Baggy Green ball tampering: Bancroft, Smith and the Aussie "Leadership Group"

[S.Kennedy]

Ashes '19? The Prodigal Smith will be sheepishly returning to a ''new look Australia'' who play cricket in the Paine manner: no sledging; no nastiness; no cheating; lots of shaking of hands and sportsmanlike statements.

Should be interesting.

England will probably look a bit different also.

 

[stephen]

Look at what happened to smith last time he was out of the team and came back. He's going to be so pent up having not been allowed to make runs in a year I can't see him not completely dismantling any bowling attack he faces.

 

[fredfertang]

Smith'll be Matty Parkinson's bunny

 

[Adders]

Look at what happened to smith last time he was out of the team and came back. He's going to be so pent up having not been allowed to make runs in a year I can't see him not completely dismantling any bowling attack he faces.

All total speculation. This could play out in any No of ways and whilst your scenario is very much a possibilty so is the polar opposite.

Whilst Im under no illusions at all that England will be a very average test side next year, they will still be tough to beat at home and it will take a very good Aussie side to do so. Youd be very very optimistic to think they'll be that at this stage.

 

[Burgey]

All total speculation. This could play out in any No of ways and whilst your scenario is very much a possibilty so is the polar opposite.

Whilst Im under no illusions at all that England will be a very average test side next year, they will still be tough to beat at home and it will take a very good Aussie side to do so. Youd be very very optimistic to think they'll be that at this stage.

Nah, he’s played 60 odd tests and averages near enough to 60 as well. He’ll be cherry ripe and we’ll be in clover.

Am glad to see Renshaw having a year in county cricket. Be good experience for him. Think he’s at Somerset

 

[SteveNZ]

All total speculation. This could play out in any No of ways and whilst your scenario is very much a possibilty so is the polar opposite.

Whilst Im under no illusions at all that England will be a very average test side next year, they will still be tough to beat at home and it will take a very good Aussie side to do so. Youd be very very optimistic to think they'll be that at this stage.

I'm absolutely in the England camp when it comes to the Ashes...but what gives you that sort of optimism that England will be hard to beat at home? So, so much leaning on Anderson and Broad being fit and in form to take 20 wickets. No spinner of note, Woakes is pedestrian at Test level, Overton isn't much better and Wood is every part of his 41 average. Who's in behind them?

And the sandpaper saga hasn't taken anything off an Australian attack of Starc, Haze, Cummins, Lyon etc.

I'd still have Australia as red red red hot favourites.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Ashes '19? The Prodigal Smith will be sheepishly returning to a ''new look Australia'' who play cricket in the Paine manner: no sledging; no nastiness; no cheating; lots of shaking of hands and sportsmanlike statements.

Should be interesting.

England will probably look a bit different also.

Whoa whoa let's not go nuts

There's only so much we can change

 

[TheJediBrah]

I'm absolutely in the England camp when it comes to the Ashes...but what gives you that sort of optimism that England will be hard to beat at home? So, so much leaning on Anderson and Broad being fit and in form to take 20 wickets. No spinner of note, Woakes is pedestrian at Test level, Overton isn't much better and Wood is every part of his 41 average. Who's in behind them?

And the sandpaper saga hasn't taken anything off an Australian attack of Starc, Haze, Cummins, Lyon etc.

I'd still have Australia as red red red hot favourites.

Starc will be **** with the duke IMO, Cummins might be a bit better but who knows. England serve up a few green tops and anything can happen, pedestrian bowlers or not.

 

[Bahnz]

I'm absolutely in the England camp when it comes to the Ashes...but what gives you that sort of optimism that England will be hard to beat at home? So, so much leaning on Anderson and Broad being fit and in form to take 20 wickets. No spinner of note, Woakes is pedestrian at Test level, Overton isn't much better and Wood is every part of his 41 average. Who's in behind them?

And the sandpaper saga hasn't taken anything off an Australian attack of Starc, Haze, Cummins, Lyon etc.

I'd still have Australia as red red red hot favourites.

