*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[hendrix]

With Hughes il'd like to see Cook do what Dhoni used to do to KP with Yuvraj...

Hughes is going to be middle order right? as soon as he comes in get Swann on and at him straight away.

Swann is not Ashwin.

The other option is to just have slips in place, bowl right arm over angling across him.

 

[MW1304]

Swann is not Ashwin.

The other option is to just have slips in place, bowl right arm over angling across him.

Surely the fact that he's 10x the bowler of Ashwin makes it an even more viable option.

 

[Maximas]

Surely the fact that he's 10x the bowler of Ashwin makes it an even more viable option.

England pitches aren't selectively watered or anything though, so Hughes shouldn't be in that much trouble.

 

[hendrix]

I don't really agree that Swann is a significantly better bowler than Ashwin, but even if he were, they're quite different types of fingerspinners.

Their style is quite different. Sure, Hughes is a crap player of spin bowling full stop, but from what I remember of the India series his major anxiety lay with an inability to read Ashwin's variations from the hand. With Swann that isn't such a big issue.

 

[Riggins]

is there any way on cricinfo, without selectively going over all the score cards, to see something like the bowler who breaks the most 100+ partnerships? Siddle seems to break partnerships all the time, maybe his best trait.

 

[hendrix]

that's kinda damning praise IMO

 

[uvelocity]

Yeah, alright, will take you up on that. Month?

righto

will be something like 'too many saffers in eng team' ftr

 

[Red]

Boof's said that Rogers and Watson will open and that Faulkner might bat at 7 after Haddin at 6.

Rogers
Watson
Cowan
Hughes
Clarke
Haddin
Faulkner

maybe??

I'd love to see Khawaja get a run at number 3

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Faulkner won't play. He said it's possible, in the same way that licking your elbow is theoretically possible.

 

[Maximas]

Lehman will probably just pick an extra batsman rather than Forkers, but maybe he was impressed by his batting in the tour games/CT, he also batted well in the Shield final. But to be honest, I'm more worried about Haddin at 6 rather than Forkers at 7. I also think Khawaja is ahead of Smith in the batting department, but that changes if Smitteh tons up tomorrow.

 

[Top_Cat]

Warner at 3.

You heard me.

Just firmed with Rogers and Watson being named the openers I reckon. Pattinson/Starc/Siddle/Lyon looking real good too.

 

[Jono]

Didn't know where to say this so I decided I'd put it here:

Just bought tickets to Boxing Day test day 1 and SCG test day 2

Love having both Melbourne and Sydney as my homes. Two cities much much better than Adelaide. Top Cat to confirm.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Just firmed with Rogers and Watson being named the openers I reckon. Pattinson/Starc/Siddle/Lyon looking real good too.

I am loath to rule out The Rhino yet. Starc clearly prodigious with the second new ball, but ideally he'd deliver with the first.

 

[AlanJLegend]

Just firmed with Rogers and Watson being named the openers I reckon. Pattinson/Starc/Siddle/Lyon looking real good too.

I really don't understand why Siddle has to play. Yes he is the leader of our attack and has a big heart, runs in hard all day, hits the deck hard etc. but in the tour games he just hasn't delivered. I would go with whoever performs best out of Harris and Bird in the upcoming tour game.

 

[Top_Cat]

I really don't understand why Siddle has to play. Yes he is the leader of our attack and has a big heart, runs in hard all day, hits the deck hard etc. but in the tour games he just hasn't delivered. I would go with whoever performs best out of Harris and Bird in the upcoming tour game.

It's fairly simple; besides the India tour he's been amongst the most consistent bowlers since the last Ashes series. As in, consistent in performance and consistently actually in the side against some tough batting line-ups. Brilliant, no, but without the platform set by a **** like him in the side, younger tearaways like Pattinson, Starc and Cummins wouldn't be able to sail in and bowl their nuts off for a couple of Tests before they break down. Everyone knows, no matter who else is at the other end, you're going to get a solid 6 or 7 over spell from Siddle. The value of having a guy like him is always under-rated by everyone outside the team, no ****.

 

[Maximas]

Siddle also toils well in conditions that don't suit him (India doesn't count, that was bull****), if we get flat pitches and Cook/Trott are settling in, Siddle is the guy I most want running in.

 

[uvelocity]

has a big heart

 

[Ruckus]

doesn't run in hard #vegetarian

 

[Adders]

Siddle also toils well in conditions that don't suit him (India doesn't count, that was bull****), if we get flat pitches and Cook/Trott are settling in, Siddle is the guy I most want running in.

Flat wicket, Cook and Trott settled in and Siddle steaming in.........that sounds like a recipe for 0/121 to me.

 

[Maximas]

Flat wicket, Cook and Trott settled in and Siddle steaming in.........that sounds like a recipe for 0/121 to me.

these days Siddle wouldn't get through enough overs to go for 121 - Pattinson would take too many wickets

and even if he isn't in the wickets, he often builds pressure and sets up other bowlers.