1st Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham

[harsh.ag]

Would have been great to have Carey in the line-up. Probably the first time both sides would have had 2 wicketkeepers in their playing XI.

 

[Burgey]

Very likely to anyway, with Wade a good chance to play. Hope he does, actually, even if it means it's leftie-heavy. Bloke is in epic form.

I suspect they'll run with

Bancroft
Warner
Khawaja (apparently fit and running as well as he can at any given time)
TPC
Head
MMarsh (I would absolutely play Wade over him)
Paine
Patto
Cummins
GOAT
Haze

It's not a bad side. If Wade played it would actually be a pretty decent one imo. Marsh getting a run just leaves a gaping hole in the middle order for the Poms to charge straight through. can see us going from 3/180 to 6/210 in no time with him there.

You've got Bancroft, the Pillow and Head all unproven in England, and MMarsh a proven failure everywhere. If Wade played instead, you'd back him to make a few decent scores given his form and that he's been braining it over there for the A team.

 

[stephen]

Hope Marsh is nowhere near the XI.

He's honestly the worst selection. Hasn't done anything to suggest a recall is worthwhile.

 

[morgieb]

You mean like when he scored 48* out of 85?

What about the time he failed to reach 10 in four consecutive innings in the 2015 Ashes?

 

[Starfighter]

What about the time he failed to reach 10 in four consecutive innings in the 2015 Ashes?

Does that prove anything more than what I put up? Low scores can come in clusters you know, doesn't prove that he's more vulnerable than would reasonably be expected on 'dicey' pitches.

 

[morgieb]

Does that prove anything more than what I put up? Low scores can come in clusters you know, doesn't prove that he's more vulnerable than would reasonably be expected on 'dicey' pitches.

Yeah I know, I guess I just think the gap between him and the rest of the field seems smaller on 'dicey' pitches.

 

[Flem274*]

a combined xi. will be interesting to see how different it is in 5 tests time

warner
khawaja
smith
root
buttler?
stokes
bairstow (wk)
woakes
cummins
lyon
anderson

both teams good and bad at the same things. not sure until we see it how patto will go and woakes at home is a meme so while selecting that bowling line up was bloody tight, it'll do for a 10 second selection decision.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Think Woakes would consider himself lucky to get a gig ahead of Hazlewood.

What's happened to Burns, btw? Thought he was a shoo in for the squad at worst.

 

[Gob]

Think Woakes would consider himself lucky to get a gig ahead of Hazlewood.

What's happened to Burns, btw? Thought he was a shoo in for the squad at worst.

Over to you Stephen

 

[aussie tragic]

With England's brittle top 3, just a bit of randomness to show England what they are up against in the first test

Sobers: 117 Inn, 16no, 6268 runs @ 62.05
Smith: 117 Inn, 16no, 6199 runs @ 61.37

Also, our once in a generation bowler

Lillee: 20T, 91 wkts @ 23.65, best 6-66, SR 57.5
Cummins: 20T, 94 wkts @ 22.02, best 6-23, SR 46.8

 

[Howe_zat]

I suspect you'd have no intention of being quiet about it, Glenn.

 

[Daemon]

Who wouldn't McGrath be confident of bowling to

 

[stephen]

Think Woakes would consider himself lucky to get a gig ahead of Hazlewood.

What's happened to Burns, btw? Thought he was a shoo in for the squad at worst.

Not a Langer favourite.

Same reason Patterson got sent home. Hundreds in the previous test are not enough for Langer. You have to show true blue Aussie grit behind the scenes as well. Doesn't matter how low your batting average is, so long as you're a West Australian, or used to be a West Australian, Langer wants you.

 

[cnerd123]

Somebody has to bat in the top 3. Can't bat everyone at 5.

Wonder if the ECB can swing a deal with ground staff/ICC to have the scoreboard at the ground show the wickets fallen as '3' as soon as the openers are dismissed, in order to lure all the remaining batsmen into a false sense of security. Then keep it at 3 until the 4th wicket falls, at which point it starts working as normal.

 

[andruid]

Who wouldn't McGrath be confident of bowling to

Chuck Norris obviously

On a less snarky note, I wonder where he is going to drop his customary Australia to win 5-0 prediction?

 

[Tom Flint]

Any hint of Edgbaston being a seamers paradise and us going with
Burns
Roy
Denly
Root
Buttler
Stokes
Bairstow
Woakes
Archer
Broad
Anderson

 

[GIMH]

Does that prove anything more than what I put up? Low scores can come in clusters you know, doesn't prove that he's more vulnerable than would reasonably be expected on 'dicey' pitches.

From memory (so bear with me if wrong), he was supreme on the London pitches and as useful as a 2019 England opener north of the Watford Gap. I think he did score some good runs in Durham in 2013 which was more of a bowlers wicket (again, from memory so shoot me if I’m wrong).

I mean I’m not going to say he’s an FTB, obviously, but purely looking at England alone I can see why morgieb said what he did.

 

[Burgey]

Has Clouderson been cleared to play?

 

[Burgey]

I suspect you'd have no intention of being quiet about it, Glenn.

I think he'd be a big chance of falling down laughing as he ran into bowl to them (and ours tbh). One of my top three cricketing moments was when he came out of retirement and worked over Warner in that T20 years ago.

 

[Burgey]

With England's brittle top 3, just a bit of randomness to show England what they are up against in the first test

Sobers: 117 Inn, 16no, 6268 runs @ 62.05
Smith: 117 Inn, 16no, 6199 runs @ 61.37

Also, our once in a generation bowler

Lillee: 20T, 91 wkts @ 23.65, best 6-66, SR 57.5
Cummins: 20T, 94 wkts @ 22.02, best 6-23, SR 46.8

Yeah, but look at Anderson's numbers in the past couple of years. Been terrific. Its really going to come down to whcih team's inept batting line up throws up on itself less.