Official - Road to Ashes 2023

[Burgey]

Harris was always going to be picked but Renshaw there makes me a bit happier. He's also a gun slipper if he's called on, as opposed to Net Negative Harris.

Neser exclusion is bemusing tstl, but as social said he's over there playing and with Haze very iffy for at least the first part of the tour it wouldn't be surprising to see him brought in. Would have preferred Hardie to Marsh, but neither actually seem to have bowled much lately - didn't' Hardie pick up a niggle in NZ recently which meant he could only bat?

Otherwise pretty much as expected. Handscomb's exclusion excellent. 4-0 Aus with a rain-effected draw again saving England's blushes.

 

[Starfighter]

I think Marsh is a batting selection. Even if it's not he'll get injured after bowling eight overs.

 

[Nintendo]

While obviously Inglis is ahead in the pecking order (eg in the A team selection) I'm not convinced that Peirson shouldn't be ahead of him as the backup keeper in tests in the short term. Their last respective seasons certainly shifted their FC achievements in Peirson's favour.

Inglis's shield average over the past few seasons is 50 odd while Pierson's is closer to 40. Pierson has done more for Aus-A but Inglis is younger and has a higher cieling. Can understand getting him in the squad first if he doesn't have a county gig.

 

[Starfighter]

Inglis's shield average over the past few seasons is 50 odd while Pierson's is closer to 40. Pierson has done more for Aus-A but Inglis is younger and has a higher cieling. Can understand getting him in the squad first if he doesn't have a county gig.

Don't make stuff up.

Inglis only played once in the Shield in 21/22 (scoring 28 and 13) and Pierson averaged more last season.

 

[Nintendo]

Don't make stuff up.



Inglis only played once in the Shield in 21/22 (scoring 28 and 13) and Pierson averaged more last season.

I'm not making stuff up. If you go from the start of inglis's breakout summer Inglis has ~4 hundreds at an average in the 50's and Pierson is averaging in the 40's with a similar amount of 100's (in the shield). Pierson has done way better for Aus-A in that time but Pierson has never shown the 100 average @ a SR of 90 peak season Inglis has had. With Pierson In his early 30's and Inglis 28 and entering his peak batting years I get why the selectors went with ingls. I would have gone Pierson, FYI, but I don't dislike either choice.

 

[Nintendo]

Just to update those stats, purely on shield in the past 3 seasons Inglis has 820 runs @52 with 4 100's, Pierson has 1300 runs @ 38 and 5 100's. I can't be bothered doing the AUS-A numbers but I'm p sure Pierson has been better for Aus-A in that time, like I said.

Overall Inglis has done better on the aggregate and had a better peak season + is younger. Given that Carey is unlikely to be dropped in the next year unless he absolutely loses the plot in ENG I understand why the selectors would go with Inglis.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Aside from MMarsh I can't say anything here is really too surprising, I too would have had Neser in the squad but it isn't too bad as he will be out playing for Glamorgan anyway. Definitely prefer Rehshaw to Harris if Warner doesn't hold his spot, but it's not like any of the options fill me with great confidence in the first place

 

[Molehill]

Is the Marsh selection simply a like for like replacement should Green get injured? Or would they go with a 6th batsman instead? It should be remembered he did somehow take 7 wickets at the Oval in 2019 even if he did little with the bat.

They're all lambs to the slaughter anyway, 4-1 England (we don't do draws, it never rains in June and Stokes screws up a declaration for the defeat).

 

[NZTailender]

Stolen from the cricket related Simpsons Facebook page

 

[Starfighter]

Just to update those stats, purely on shield in the past 3 seasons Inglis has 820 runs @52 with 4 100's, Pierson has 1300 runs @ 38 and 5 100's. I can't be bothered doing the AUS-A numbers but I'm p sure Pierson has been better for Aus-A in that time, like I said.

Overall Inglis has done better on the aggregate and had a better peak season + is younger. Given that Carey is unlikely to be dropped in the next year unless he absolutely loses the plot in ENG I understand why the selectors would go with Inglis.

Because I'm in the mood for an argument, let's break things down to give better context:

	Inglis				Pierson
Season	Innings	Runs	Average	50/100	Innings	Runs	Average	50/100
18/19	18	337	21.06	0/1	18	433	27.06	0/2
19/20	13	323	24.84	0/2	15	357	29.75	0/1
20/21	12	585	73.12	3/2	9	402	44.16	1/4
21/22	2	41	20.5	0/0	15	475	33.92	2/2
22/23	6	116	33.16	1/0	15	460	35.38	2/1

Your argument is essentially based on a careful slice. Yet unless he has another good one that 20/21 season may turn out to be a flash in the pan rather than a 'breakout'.

