Official - Road to Ashes 2023

[Ashes81]

TBF England has its players out here on Lions tours when the Ashes are on. They also play to their commensurate level in Aus domestic cricket - for example, Ben Duckett played second grade for Parramatta, which England fans are about to find out is very much his standard.

I think Duckett will surprise you mate.

I'm not saying he's a top class opener who will go on to average mid 40's in tests but he's a step above some of the dross we've had recently.

It'll be tough for him this summer, any opener in England up against Cummings and Starc would find it tough, but I think he'll go on to have a decent test career, averaging mid to high 30's.

He's not as good as Khawaja but I'd have him over any of your other openers.

 

[Ashes81]

Boland is a very fine bowler

He’s a quicker, more skilful Robinson with heart

Both are fine bowlers but what makes you say Boland has more heart?

When Robinson came in to the side, he lacked stamina - his pace dropped later in the day but he's addressed that and it was nothing to do with heart.

Robinson's record in England is outstanding and he'll get his fair share of wickets this summer.

 

[social]

Both are fine bowlers but what makes you say Boland has more heart?

When Robinson came in to the side, he lacked stamina - his pace dropped later in the day but he's addressed that and it was nothing to do with heart.

Robinson's record in England is outstanding and he'll get his fair share of wickets this summer.

Look at the 2nd test in NZ

Going got tough & he wilted as usual

Archer & Wood are significantly better

 

[trundler]

Look at the 2nd test in NZ

Going got tough & he wilted as usual

Archer & Wood are significantly better

Robinson displayed ample heart bowling marathon spells in Pakistan on some putrid roads which led to his side winning more there in a fortnight than they had in 70 years. I think it's very unfair to knock him for lack of heart after that display.

 

[Ashes81]

Look at the 2nd test in NZ

Going got tough & he wilted as usual

Archer & Wood are significantly better

How did he wilt, he bowled more overs than any other seamer.

In Pakistan before that series, he bowled lots of overs and his speed was consistent.

We'll have to.agree to disagree on this one, he's a fine bowler who if fit will play most of the tests this summer and I'd be very surprised if he didn't do well.

 

[Molehill]

Robinson averages 18 in England. His FC average is 3 better than Neser. Boland as far as I can tell, has only ever played one FC match outside Australia (Test in India).

Neser averaged 25 in Div 2 last year, it's not exactly stellar considering the level of opposition.

Look at the 2nd test in NZ

Going got tough & he wilted as usual

As did all the seamers, which is why Stokes will now have learnt why you don't generally enforce the follow on even if you do fancy some 5th Day Golf!!

 

[Nintendo]

Look at the 2nd test in NZ

Going got tough & he wilted as usual

Archer & Wood are significantly better

Going got tough in India and Bolland went wicketless in a game we lost by an innings, while Robinson averaged 20 odd in the last Pak series on roads and bowled England to arguably there most iconic individual test win in recent memory in the 4th innings when it looked like Pak where ahead.

Not saying either is better but this is majorly downplaying Robinson as a cricketer since his return.

 

[Nintendo]

I wasn't upset at marsh getting picked at first because the only guy I thought to replace him was hardie and i'm not sure about his recent batting form or if he's even fit to bowl, but our all-round cupboard really isn't that bare anymore. Why not call up mcandrew, who's done well for AUS-A, SA in the shield, just took a 5fer and made clutch runs in county cricket last week and averages 35 with the bat and 31 with the ball in FC cricket. I know mcandrew's more of a bowling allrounder who bats 7/8 and hasn't made a FC hundred, but if our best alternative to green is marsh, who averages 25 in FC cricket, why not pick mcandrew? I'de honestly even prefer something wacky like a 6-7-8 of carey-Mcandrew/Manenti-Neser to make up for green if where really that desperate for a 5th bowler.

 

[Brook's side]

I'd imagine it's going to seem strange for the Aussies coming to England for a world test championship final before turning attention to the Ashes.

It sort of deprives them of the usual Ashes journey out.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I wasn't upset at marsh getting picked at first because the only guy I thought to replace him was hardie and i'm not sure about his recent batting form or if he's even fit to bowl, but our all-round cupboard really isn't that bare anymore. Why not call up mcandrew, who's done well for AUS-A, SA in the shield, just took a 5fer and made clutch runs in county cricket last week and averages 35 with the bat and 31 with the ball in FC cricket. I know mcandrew's more of a bowling allrounder who bats 7/8 and hasn't made a FC hundred, but if our best alternative to green is marsh, who averages 25 in FC cricket, why not pick mcandrew? I'de honestly even prefer something wacky like a 6-7-8 of carey-Mcandrew/Manenti-Neser to make up for green if where really that desperate for a 5th bowler.