Woakes averages 24 in England. Once he's armed with the extra swing offered up by the Duke and the overcast conditions he becomes a serious threat. Toby Royland-Jones and Steve Finn also potentially waiting in the wings, and once Ben Stokes is fully fit he'll add an extra dimension to the attack too.

 

[Adders]

I'm absolutely in the England camp when it comes to the Ashes...but what gives you that sort of optimism that England will be hard to beat at home? So, so much leaning on Anderson and Broad being fit and in form to take 20 wickets. No spinner of note, Woakes is pedestrian at Test level, Overton isn't much better and Wood is every part of his 41 average. Who's in behind them?

And the sandpaper saga hasn't taken anything off an Australian attack of Starc, Haze, Cummins, Lyon etc.

I'd still have Australia as red red red hot favourites.

Nah mate, Ali and Woakes are both gun at home......not the same bowlers youve seen this summer.

No way do Australia start as favourites never mind "red hot". Look the England team is far far from unbeatable at home and I'm not for a minute thinking the Aussies are not a chance, but a lot will have to go right for them and this mess they are in right now is far from ideal.

 

[Burgey]

Woakes averages 24 in England. Once he's armed with the extra swing offered up by the Duke and the overcast conditions he becomes a serious threat. Toby Royland-Jones and Steve Finn also potentially waiting in the wings, and once Ben Stokes is fully fit he'll add an extra dimension to the attack too.

Always be skeptical about the ability and fortitude of any sportsman with a double barreled surname. Never a good sign.

 

[Borges]

I think a 'Road to the Ashes' thread is called for.

The Indians already have a 'Read to the World Cup' thread; ugh, the very thought of lagging behind the Indians!
They are all a bit miffed right now: an immovable object called MSD has plonked itself square in the middle of that long road, blocking the way forward. At the moment they have no option other than to go around in circles; this is the opportune time to overtake them,

 

[Zinzan]

Been 18 years and you think next year's the one? Itsl

Had me doing a double-take there, but fmd it has been 18 years since they beat you lot there.

 

[StephenZA]

I think a 'Road to the Ashes' thread is called for.

I'm already having to deal with the IPL, I'd prefer not to deal with an Ashes thread a million years in advance as well...

 

[Borges]

I'm already having to deal with the IPL, I'd prefer not to deal with an Ashes thread a million years in advance as well...

Ah, what do we have here? Why do you have to 'deal' with the IPL at all? Doesn't your remote have power off and switch channel buttons?
What is the problem with a potential thread on the long voyage to the Ashes? Are you afraid that some bully would force you to read it, or heaven forbid, actually post in it?

Or is this some brand new kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder? If it is, eat healthy, have a regular dose of exercise and you would snap out of it in a jiffy. Essentially, the cure is embarrassingly simple: attack the cause (don't watch/participate), not the symptom (woo, I watched/participated with intense interest, now, how, oh how, do I deal with these?).

 

[Starfighter]

Why the change in font?

 

[Borges]

I didn't do it intentionally; it would appear that the software here has a mind of its own.

I've edited the post now: there is a remove format button. One lives and one learns.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Just get Darren Stevens, Rushworth and Roland-Jones and dibbly dobble the Aussies out.

 

[Starfighter]

Please keep selecting Mark Wood.

 

[StephenZA]

Ah, what do we have here? Why do you have to 'deal' with the IPL at all? Doesn't your remote have power off and switch channel buttons?
What is the problem with a potential thread on the long voyage to the Ashes? Are you afraid that some bully would force you to read it, or heaven forbid, actually post in it?

Or is this some brand new kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder? If it is, eat healthy, have a regular dose of exercise and you would snap out of it in a jiffy. Essentially, the cure is embarrassingly simple: attack the cause (don't watch/participate), not the symptom (woo, I watched/participated with intense interest, now, how, oh how, do I deal with these?).

It is not a brand new compulsive disorder... it is an old compulsive disorder. And I've managed to avoid the IPL thread (and not posted in it to a large degree). But still irritates me whenever I turn on the cricket channel that all I see is IPL, and everytime I hit new posts on my favourite website IPL is prominent... I don't need 2 threads irritate me.