it together for a whole FC match let alone five days so hopefully he's sorted that out a bit.

As for Rad, I think his form in England was phenomenal a couple years ago and definitely worth sticking with him as the incumbent unless he's completely lost it. We have many good glovemen in Australia so there's always pressure to perform there.

Lastly, hurry tfu July 8th lets get started!

 

[Red]

Nev's straight-up a better package.

This is the clutch point. Sentiment should be put aside. If Haddin deserves to be dropped, drop him. If Heals didn't get a home farewell test, I fail to see why Haddin should get all five away Ashes tests if his form's sub standard.

 

[Red]

I think there's been a need to keep Haddin in the team over the last few years because if Clarke's back breaks just before a test it had to be either Haddin captaining or Watson captaining. Now that Smith is everything to everyone, Haddin's no longer required for that reason. Plus, with Rogers and Voges, plus Clarke and Smith, in the side, we are hardly lacking cricketing nous.

 

[Gob]

everyone sort of respect rad and look up to him though. as long as australia aren't losing and his glove work remains ok, he should get these 5 tests.

 

[Swingpanzee]

Hads not playing the Essex game

Australians XI to play Essex: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke, Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

I think it's a fair team, Nevill should get a game.

 

[andruid]

Shane Watson, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Clarke and Nathan Lyon. Save the big guns for a wicket with some life in it.

 

[Stapel]

Indicative of poor/failing technique; sometimes those catches are genuinely unbelievable, but quite often (speaking more generally here) a lot of the great-for-tv diving catches shouldn't require dives at all.

ABdV is a prime example -- he takes a lot of 'brilliant' catches because he's naturally athletic and can make up for not being a well-drilled, technically-sound 'keeper. Guys with better technique take them on their feet because their sideways movement (and anticipation, I guess) is far, far superior.

The best 'keepers, from a technical perspective, are generally the ones you rarely notice.


Building from that, you often get guys with really good technique who inexplicably drop simple catches -- they do all the right things, but their hands can sometimes let them down (thinking Jack Russell here, and perhaps it's also somewhat applicable to Hartley). Nev seems to have safe hands as well as good technique. Prasanna Jayawardene-esque, perhaps?

This is spot on. And not only for keepers, but also for other fielders. Spectacular catches are the ones called brilliant. And some times they truely are. But most spectacular catches would have appeared regular catches, if the fielder would have done better before the catch. Both in anticipation and footwork.

 

[Spikey]

thinking of starting a thread for all the rubbish glenn mcgrath says

 

[Gnske]

Has McGrath literally ever been wrong in his life? The man is a fortune teller incarnate.

 

[Furball]

Seem to remember him getting his prediction slightly wrong in 2005.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

and 09, 10/11 and 13.

 

[Midwinter]

Seem to remember him getting his prediction slightly wrong in 2005.

The exception that proves the rule

 

[Niall]

Has McGrath literally ever been wrong in his life? The man is a fortune teller incarnate.

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[Howe_zat]

"'Win first session of day one, win Ashes,' says Ian Botham"

Which was the most convincing day 1?

England 260 all out, 2010
England 215 all out, 2013
Australia 273/8, 2013/14

I could find more but IT IS THE ENTIRE POINT OF TEST CRICKET THAT IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT SESSION 1, DAY 1

THE ENTIRE POINT

 

[fredfertang]

This is Sir Beefy though - he always struggles to get it

 

[Burgey]

Anyone going to Chelmsford on Friday? I've decided to make the most of #EuroBurge by taking the twiglets to the tour match. One of them is happy about it.

Girl I went to school with has a nephew playing, Tom Moore. Don't know a thing about him other than he's apparently a seam bowler. Anyone got some Mail on him?

Anyway, if there are any CW'ers about, it'd be nice to catch up at the ground.

 

[Gob]

Nephew or grandson?

 

[Daemon]

burgey age jokes stopped being funny before you signed up

 

[weldone]

Burgey age jokes stopped being funny before you were born.

 

[Daemon]

They're still better than your pathetic attempts at comedy though