***Official*** Australia in England (The Ashes)

[Top_Cat]

Disagree. McGrath obviously has first call on the new cherry, but Lee's effectiveness is for me severely limited to when the ball swings - and the new ball will benefit him much more greatly than it would benefit Gillespie. I wouldn't pick Lee, but if he was in the team, he must take the new ball.

If Lee has to rely on taking the new-ball to take wickets, considering the decks which are likely to be served up this summer, he shouldn't be in the side.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Disagree. McGrath obviously has first call on the new cherry, but Lee's effectiveness is for me severely limited to when the ball swings - and the new ball will benefit him much more greatly than it would benefit Gillespie. I wouldn't pick Lee, but if he was in the team, he must take the new ball.

Agreed. Either way it's a moot point, because assuming Lee is picked he will definately open the bowling.

 

[Linda]

Hmm, everytime theres a selection dilemma, someone gets injured..

 

[Dasa]

Hmm, everytime theres a selection dilemma, someone gets injured..

It's a conspiracy...

 

[King_Ponting]

To make the selectors job easier.... Or in the middle of the night kaspas gone and tampered with gillespie.....

 

[greg]

Do the Aussie selectors normally wait this long before announcing their test side (other than for decisions like spin vs seam which may depend on pitch conditions on the day)?

 

[King_Ponting]

Yeh they normally do..... to keep the opposition guessing. Right before the toss, they'll name their team

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Usually they name a 12 a day or two before, and then announce the 12th man on the day, which is the same thing England are doing. The difference is obviously that it's pretty obvious that Tremlett will carry the drinks for England, while nobody is sure yet if it will be Gillespie or Kasprowicz for Australia.

 

[greg]

It's just in NZ i seem to remember Lee being left out very early (because there was a load of debate about whether he would play in the Pura Cup final)

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

It's just in NZ i seem to remember Lee being left out very early (because there was a load of debate about whether he would play in the Pura Cup final)

I think the team was named a day beforehand. I know I expected him to play during the week before the test, so it wasn't named that far in advance.

 

[superkingdave]

England have named their side now, its as expected, Tremlett misses out

 

[tooextracool]

Disagree. McGrath obviously has first call on the new cherry, but Lee's effectiveness is for me severely limited to when the ball swings - and the new ball will benefit him much more greatly than it would benefit Gillespie. I wouldn't pick Lee, but if he was in the team, he must take the new ball.

i'd agree with that actually. lee's looks a lot more dangerous with the new ball, outswingers at 90mph are extremely difficult to play, but i think that he gets the white ball to swing a lot more than the red ball which sort of explains his ODI record. nonetheless hes got to get the new ball ahead of gillespie.

 

[tooextracool]

If Lee has to rely on taking the new-ball to take wickets, considering the decks which are likely to be served up this summer, he shouldn't be in the side.

lee gets the ball to swing though, doesnt exactly use seam movement, so i dont think the pitches this summer really matter.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Ah just a few hours to go, I hope there's a bit in the pitch, but I fear it'll be a batters' paradise. Anyone know any good destressing techniques for when this Ashes series with all the history, great rivalry, best two Test sides in the world playing etc. gets interrupted by the mickey mouse 50 guineas handicap from York/Newcastle with Nicholas telling me oh so usefully that you can still keep watching live if you're one of the Murdoch supporters who probably gets to see all the live cricket all year round anyway?

 

[Barney Rubble]

Ah just a few hours to go, I hope there's a bit in the pitch, but I fear it'll be a batters' paradise. Anyone know any good destressing techniques for when this Ashes series with all the history, great rivalry, best two Test sides in the world playing etc. gets interrupted by the mickey mouse 50 guineas handicap from York/Newcastle with Nicholas telling me oh so usefully that you can still keep watching live if you're one of the Murdoch supporters who probably gets to see all the live cricket all year round anyway?

I'm going to need destressing as well.

The thing is, you JUST KNOW the horse racing is going to come just as Freddie joins KP at the wicket in England's first innings......

 

[badgerhair]

Is anyone else actually going to the match on any of the days? I'm obviously going every day, so if anyone feels like meeting up for a chinwag (whether round the lip of a glass or otherwise), do say so.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Slow Love™]

Anyone know any good destressing techniques for when this Ashes series with all the history, great rivalry, best two Test sides in the world playing etc. gets interrupted by the mickey mouse 50 guineas handicap from York/Newcastle with Nicholas telling me oh so usefully that you can still keep watching live if you're one of the Murdoch supporters who probably gets to see all the live cricket all year round anyway?

Yeah, I think viewers in Australia watching on free-to-air are gonna have to put up with missing a fair slice of the middle session, due to SBS coverage of the Tour de France...

 

[marc71178]

The thing is, you JUST KNOW the horse racing is going to come just as Freddie joins KP at the wicket in England's first innings......

Which is midway through Day 3 so either Australia have 600 on the board or they'll be batting at about 500-3!

 

[superkingdave]

Right i am definately thinking its a win the toss bat match, the pitch will be good i think and the forecast is for good weather for the first day and a half, and iffy from Friday avo onwards. If England don't win the toss there could be trouble.

 

[social]

Yeah, I think viewers in Australia watching on free-to-air are gonna have to put up with missing a fair slice of the middle session, due to SBS coverage of the Tour de France...

Which is why I have my Foxtel insurance policy (as well as beer, chips, nodoze, etc)