Manenti? Am I missing something? Bloke isn't in the top 5 spin choices based on recent selections

 

[Nintendo]

Manenti? Am I missing something? Bloke isn't in the top 5 spin choices based on recent selections

Was trying to highlight that if in replacing green where gonna go with 5 bowlers and an allrounder i'de prefer a lineup with two bowling-allrounder type players (either 2 pacers or a pacer and a spinner) at 7 and 8 to picking mitch marsh at 6. Manenti was just the first guy that came to mind after his returns with the bat last shield season. If the deck is turning enough to a point where we need 2/3 spinner's manenti should be more effective as a 5th bowler than marsh.

 

[Shady Slim]

Um so I skipped ahead to discuss page 20 or so. Not sure what all the above is but anyway..

I reckon England should ask for a bit of spice in the pitch rather than flatties. Bazball is much more dangerous on a bowlers pitch because it lives rent free in the bowlers head very quickly if they're getting smoked when they're meant to dominate.

NZ did this to England on a green one in the first innings circa 2016 (the one where Ronchi played and injured Watling was a specialist bat) and McCullum himself did it to Australia in his final test at Hagley Oval on a fresh one. Australia still won but McCullum turned a disaster into a competitive innings.

80 (60) is so much more valauable and day ruining on a green deck than a road and 150 (120) a potential game winner.

circling back to this it's entirely correct, how england could bigbrain themselves into thinking flatties are a good idea is beyond me, i get it's rahrah bazball and that however **** me they haven't won or even come within miles of winning a test here since before i was in high school, so why would they consider even making their pitches even the slightest bit closer to an aussie deck. bemusing tstl and very dumb - too smart by half as pews says

 

[honestbharani]

You guys are wasting time discussing others. It really is gonna boil down to Crawley Vs Harris.

 

[Brook's side]

Bairstow seems to be saying pretty much as fact that he's going to be playing in the Ashes in some capacity:
Jonny Bairstow says request to keep wicket for Yorkshire is a 'non-story' - BBC Sport

 

[halba]

Ashes starting XI first Test AUS

Wickets are fast and flat so having aggressive batters is the key.

1. Khawaja
2. M Marsh (all rounder)
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Green (all rounder)
7. Carey(W/K)
8. Cummins(c)
9. Lyon
10. Hazlewood (subject to fitness)
11. Boland

12th man - Starc

Hazlewood if injured- Neser would be called as like for like backup.

Lots of pace bowling options- Boland, Hazlewood, Cummins, Green and Marsh all to bowl.
Spin - wont be much use in those conditions.

ENG Starting XI First test. Note Bairstow is still injured i doubt he will be selected as a keeper for a long 5 test series, as a precaution. Keeping is hard work in tests.

1. Bairstow
2. Duckett
3. Pope
4. Root
5. Brook
6 Foakes(W/K)
7. Stokes(c)
8. Broad
9. Leach
10. Robinson
11. Anderson

12th man - Wood.

Winner- Drawn series.

 

[social]

Be very surprised if Warner isn’t given at least 2 tests (WTC and first Ashes) and probably 3

As much as I trolled Marsh as an opener, I will believe it when I see it

If things go absolutely pear shaped with Warner, the selectors are likely to pick Harris (ugh)

Anyway, Harris & Ducket is likely to be a wash

Let’s talk about the bowling

Haze won’t be match fit (had his first net session yesterday) and Starc’s record in England isn’t great

Josh will almost certainly play the WTC but I would put money on Neser & possibly Abbott being called up before the 3rd test

 

[Spark]

I mean thank goodness we have Green but I don't know if I'd trust Hazlewood to make it through a Test without breaking down right now. He needs to put together several actual FC matches in a row before we can back him again IMO, it's just too disruptive to have him breaking down all the time.

 

[social]

I am absolutely shocked to see Harris fail after being picked for a squad that he’s got no right to be in

It’s almost as if I have seen this movie before

 

[Ashes81]

The openers on both sides all have alot to prove.

Khawaja's recent record is head and shoulders above anyone else's but even he has to show he can do it in England, which I'd expect him to.

From an English point of view, we need to exploit Warner's lack of form so we can get to Labushchagne and Smith whilst the ball is new.

For us, we badly need Duckett to have a good series. I think we'll start with Crawley but it's hard to see him putting up much resistance.

My guess is both sides will be vulnerable at the top of the order and the middle order will be regularly required to repair the damage.

 

[Starfighter]

Marnus is apparently now also bowling offspin.