***Official*** 1st Test at The Gabba

[aussie tragic]

Could Warne go to 700 wickets in this series? Is it possible, or to many?

I think he should go close in the 3rd test as he has 685 wkts now, so 5 at the Gabba, 6 in Adelaide and 4 in Perth should do it

 

[GIMH]

All the cool people will be at the pubs.

I don't live in the city, you try finding me a pub that will be open through the night to show the Cricket.

 

[PhoenixFire]

If everyone is fit, then England should go like this. And assuming Harmison is bowling like he did at Lords against Aus on 2005 Ashes.


1)Trescothick
2)Strauss
3)Vaughan
4)Collingwood
5)Pietersen
6)Bell
7)Flintoff
8)Read
9)S Jones
10)Harmison
11)Panesar

 

[aussie]

i'm starting to feel there is a strong possiblity that England are going to go into this 1st test with 4 bowlers once Flintoff in the view of Flecther and the selectors is ready to bowl flat out since i believe they are worried about having a long tail & the fact that Read's batting even though has improved is a concern whether he is competent enough to bat at #7 vs Australia.

So dont be surprised if this English side steps out on November 23rd:

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison

I also feel Mahmood may get the nod over Anderson, but i personally would play Anderson instead.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Mahmood could be a real handful on some of these fast Aussie pitches. He has real pontential, and shouldn't be overlooked. Anderson is a fine bowler at ODI level, but I've never seen him play test, so I can't say.

 

[Johnners]

i'm starting to feel there is a strong possiblity that England are going to go into this 1st test with 4 bowlers once Flintoff in the view of Flecther and the selectors is ready to bowl flat out since i believe they are worried about having a long tail & the fact that Read's batting even though has improved is a concern whether he is competent enough to bat at #7 vs Australia.

So dont be surprised if this English side steps out on November 23rd:

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison

I also feel Mahmood may get the nod over Anderson, but i personally would play Anderson instead.

No Monty? Interesting.... IMO he's the english wild-card, and not playing him in the 1st match of the series would provide an instant boost to our Australian team.

 

[aussie]

No Monty? Interesting.... IMO he's the english wild-card, and not playing him in the 1st match of the series would provide an instant boost to our Australian team.

my mistake, Panesar will play no doubt ahead of Mahmood/Anderson, but if he gets smoked about i expect Giles to come straight back in but i doubt it, i reckon the lad will impress.

 

[valvolux]

I reckon the English team should be:
Strauss
Tresc
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Flintoff
G Jones
Mahmood
Hoggard
Panesar
Harmison

I think Read has already shown that he's not up to international standard. Jones played well in 2005 I reckon - sure he played some stupid shots at times and kept pretty poorly...he still played some important innings and his keeping was looking pretty sharp before he was dropped. Australia would far prefer to see read I reckon.

 

[Nate]

I agree with that, maybe Collingwood instead of Trescothick with Cook opening at some stage, and maybe Read above Jones. But the bowling looks like England`s strongest IMO, and would be the line-up Australia fears most.

 

[Nate]

Re: That bowling spot. I reckon the selectors will go with Johnson. If he bowls well at the `GABBA, chances are he`ll be picked for some Tests as well, where if he fails, Clark can take his place as a reliable L&L bowler. If that makes sense.

 

[Poker Boy]

About England's team: If Giles is fit, why not play both spinners? Shane Warne has a great record here, Mahmood is unproven, and it would let Giles bat at 8 AND play Monty which is a MUST. My team - Trescothick, Strauss, Cook, Pietersen, Bell, Flintoff, Jones, Giles, Hoggard, Harmison, Panesar. Jones has to play after read's poor batting in CT. (why James Foster does not get picked...ask D Fletcher because I've no idea. He's a better player than when we first picked him)

 

[GIMH]

I reckon we will line up like this, based on Fletcher's comments this morning

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell
Flintoff*
Jones+
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Looking at that, the only changes from last year are Cook for Vaughan and Monty for SJ, as well as a swap round in the order for KP and Bell. I reckon whoever does play out of Bell/Colly will bat at 5, coz they don't seem to want Flintoff and Pietersen next to each other. It was such a disaster last year, after all

 

[Poker Boy]

