Road to the 2019 Ashes

[Burgey]

After the last tour game, predicting Selectors will go with this 16 man squad for the Ashes

Bats: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Labuschagne, Head, Marsh

WK: Paine, Carey

Spin: Lyon, Holland

Pace: Cummins, Pattinson, Starc, Hazlewood, Siddle

Note: I'd take Burns over Bancroft or Head and increase squad to 17 (or take only one spinner) in order to take K'Pat as extra bat, although he has done bugger all on the A tour

Talk this morning is there’ll be 17 named, and the rumour via journos on radio is Wade will be picked for the first test.

 

[Starfighter]

When's it being announced?

 

[howardj]

9pm tonight (Sydney time)

 

[howardj]

Though I think Harris is surplus to requirements and that Burns would be a much better fit as a reserve bat given his versatility and that we have a surfeit of top order bats, I think they're almost certain to name this squad:

Warner, Bancroft, Usman, Smith, Head, Wade, Harris

Marsh, Labu

Paine, Carey

Haze, ***, Starc, Siddle, Pattinson, Lyon

 

[howardj]

From The Australian


It’s going to be an uneasy night for Australia’s best cricketers ahead of an extraordinary alphabetical squad announcement first thing Friday morning UK time.

In an unprecedented move every one of the 25 players, with the exception of captain Tim Paine, will be called in to meet with head selector Trevor Hohns and coach Justin Langer to be told their fate.

The players, who will be summoned in alphabetical order, will be told whether they will be staying for the Ashes or going home.

Each has been allotted five minutes and will be summoned by text message to learn their fate,

It will be heartbreak for at least eight and enormous relief for those of the 16-17 who were not assured of a place.

Former opener Cameron Bancroft, back after his nine-month ban for his role in the ball tampering affair, will be first to learn his fate but should be confident after a dominant 93no yesterday — by far the highest score in a disappointing match for the batsmen.

David Warner will be the last to know but would have been confident even before he scored a half century in the practice game.

Langer admits the process is brutal, but said it was important that each player be told individually.

 

[Burgey]

Though I think Harris is surplus to requirements and that Burns would be a much better fit as a reserve bat given his versatility and that we have a surfeit of top order bats, I think they're almost certain to name this squad:

Warner, Bancroft, Usman, Smith, Head, Wade, Harris

Marsh, Labu

Paine, Carey

Haze, ***, Starc, Siddle, Pattinson, Lyon

If that's the squad and Harris plays over Bancroft with neither of your all rounders picked, it's a very lefty-heavy batting squad.

 

[howardj]

Bangers will open with Warner

They're very conscious of the left-right thing, and of not stacking their team with too many left handers

Especially given Anderson's expertise at bowling to lefites

Another reason why I think Burns would be better than Harris, particularly if Bangers opens in which case Harris is surely surplus to requirements

 

[stephen]

I fully expect the following team going into the first test:

Warner
Bancroft
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Labaschagne
Paine
Pattinson
Cummins
Hazelwood
Lyon

Starc
Siddle (Bird seems out of favour)

Neser

Wade
Carey

After Paine has been talking about Starc adjusting to the red ball I think the selectors are going to drop him for the first test now.

I feel that this is the way the selectors are thinking right now.

Really tough on Bird and Burns but following the press coverage and the "trial" game this seems like the kind of **** they'll pull.

 

[howardj]

There's is very strong word, as Burgey noted, that Wade will be in the 1st Test team itself

 

[howardj]

From The Australian


It’s going to be an uneasy night for Australia’s best cricketers ahead of an extraordinary alphabetical squad announcement first thing Friday morning UK time.

In an unprecedented move every one of the 25 players, with the exception of captain Tim Paine, will be called in to meet with head selector Trevor Hohns and coach Justin Langer to be told their fate.

The players, who will be summoned in alphabetical order, will be told whether they will be staying for the Ashes or going home.

Each has been allotted five minutes and will be summoned by text message to learn their fate,

It will be heartbreak for at least eight and enormous relief for those of the 16-17 who were not assured of a place.

Former opener Cameron Bancroft, back after his nine-month ban for his role in the ball tampering affair, will be first to learn his fate but should be confident after a dominant 93no yesterday — by far the highest score in a disappointing match for the batsmen.

David Warner will be the last to know but would have been confident even before he scored a half century in the practice game.

Langer admits the process is brutal, but said it was important that each player be told individually.

Five minutes of hugs and sobbing as Langer informs his 'little brother"

 

[Burgey]

I don't think there's any cause for complaint from those omitted if it's because Wade gets a spot. He has basically done everything asked of him by the selectors.

Go back and score runs - yep
Oh, but you aren't batting high enough - goes up order, still smashes them
Need to make runs on different decks - yep.

If he's selected it will be one of the few times in recent memory where I can recall a player being told what they have to do, going away and doing it and getting rewarded. Been plenty of blokes who've done what's been asked yet been ignored. Good luck to him. Not my cup of tea as a bloke, but he deserves a recall.

 

[stephen]

Yeah I'd not begrudge Wade earning another cap. It's Bancroft, Handscomb, Harris and Carey who don't really deserve to be there.

 

[stephen]

Oh and Siddle probably will make the squad. It'd be a shame if he was ahead of Bird in the queue because Bird is genuinely the better bowler and is younger. Much as I liked Siddle back in the day.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah I'd not begrudge Wade earning another cap. It's Bancroft, Handscomb, Harris and Carey who don't really deserve to be there.

Nah Burns IMO.

 

[Burgey]

TJB, please stop with this repetitive line of posting which is designed to do nothing but obtain a reaction from other posters, notwithstanding it is directly relevant to the topic at hand.

 

[TheJediBrah]

What about the irony in repeatedly telling people to stop repetitive posting?

 

[howardj]

I agree, Wade deserves a call up.

He will have to put his carpentry apprenticeship on hold

What a life-changing call up.

 

[TheJediBrah]

He will have to put his carpentry apprenticeship on hold

Interesting. Probably just trying to make himself a more attractive Australian selection option. Imagine all the cheap sandpaper

 

[Burgey]

What about the irony in repeatedly telling people to stop repetitive posting?

I'm afraid you'll need to take that up with the arbiter.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

The way I think the selectors will go.

1. Warner
2. Bancroft
3. Khawaja
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Wade
7. Paine (C) (WK)
8. Cummins
9. Pattinson
10. Starc
11. Lyon

Patterson
Labuschagne
Marsh
Hazlewood
Siddle

Personally I wouldn't pick Bancroft but after his 93* he seems to be pretty much a lock. KPat stiff to miss out, I honestly think he is more likely to succeed longterm as a Test middle order bat than Wade, but as has been said you can't argue with the sort of form Wade is in.