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

[PhoenixFire]

If they drop Panesar, then I will support Australia. No joke.

 

[PY]

That bowling attack'll get killed...

If Fred can prove fitness (being on conservative side as in he's 99% fit) then I'd go for four bowlers if one of them is Monty.

 

[albo97056]

if that side plays il put money on us not bowling out aus in either innings! 600-5 dec

 

[howardj]

Let's retain a bit of perspective about Panesar.

He averages in the mid-30's.

He can't bat.

He can't field.

Granted, I'd pick him ahead of Giles, but Monty is hardly a world beating package.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Let's retain a bit of perspective about Panesar.

He averages in the mid-30's.

He can't bat.

He can't field.

Granted, I'd pick him ahead of Giles, but Monty is hardly a world beating package.

32.40! Bit of a stretch to make that "mid 30s".

I'll give you can't bat & can't field tho. I don't think his batting is totally beyond redemption, if he works at it he is potentially better than Hoggy at least, but any ideas of him batting @ 8 are pie in the sky. (I could go into one here about how Harmison could be an 8 if he could be arsed, but I won't; just take it as read....) Monty's never going to be more than a passenger in the field tho, sad to say.

 

[Mister Wright]

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

Unfortunately (for England) I think that will be the side they select with the only difference being Bell at 4 and Piertersen at 5.

 

[howardj]

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

"We want a bowler who has control because we don't think the wicket in Brisbane will really turn," Fletcher said.

"It's mainly a seamer's track so we've got to have a look at the control we need from a spinner."

Hardly think that points towards two spinners. To me, it says, Giles will play and Panesar will not. Anyway, I'd stake my life on this being the 1st Test team:

Strauss
Trescothick
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison

 

[Nate]

Aussie?

Yeah, fair enough. Really don`t think Giles should be ahead of Panesar, from an English perspective.

If there`s one thing that has surprised me about the English line-up and people talking about it, it`s the strength of the tail. I really don`t care what my last four bat like. Honestly, them making a few runs is nothing compared to picking bowlers that`ll take you the 20 wickets. Hence, Panesar > Giles.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Panesar is so much better than Giles it's not funny. I don't think Panesar will have a particularly good series, but at least he's a wicket taking threat. Giles is a waste of a player.

 

[shortpitched713]

What works in Giles' favor is that Panesar hasn't had many matches under his belt, especially any under very testing circumstances, which you'd expect this Ashes series to be. Giles has done the job before in the last Ashes series, and is pretty consistent overall, so you know you probably won't get a shocker from him. I suppose picking Giles is a bit defensive, but its not too surprising. England isn't the sort of team to depend on spin to win them matches.

 

[GIMH]

What a pathetic disgrace of a decision that will be. He could cost us the Ashes.

 

[Poker Boy]

As I've said before, the solution is pick Giles and Panesar. I know where Fletcher's coming from with the batting - Mahmood, Hoggard, Harmison and Panesar is a sight that Warne would love to see - but the last time we won at the 'gabba (1986/87) we played two finger-spinners (Edmonds and Emburey) when the 'gabba was a bowl-first pitch not the bat-first pitch it is now (and for god's sake let's hope Freddie and Fletcher know this)

 

[GIMH]

When I said I was basing the team on Fletcer's comments, I had only heard him say he was going for five bowlers, not about the control and the pitch not turning.

 

[aussie]

Panesar is so much better than Giles it's not funny. I don't think Panesar will have a particularly good series, but at least he's a wicket taking threat. Giles is a waste of a player.

Yea Panesar is a better bowler than Gilo, but saying Gilo is a waste of a player is a bit harsh yo, the man is a good reliable player and even though i would rather Panesar play myself, Fletcher's reasoning is very fair IMO, with neither Read/Jones very convincing with the willow ATM i would be like England will have 6 bats and a long tail which is an area which Australia will surely target.

 

[greg]

This all comes down to the mistake of making Flintoff captain. I'm sorry, but a Flintoff who is not fit to bowl a reasonable share of overs is not so important to the team that the rest of the team should be wrecked to accommodate him, especially in Australia where i don't think his batting will be nearly as effective as in England.

Panesar is so much better than Giles as a bowler, in all conditions, that it defies belief that England should be looking to play a five man attack to accommodate Flintoff's lack of fitness only to force him to bowl more by picking Giles.

I reckon that Panesar has the potential to bowl as many as 10 overs more a day than Giles, especially in first innings conditions which are not helpful (no rough etc). Take into account that Collingwood (not in the team if we play a five man attack) could potentially bowl up to 10 overs a day, and we see that the "four man attack" with Panesar, will not put significantly greater strain on Flintoff, than the five man attack with Giles. For all Mahmood's claimed "improvement" he still hasn't come close to winning a match or offering any control for England.

 

[craigschwartz]

off subject but does anyone know which if any bars will be showing the ashes live in the u.k.?
i presume due to the new licensing laws some will be?

 

[craigschwartz]

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff *
Jones +
Giles
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison

i suspect this indeed will be the england team for the first test after listening to the Fletcher interview it seems certain colly and bell are fighting for one place and giles will play if definitely fit as fletcher is obsessed with his batting at no.8 despite Monty being a millions times the better bowler.

 

[aussie]

off subject but does anyone know which if any bars will be showing the ashes live in the u.k.?
i presume due to the new licensing laws some will be?

Duke 92 on castle street or anyone one of the popular Kro bar locations may show it i think, gotta find out myself.

 

[GIMH]

It would be pathetic if he dropped Bell and Panesar

 

[Steulen]

It would be pathetic if he dropped Bell and Panesar

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