*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

[kevinw]

And Australia strikes the first pre-ashes blow with the CA XI 7 wkt win over England Lions

The best part was Tim Ward's hundred but was also nice to see current England spinner Shoaib Bashir only taking 2-91 off 21 overs (econ 4.33) against a team that had no BBL players available...

But his extra bounce will take wickets here, remember?

 

[Molehill]

I'm wondering how long the Bashir experiment will last, he's really doing precious little to justify his spot. Will he see any County action before the Tests this Summer? I feel fairly certain I know who Somerset will pick. His complete inability with the bat doesn't help his cause either. It's going to take some serious backing from Stokes for him to last the Indian Series unless his form takes a surprising twist.

 

[Burgey]

Obviously blokes mature and improve, but Bashir didn’t really tear it up playing Under 24s & first grade Shires for Lindfield over here a couple of years back. He took a 6 fer in ones against Pennant Hills but they’re all but a living, breathing forfeit and have been for years

 

[Molehill]

His selection seemed to be largely because he caused Stokes a load of trouble in the nets. I'd sooner we base selections on spinners who cause Root some issues, not a bloke who is utterly useless against spin.

 

[GIMH]

His selection was based on Stokes watching him play

 

[Son Of Coco]

golf.

 

[mackembhoy]

Didn't realise this thread was being used as the chat RE the Lions game.

Considering the respective ages of the sides and plenty of the Aussies having played FC in recent months.

A good workout for a young side.

Lions
Davies 30
McKinney 20
McCann 19
Rew 21
Shaikh 18
Coles 20
Flintoff 16
Lawes 22
Bashir 21
Baker 21
Cook 27
Brown 26
Turner 23

Aussies
Ward 26
Goodwin 23
Hunt 28
Handscomb 33
Clayton 25
Hearne 24
Hicks 19
Gannon 35 (turns 36 next week)
Rocchiccioli 27
Bell 29
Anderson 19
Whitney 22
MacMillan 19

 

[Johan]

And Australia strikes the first pre-ashes blow with the CA XI 7 wkt win over England Lions

The best part was Tim Ward's hundred but was also nice to see current England spinner Shoaib Bashir only taking 2-91 off 21 overs (econ 4.33) against a team that had no BBL players available...

there's no point playing him, run with 4 pacers.

 

[Molehill]

there's no point playing him, run with 4 pacers.

If the Aussies have any sense, they'll create pitches that offer Lyon more help than when they played India.

 

[Qlder]

Considering the respective ages of the sides and plenty of the Aussies having played FC in recent months.

A good workout for a young side.

The CA XI was only made up of Aussie players without a BBL contract so should be nowhere near the A side that the Lions are (and yet they beat the Lions anyway). Only Goodwin and Ward from this CA XI have made the Aus A game being played at the end of the month (once BBL has finished).

 

[mackembhoy]

The CA XI was only made up of Aussie players without a BBL contract so should be nowhere near the A side that the Lions are (and yet they beat the Lions anyway). Only Goodwin and Ward from this CA XI have made the Aus A game being played at the end of the month (once BBL has finished).

I mean McKinney, Shaikh, McCann and Flintoff are as green as possible and they were 4 out of the 7 batsman in the side.

3 of them debuted in pro cricket in the summer just gone. McKinney in 2023 and played 1 FC game prior to the summer just gone.

Handscomb 196 FC games. The 3 seniors in the top 7 when two are of them are 20/21 208 FC games.