Road to the 2015 Ashes in England

[aussie tragic]

1 injury or form loss away from Siddle is an issue. How many guys do we have playing County cricket if needed?

Not much...Magoffin, Hastings, McKay and Hogan

 

[Tangles]

5 tests of form bowling and fitness and were fine then. That way Siddle can keep carrying the bananas.

 

[morgieb]

Not much...Magoffin, Hastings, McKay and Hogan

Hilfenhaus and Bird as well IIRC.

 

[Antihippy]

Argh, not feeling too great about starc/Johnson/haze. Starc and Johnson blows too hot or cold, which would be fine if we had one of either paired with the consistency haze and Harris brings to the table.

 

[adub]

I'm feeling a bit more relaxed about Starc actually. The question has never been if the lad can bowl, it's been if he can bring his white ball quality to the red ball game.

Since Sydney he's played 4 fc games (3 tests + Essex game) and taken 24 wickets at 15.8. He also seems to have put to bed my worry that he only took wickets with the second new ball. He looks like he's gonna do really well.

MJ is also a different player in this incarnation. His control these days is much much better than pre 13/14. I don't know if he'll find the same brutality of the last Ashes, but I don't think he'll be the 09 Ashes inconsistent by any stretch. All up the attack should be our trump card.

 

[Midwinter]

I know the potential is there, but how does someone who hasn't played FC cricket in 2 years get selected for a Test tour?

Also, he's only ever played 6 FC games with 22 wkts @ 29.81

Its the new era High Performance "athletes". Cummins is CA's prime example.
People with the right physical attributes can be trained to perform at very high levels at a particular task, sort of "we have the technology we can build them" mentality.
Because all the decisions are made by the off field coaches and managers, the people who play the game don't actually have to have any knowledge of it, they will simply be told what what to do.
All professional sport is heading down this path.

 

[Dundalis]

Its the new era High Performance "athletes". Cummins is CA's prime example.
People with the right physical attributes can be trained to perform at very high levels at a particular task, sort of "we have the technology we can build them" mentality.
Because all the decisions are made by the off field coaches and managers, the people who play the game don't actually have to have any knowledge of it, they will simply be told what what to do.
All professional sport is heading down this path.

That's how scouting is done in American sports. It's all about physical projection. You can't teach size and athleticism, while other skills if raw are regarded as more teachable.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Its the new era High Performance "athletes". Cummins is CA's prime example.
People with the right physical attributes can be trained to perform at very high levels at a particular task, sort of "we have the technology we can build them" mentality.
Because all the decisions are made by the off field coaches and managers, the people who play the game don't actually have to have any knowledge of it, they will simply be told what what to do.
All professional sport is heading down this path.

That's interesting

I'm highly doubtful that it should be, or is being, applied to cricket however

It's a very different sport to NFL, Hockey, Basketball etc

 

[Swingpanzee]

Argh, not feeling too great about starc/Johnson/haze. Starc and Johnson blows too hot or cold, which would be fine if we had one of either paired with the consistency haze and Harris brings to the table.

yeah this. fit harris and haze would have meant amazing control,allowing Johnson to do what he does best. One of Starc or Johnson will have to provide support to Haze in controlling the flow of runs.

I'm hoping Johnson has a good series from a batting point of view - he always bowls well when he's hit a good knock.

 

[Spark]

It probably means that Johnson won't be used in the way he was in 2013-4. I'd expect a lot more holding bowling with that stock widish left arm angle across the batsman a fair bit more. I wouldn't worry about his control too much tbh, I'd actually worry more about his penetration. I reckon he's more likely to take 1/60 or 2/60 somewhat consistently than he is to blow hot and cold.

 

[Gob]

so much relies on starc now. like most people, i also feel he is on the verge of setting the world on fire. there is a bit of a waqar younis aura about him in the way that he has been bowling of late and this could be that one series that will turn him from an under achieving bowler to one of the worlds best to ideally lead the aust attack for the next seven to eight years with haze.

that being said i thought of the same thing in 2012 right before the south african series based on his awesome bowling in the world t20 in sri lanka so dunno. at least he is delivering it with the redball despite against lesser batting line ups.

 

[3703]

Pat Cummins is the most talented bowler in the world. He was just finding his way in the shorter forms after such a long period without continuity. If he is selected at all in this series and gets going, it'll be carnage and goodnight nurse.

Freak.

 

[Gob]

Pat Cummins is the most talented bowler in the world. He was just finding his way in the shorter forms after such a long period without continuity. If he is selected at all in this series and gets going, it'll be carnage and goodnight nurse.

Freak.

interested to see jedibrah's reaction to this.

 

[morgieb]

Botham pleads against 'playing into Australian hands' | cricket.com.au

Even Beefy's losing faith. RIP England.

 

[Swingpanzee]

I don't think anyone disputes that Cummins possesses a great deal of talent. But I think it's wrong to draft in a guy who hasn't played a FC match in two years and has a history of injury in the past. Although it won't really matter much because if we go a bowler down then Siddle will be picked because of experience, #bananadiet etc

 

[social]

I don't think anyone disputes that Cummins possesses a great deal of talent. But I think it's wrong to draft in a guy who hasn't played a FC match in two years and has a history of injury in the past. Although it won't really matter much because if we go a bowler down then Siddle will be picked because of experience, #bananadiet etc

Talent is one thing but match fitness is another

Major worry is that Siddle is next cab off the rank - nothing more than a goodish bowler these days but unlikely to do anything more than a holding job which puts a lot of pressure on everyone else to take wickets

 

[Spark]

Talent is one thing but match fitness is another

Major worry is that Siddle is next cab off the rank - nothing more than a goodish bowler these days but unlikely to do anything more than a holding job which puts a lot of pressure on everyone else to take wickets

That's not so much of concern with Johnson and Starc in the same side tbf. Raw wicket taking power not as major a concern as it would be otherwise.

 

[Spark]

Chris Barrett @ChrisBarrett_
Leg spinner Adam Zampa training with Test team in Cardiff. Australia insist it's for development reasons , not another Agar shock on cards

uh oh

 

[Julian87]

This is going to be a really close series for mine. So much rests on Starc who really is yet to stand up and be counted in test cricket with the pill.

2 very equally matched sides with Harris out for mine.

 

[Gob]

talking about legspinners, fawad doesn't seem to have any sort of momentum through the crease really just trundle in and roll the arm over. seems like a nice guy and all but cant see him having any kind of international success.