*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[benchmark00]

1. I agree with regards to Watson/Cowan
2. Khawaja needs to prove he wants to be an Australian cricketer before gifting him the #4 spot.
3. England isn't easy to keep in because it swings late past the bat. Wade's lack of footwork will be further exposed.

 

[NUFAN]

I'm being harsh on Cowan but I think we've seen about as good from him as we'll get. Watson can offer more runs and quicker if in form.

Is it good for us having a quicker bat? I mean the art of saving a game is going to be pretty important and shielding our only top class bat Clarke for as long as possible is only going to help us.

Basically I would currently take a Cowan 42 (130) over a Watson 42 (70).

 

[benchmark00]

Batting strike rates should have nothing to do with it. It's just as likely that Australia will be batting to save the game as it is that Australia will need to get off to a swift start. Basically you're just trying to predict the future.

I have Watson as my opener because I believe he's more likely to produce consistent decent scores than what Cowan is.

 

[uvelocity]

i think you have to be very careful before you return watson to opening. i mean its only one test ago he was suspended. now management publicly backed him as one of the hardest workers, yet the interview he gave and some of the later comments were pretty unsightly. add his known injury woes and he has some pretty major risks of being only a part time solution.

 

[benchmark00]

So we should build for future ashes series..?

 

[uvelocity]

he might not last either of them. cowan mightn't either, but you feel it's more likely to be on form than whatever way watson will think up to miss a test. i think we'd be better staying with cowan at least at the start than by bringing in a doolan or whatever.

 

[uvelocity]

say you drop cowan, and then watson misses. you've already got two newbies (or maybe haddin) in the top 6 (i know you aren't batting wade innit). say you drop him and then watson misses, you have to open with hughes and bring in someone else new - in an ashes.

 

[benchmark00]

say you drop cowan, and then watson misses. you've already got two newbies (or maybe haddin) in the top 6 (i know you aren't batting wade innit). say you drop him and then watson misses, you have to open with hughes and bring in someone else new - in an ashes.

Why can't you play Cowan if Watson misses? Why does he have to be black listed for the rest of eternity?

 

[NUFAN]

Batting strike rates should have nothing to do with it. It's just as likely that Australia will be batting to save the game as it is that Australia will need to get off to a swift start. Basically you're just trying to predict the future.

I have Watson as my opener because I believe he's more likely to produce consistent decent scores than what Cowan is.

I was replying directly to Bambinos comment that Watson in form scores faster. Its definitely true but currently I don't know if its a benefit at all as all the other bats in our team usually bat at a good rate.

If you think Watto is going to produce more consistent decent scores (trying to predict the future eh Benchy?) well yeah pick him.

 

[benchmark00]

I was replying directly to Bambinos comment that Watson in form scores faster. Its definitely true but currently I don't know if its a benefit at all as all the other bats in our team usually bat at a good rate.

If you think Watto is going to produce more consistent decent scores (trying to predict the future eh Benchy?) well yeah pick him.

I know who you were replying to, and it was a comment for both of you, not just you.

There's a big difference between predicting who will score more runs and trying to predict the match situation. Predicting who would score more runs has two possible outcomes: Watson scores more or Cowan does. Predicting the match situation has about a billion possibilities.

 

[Spikey]

In a Shield game Copeland just kept the ball on that fourth stump line and Khawaja couldn't score, building pressure on himself and down the other end.

To be clear, Usman did score some runs. He just went 20 overs without scoring a single. Got some fours anyway (nicks, pull shots etc)

 

[uvelocity]

Why can't you play Cowan if Watson misses? Why does he have to be black listed for the rest of eternity?

is he the next best opener after warner and watson?

 

[benchmark00]

is he the next best opener after warner and watson?

Yeah probs, if you count Hughes as a #3, and for team balance it's best you do.

 

[Daemon]

but what about phil jaques?

 

[uvelocity]

Yeah probs, if you count Hughes as a #3, and for team balance it's best you do.

so you're saying you think hughes is a better opener than cowan

 

[benchmark00]

so you're saying you think hughes is a better opener than cowan

Yes I am saying that. But for the sake of team balance Hughes is better at 3.

 

[the big bambino]

I'm picking Watson coz I think he'll score more runs out of the 2 the longer they bat. You're likely to get more out of Watto per crease time (if I can put it like that) than Cowan. Of course its no guarantee that Watson will be in form to bat any length of time. I have Cowan and Rogers in my squad and feel I have 2 options if Watto screws up.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I'm being harsh on Cowan but I think we've seen about as good from him as we'll get. Watson can offer more runs and quicker if in form. He also gives us the bowling option needed. Yes I realise its a gamble and contrary to the trend but I think we'll need something unexpected and going with the formula wont do it. Plus the price of playing Cowan is unbalancing the side with Watto at 4

I can't credit that Watson will break down from opener as opposed to batting at 4.

Usman isn't ideal but allows Clarke to bat at 5.

Wade will be standing back in Eng most of the time. It'll be a doddle compared to keepin in India.

Why not put Warner down the order? Cowan and Watson (although those two running between wickets could be fun) and Warner as the game changer batting at four or five?

 

[benchmark00]

Reckon Warner is the sort of guy who thrives in the early overs (if he makes it through). The aggressive fields lets him get a few cheapies early and then he just runs on autopilot. Not sure he's the guy I want to come out to add starch to a crumbling order.

 

[TimAngas]

Reckon Warner is the sort of guy who thrives in the early overs (if he makes it through). The aggressive fields lets him get a few cheapies early and then he just runs on autopilot. Not sure he's the guy I want to come out to add starch to a crumbling order.

I think he batted down the order in the U19 world cup.