*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[benchmark00]

I think that's a little different...

 

[vic_orthdox]

Grew up playing at five or so.

It's not like a one dayer though with blokes back, they'll still have two slips, a gully when he starts; not like the off-side will be stacked.

 

[benchmark00]

But the ball will be softer and the chances of starting against spin increases.

Warner's a pure opener. Doesn't have the game at the moment to get into his work by working ones and twos from the get go.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Ball doesn't go that soft in England. Starting against spin is an issue, but I disagree that he's a pure opener. He bats the same no matter what the situation, and he can change games in twenty minutes.

It was really only on the back of his success doing it OD cricket that he began doing it in the longer form. I'm not that fussed about it in general, and it won't happen, but I think in England it's his best chance to prosper.

 

[benchmark00]

Ball doesn't go that soft in England. Starting against spin is an issue, but I disagree that he's a pure opener. He bats the same no matter what the situation, and he can change games in twenty minutes.

It was really only on the back of his success doing it OD cricket that he began doing it in the longer form. I'm not that fussed about it in general, and it won't happen, but I think in England it's his best chance to prosper.

My point exactly. I'd rather not have a guy as expansive as Warner come out in the midst of a collapse. The best chance of him getting value for his shots is at the top of the innings. He's very much a confidence and eye player, he gets a few away to the boundary early and he goes well.

Warner doesn't have the gears to play in the middle order at the moment.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

I, for one, look forward to the sight of Mitchell Starc with a red Duke in his hand.

Yeah, yeah, I know he's fourth in the pecking order, but dat inswing.

 

[Spikey]

someone oughta create separate australia and england road to the ashes threads. i don't want to talk about possible australian sides in this ****ty pom infested thread

 

[fredfertang]

someone oughta create separate australia and england road to the ashes threads. i don't want to talk about possible australian sides in this ****ty pom infested thread

As if it'll make the slightest difference which of that bunch of has beens and never will bes that you select

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't mind the idea of Warner batting five or six personally. I'm a bit worried he'd get completely owned by Swann there, but it's not like opening the batting saved Devon Smith from that fate anyway. In the end it's probably not something I'd do for the first Test, but if Watson's going to open then I do prefer it to the idea of dropping Cowan and playing another middle order batsman or Henriques.

 

[the big bambino]

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?

I had thought abt him at no.3 before they settled on Hughes. So yeah I'd consider him lower but on the condition we leave Clarke at 5. Straight swap for Usman in that case with Cowan back in the side.

 

[social]

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Hilarious that Craddock picks Faulkner, Ahmed and Hilf yet omits Bird

Must be missing something with Faulkner as everytime I see him bowl it has been straight up and down, medium-fast with a load of junk slower balls thrown in

 

[BoyBrumby]

Huh.

Would never have guessed Crash was referring to Khawaja from this description:

Don't be surprised if he ends up near the top of the Australian averages, given the pureness of his technique.

Bit of a bottom handed shoveler from what I've seen of him in tests. Not Graeme Smith, tbf, but hardly Michael Clarke either.

& he hardly set Div 2 alight last year.

Interesting Badel picks Rogers too. Won't labour the point, but it's the way I'd go. Desperate times and all that.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Huh.

Would never have guessed Crash was referring to Khawaja from this description:



Bit of a bottom handed shoveler from what I've seen of him in tests. Not Graeme Smith, tbf, but hardly Michael Clarke either.

& he hardly set Div 2 alight last year.

Interesting Badel picks Rogers too. Won't labour the point, but it's the way I'd go. Desperate times and all that.

Think Collingwood minus worth ethic and fielding ability.

 

[benchmark00]

No way. Say what you want about Usman, but he is way, waaaaay more talented than Collingwood. A classy batsman who has limitations.

 

[benchmark00]

Usman Khawaja 121 v South Australia, 12-12-10 - YouTube

I mean really... Paul Collingwood??? Probably the least comparable batsmen of all time.

 

[Cabinet96]

Have to compensate for him being a lefty though.

 

[NUFAN]

Usman Khawaja > Usman Afzaal

 

[howardj]

Experts Pick Their Ashes Squads

My squad

Clarke
Warner
Watson
Hughes
Usman
Smith
Ferguson ^

O'Keefe
Lyon

Wade
Hartley

Pattinson
Harris
Hilfenhaus **
Starc
Siddle
Faulkner

^ Please keep reading beyond this point

** just shades Bird - more mature body, and more likely to make an immediate impact if called upon

 

[Spikey]

dont know why you've picked two tasmanian bowlers but not the best tasmanian bowler

 

[Dan]

If Haddin wasn't as good as he was in the Shield this year, I wouldn't be against Hartley touring as the back-up wicketkeeper.

And do we make room for Moises? (Because there's no way Faulkner is a genuine all-rounder at present)