I reckon we will line up like this, based on Fletcher's comments this morning

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell
Flintoff*
Jones+
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Looking at that, the only changes from last year are Cook for Vaughan and Monty for SJ, as well as a swap round in the order for KP and Bell. I reckon whoever does play out of Bell/Colly will bat at 5, coz they don't seem to want Flintoff and Pietersen next to each other. It was such a disaster last year, after all

Well as that's the team I picked I hope you're right!! As for Freddie and KP maybe Fletcher thinks they'll try to outgun each other if they get into a partnership - when Richards and Botham played for Somerset Viv was at 3, Beefy 5 and usually P Roebuck was at 4 - and he said he tried to stay in long enough to stop Viv and Beefy batting together because they would try to outhit each other.

 

[wpdavid]

I reckon we will line up like this, based on Fletcher's comments this morning

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell
Flintoff*
Jones+
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Looking at that, the only changes from last year are Cook for Vaughan and Monty for SJ, as well as a swap round in the order for KP and Bell. I reckon whoever does play out of Bell/Colly will bat at 5, coz they don't seem to want Flintoff and Pietersen next to each other. It was such a disaster last year, after all

He certainly seems to favour 5 bowlers and, on balance, I'd probably agree with him: Fred's not 100% fit, and I don't completely trust Hoggie & Harmy to do the business, even though they're certaintiers at this stage. There's a danger we could be bowled out very cheaply indeed, but our likeliest 4man attack would probably be taken to the cleaners.
I'd play Mahmood instead of Giles though. Giles didn't score that many against Aus in 2005 until the Oval, so I'm not convinced he's adding that much with the bat, especially not having played for ages. Mahmood, OTOH, mseems to be on the up and might just shift a few of the Aus batters.

 

[GIMH]

I agree. I really would favour Saj in a 5-man attack. Having said that, I would go for a five-man attack myself. Colly, Bell or KP are capable of bowling a handful, and as Aus won't be batting for long anyway ( ) there's no need to worry. If I were the selector, this would be my side

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Flintoff
Jones
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I reckon we will line up like this, based on Fletcher's comments this morning

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell
Flintoff*
Jones+
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Looking at that, the only changes from last year are Cook for Vaughan and Monty for SJ, as well as a swap round in the order for KP and Bell. I reckon whoever does play out of Bell/Colly will bat at 5, coz they don't seem to want Flintoff and Pietersen next to each other. It was such a disaster last year, after all

Surely he won't play two fingerspinners at Brisbane. It's just a waste of a bowling spot. Mahmood for Giles in that lineup, if Fletcher has any sense.

Anyway, I'd wager Aussie's life that Australia will pick the following side for the first test:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Watson
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Johnson
McGrath

Three changes from last Ashes, with Hussey, Watson and Johnson in for Katich, Clarke and Gillespie.

 

[GIMH]

Surely he won't play two fingerspinners at Brisbane. It's just a waste of a bowling spot. Mahmood for Giles in that lineup, if Fletcher has any sense.

Anyway, I'd wager Aussie's life that Australia will pick the following side for the first test:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Watson
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Johnson
McGrath

Three changes from last Ashes, with Hussey, Watson and Johnson in for Katich, Clarke and Gillespie.

That's starting to become the hot topic though innit? I agree with you, if it's five bowlers play Mahmood. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Monty didn't play though, and I'll be devastated if he doesn't.

Nice of you to be so liberal with Aussie's life as well. Obviously I don't have as much knowledge as Aussie cricket as, er, an Australian, but I reckon you're probably right with that line-up as well.

 

[superkingdave]

Having heard Duncan's speech today, i'm convinced he was setting it up for dropping Read and Panesar and playing Jones and Giles. That ""I'm a strong believer, and it's been proven right before, that you have to bat in depth."

Leads me, sadly, to believe we will see

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell/Collingwood
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison

 

[albo97056]

i can understand jones coming back, but giles is simply criminal

 

[aussie]

Having heard Duncan's speech today, i'm convinced he was setting it up for dropping Read and Panesar and playing Jones and Giles. That ""I'm a strong believer, and it's been proven right before, that you have to bat in depth."

Leads me, sadly, to believe we will see

Tresco
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell/Collingwood
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison

yea gotta agree, say the speech and i have the feeling Jones n Gilo will start once they impress enough in the warm-ups.