 

[Line and Length]

Could you imagine the uproar here in Oz if England's A Team squad was involved in Sheffield Shield during an Ashes tour down under? I wouldn't happen - especially as the Shield comp involves just 6 teams compared with the county set-up. Having players like Neser on "stand-by" in county sides plus Ashes squad players having 'warm-up" games is beneficial. A benefit that teams touring Australia don't have.

 

[Starfighter]

Could you imagine the uproar here in Oz if England's A Team squad was involved in Sheffield Shield during an Ashes tour down under? I wouldn't happen - especially as the Shield comp involves just 6 teams compared with the county set-up. Having players like Neser on "stand-by" in county sides plus Ashes squad players having 'warm-up" games is beneficial. A benefit that teams touring Australia don't have.

Bleh. That's England's choice. I have repeatedly mentioned that despite the supposed quality increasing nature of overseas players in County Cricket it doesn't seem to produce better England players than before 1968. Nothing wrong with Australia taking advantage of it.

 

[Line and Length]

Bleh. That's England's choice. I have repeatedly mentioned that despite the supposed quality increasing nature of overseas players in County Cricket it doesn't seem to produce better England players than before 1968. Nothing wrong with Australia taking advantage of it.

Agreed. I'm not complaining (despite my continued support for England after 65+ years in Australia. Just making an observation.

 

[Spikey]

cameron binnedcroft

 

[Ashes81]

From an English point of view, the Aussie squad was pretty much as expected and all the strengths and weaknesses that we know about are there to see.

I'm not surprised that Warner is included but it does show the problem the Aussies have finding someone to open with Khawaja.

The seam bowling looks weak in numbers but of course the back up seamers will be playing county cricket and will be called in as required. In effect the squad is about 20 players.

There is some concern that we are going almost out of our way to accommodate the Aussies by allowing so many of them to prepare in county cricket.

I've mixed views on this - counties will get the best players they can but if Neser for example comes in for an injured player and wins the Ashes for the Aussies, then we need to be asking ourselves should we have allowed him to keep ticking over for Glamorgan rather than coming in cold for a vital test.

Personally I'd rather increase the length of the tour by a few weeks so the Aussies could have a few warm up games against counties, which would also generate some much needed cash. The Aussies get practice games but once the series starts, any players not involved in the tests, have to come in cold - that's the moden way.

 

[Burgey]

Bleh. That's England's choice. I have repeatedly mentioned that despite the supposed quality increasing nature of overseas players in County Cricket it doesn't seem to produce better England players than before 1968. Nothing wrong with Australia taking advantage of it.

TBF England has its players out here on Lions tours when the Ashes are on. They also play to their commensurate level in Aus domestic cricket - for example, Ben Duckett played second grade for Parramatta, which England fans are about to find out is very much his standard.

 

[social]

In spite of my suggestion to select MMarsh to combat Bazball being Nostradamus like, his selection is completely ludicrous

The guy is a failure at test level, rarely fit, is at best a part time red ball cricketer anyway and nothing like a like-for-like replacement for Green

While on a rant, I have no idea how they can pick Hazlewood with any confidence when you consider his injury history and the fact that there’s literally no warmup games

Imagine if Green is injured and we’re forced to field an attack of Cummins, Starc (ordinary record in England), Lyon plus Josh and Mitch

That’s nothing more than a punt

Then there’s the opening batsmen options

The Australian selectors are highly experienced cricketers but I reckon that if they were being truly honest, they’d tell you that they have very little faith in anyone outside of Warner & Uzi and are literally throwing names up against the wall in the hope that someone sticks

 

[Molehill]

I've mixed views on this - counties will get the best players they can but if Neser for example comes in for an injured player and wins the Ashes for the Aussies, then we need to be asking ourselves should we have allowed him to keep ticking over for Glamorgan rather than coming in cold for a vital test.

If Neser comes in for an injured player and wins the Ashes for the Aussies, then we need to be asking ourselves, how on earth have we lost the Ashes to Neser???

Can see Neser playing the last 2 Test defeats though when it transpires that Hazlewood is still injured and Boland can't bowl outside Australia.

 

[Starfighter]

If Neser comes in for an injured player and wins the Ashes for the Aussies, then we need to be asking ourselves, how on earth have we lost the Ashes to Neser???

You haven't seen him bowling with the Dukes ball clearly. He's very, very good with it. That said if the pitches are the roads Stokes wants that would go a long way to nullifying him, even with the Dukes.

 

[social]

If Neser comes in for an injured player and wins the Ashes for the Aussies, then we need to be asking ourselves, how on earth have we lost the Ashes to Neser???

Can see Neser playing the last 2 Test defeats though when it transpires that Hazlewood is still injured and Boland can't bowl outside Australia.

Boland is a very fine bowler

He’s a quicker, more skilful Robinson with heart