Prediction Thread

[Salamuddin]

I have serious doubts on England's ability to take 20 wickets.......
I know Tooextracool the armchair expert will come up and say it won't matter one iota whether Harmison is bolwing well or not....but I think it wiill this series.

England had Jones and Flintoff firing in 2005 and that made up for Harmison going AWOL.
If Harmison flops again, I don't think England have the quality to make up for it this time.

I'd be extremly surprised if England take more than 1 test off the Aussies.

 

[Burgey]

Score: 3-1 Aus

Top RS: Hayden
Top WT: Warne
Most catches (non-WK): Strauss
Surprise: S Clark
Disappointment: Harmison
MOOS: Hayden

 

[Gloucefan]

Score: 2-1 England
Top Runscorer: Pietersen
Top Wicket Taker: Warne
Most catches (wk excluded): Hayden
Biggest surprise: Panesar
Biggest disappointment: McGrath
Man of the series: Freddie

 

[JASON]

Australia 4-1

Highest scorer Ponting.
Highest Wicket taker Warne
Highest wicket taker for England Freddie
Highest scorer for England Petersen

 

[Nate]

Score: 4-1 (Australia)
Top Runscorer: Damien Martyn(Australia)- back in form, cant see him having 2 poor series in a row against England. i expect bell and ponting to be amongst the runs as well
Top Runscorer: Andrew Strauss(England)- there isnt another batsmen in this England side who will like these conditions better.
Top Wicket Taker: Warne(Australia)- might not have the best average but will probably take the most wickets. I think Lee will have a good series as well.
Top Wicket Taker: Flintoff(England)- cant think of anyone else.
Most catches (wk excluded): Matthew Hayden-pretty obvious in my book, hes the only player whos in the slips for the fast bowlers and for Warne and Macgill)
Biggest surprise: Paul Collingwood- ok i really like him for his grit, if he plays im certain he'll play at least one quality back to the wall inning even if he doesnt do too much else
Biggest disappointment: Glenn Mcgrath(I think England will have his number for this series, there will be plans all over the place on how to deal with him). Id put Flintoff down there for his batting alone as i would be extremely surprised if he succeeded, SA had him wrapped around their fingers when he toured there using the short ball policy in similar conditions. Im also tempted to pencil in Hussey, because not only is he due one poor series but he will have a tough time against Flintoff around the wicket and the 2 spinners(im uncertain about his ability against spin). Further im sure Fletcher has a plan against him that no one has used before.
Man of the series: Martyn

Score: 3-1 (Perth will be a draw, Sydney will be an England win)
Top Runscorer: Martyn
Top Wicket Taker: Lee
Most catches (wk excluded): Ponting
Biggest surprise: Watson
Biggest disappointment: Pietersen
Man of the series: Lee

Dead-set awful. Though Watto can still make surprise if he gets fit.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Score: 3-1 (Australia)
Top Runscorer: Strauss
Top Wicket Taker: Warne
Most catches (wk excluded): Hayden
Biggest surprise: Watson
Biggest disappointment: Hoggard
Man of the series: Warne

Really liking the look of Strauss in recent games, I think he'll have a good series. Hoggard to struggle.

Haha, I'm going well so far, no doubt. Warne is probably still a decent shout for top wicket taker, but Strauss won't get close to Ponting or Collingwood, and Watson hasn't even played yet. Hoggard had a great Adelaide test too.

 

[pasag]

Score: 5-0 Australia
Top Runscorer: Hussey
Top Wicket Taker: Lee
Most catches (wk excluded): Ponting
Biggest surprise: Johnson
Biggest disappointment: KP
Man of the series: Ponting

Score is looking good from here, Hussey might be able to do it but will be up against Ponting. Lee - nah. Wrong on KP as well. Will probably be right about Ponting getting MOTS.

Hoping the score will be correct just for the stoush I had with GIMH in the middle of this thread.

 

[Slow Love™]

Hoping the score will be correct just for the stoush I had with GIMH in the middle of this thread.

Classic stoush, that one. Not sure it actually happened though.

 

[pasag]

Classic stoush, that one. Not sure it actually happened though.

Did in my head. That's all that matters really.

 

[pasag]

Found it. Was at the bottom of this page, continuing to the next.

 

[GIMH]

Still stand by the fact it won't be 5-0. Though I'm not as confident as I was!

 

[GIMH]

Hi. I know there's various threads asking for predictions, but well I thought it would be an idea if we got everybody's predictions in one go. It was done in the official thread last year, and we can all have a good chuckle at those who get it horribly wrong ie probably this blinded optimist right here. The rose tinted glasses are firmly attached to my head and will be as long as those Ashes are ours.

Score: 2-2
Top Runscorer: Strauss
Top Wicket Taker: Warne
Most catches (wk excluded): Bell
Biggest surprise: Jimmy A
Biggest disappointment: McGrath
Man of the series: Flintoff
Amount of Guinness to be drank upon completion of the series by GIMH: unquantified

Still on for 2-2 , Warne could still do it. Anderson was a disastrous pick though, and the jury's still out on McGrath, been great uin parts and disappointing in others. Flintoff would have to better his 05 performance to get MOTS now I reckon.

 

[superkingdave]

well apart from the biggest surprise/biggest dissapointment parts my predos aren't too far off the mark

Score: 5-0 to Aus
Top Runscorer: Ponting
Top Wicket Taker: Warne
Most catches (wk excluded): Trescothick (swapped for Hayden)
Biggest surprise: Watson
Biggest disappointment: Peitersen
Man of the series: Ponting

 

[PhoenixFire]

I think Clark has a good chance of being the leading wicket taker for all of the series. Ponting has it nailed as far as runs scored.

 

[Jono]

Score: 4-0 Australia
Top Runscorer: Hayden
Top Wicket Taker: Warne
Most catches (wk excluded): Warne
Biggest surprise: Panesar
Biggest disappointment: Pietersen
Man of the series: Hayden

Piss poor on the part of Hayden and Pietersen, really just pitiful there.

Panesar I blame selection so no qualms there, and still confident on Warne and the result.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Score: 5-0 Australia - looking depressingly on
Top Runscorer: Ponting - yep
Top Wicket Taker: Warne - could still be, SCG to go
Most catches (wk excluded): Hayden - well, he's one of seven...
Biggest surprise: Clarke - not too bad, upstaged a bit by Colly tho
Biggest disappointment: Cook - looks like a bit of a Bell-esque series for him...
Man of the series: Ponting - looking good....

Lots to go but not looking too far off so far

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Don't really care. Who takes predicion threads seriously, I was just putting down what I wanted to happen.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Score: 3-1 Oz
Top Runscorer: Ponting
Top Wicket Taker: Fred
Most catches (wk excluded): Hayden
Biggest surprise: Bell
Biggest disappointment: Hussey
Man of the series: Ponting

Not entirely talking out of my arse there, the Hussey call aside. 3-1 still on (although 4-1 & 5-0 still are too), Ponting good shout, Fred still there (ankle permitting), 3 catches from Hayden, coupla 50s from Bell (although Clark or Clarke prob in box seat at the moment) & Punter warmish fav for MOTS.

 

[Jono]

Piss poor on the part of Hayden and Pietersen, really just pitiful there.

Panesar I blame selection so no qualms there, and still confident on Warne and the result.

Panesar as my biggest surprise has finally came true

 

[PhoenixFire]

For me so far

Score: 3-0 Aust
Top Runscorer: Ponting
Top Wicket Taker: Clark
Most catches (wk excluded): Don't really care/know
Biggest surprise: Clarke/Clark/Collingwood
Biggest disappointment: Bell
Man of the series: Hussey