Road to the Ashes 2021/22

[Prince EWS]

Quite a few wasted airfares there among the batsmen. Will nail my colours to the mast now.

Rory Burns
Habseeb Hameed
Dawid Malan
Joe Root
Ollie Pope
Johnny Bairstow
Jos Buttler
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
Jack Leach
James Anderson

Not much can be done about the batting. It is what it is.

Mark Wood's pace will be called for by media pundits often but he's not good enough imo. He'll come onto Warner and Smith's bats nicely. The medium fast trio aren't going to induce much speed gun drooling but they're all several levels above Wood, and with this team structure Wood will be asked to bowl longer spells which I'm not sure his body can handle.

I like Overton and Woakes on the whole but they're lesser versions of the pacers above.

This series will hurt for England unless Root continues his tear and finds a friend to bat with. One of the quick bowlers needs to stamp his mark on the series as well. Broad is probably the best suited to Australian conditions, but Anderson has done it before and Robinson has talent so there is a punchers chance.

I think Woakes would probably add more to that team than Bairstow. Plenty of roads in Australia and it's a long tour - overworking the frontline bowlers could definitely backfire, and I have no real faith in Bairstow to make runs anyway.

 

[Gob]

I think Woakes would probably add more to that team than Bairstow. Plenty of roads in Australia and it's a long tour - overworking the frontline bowlers could definitely backfire, and I have no real faith in Bairstow to make runs anyway.

He made some runs last time didn't he. Ton at Perth IIRC

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's an incredibly safe and predictable squad, isn't it?

Dom Bess is probably as close to a surprise as we've got and, all due respect, a mediocre (at test level) offie who bats slightly isn't really going to gird too many loins.

Was kinda hoping for a Liam Livingstone or a Brydon Carse or even a James Vince for some little flicker of excitement, but instead we've got the most conservative Ashes squad I can remember.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

We are in for a pummelling like Wilder got off Fury. Why go back to Crappy Crawley?

 

[grecian]

It's an incredibly safe and predictable squad, isn't it?

Dom Bess is probably as close to a surprise as we've got and, all due respect, a mediocre (at test level) offie who bats slightly isn't really going to gird too many loins.

Was kinda hoping for a Liam Livingstone or a Brydon Carse or even a James Vince for some little flicker of excitement, but instead we've got the most conservative Ashes squad I can remember.

The Lions Squad is going too I think wouldn't be shocked to see some from there play.

 

[Blenkinsop]

This is dire from the ECB. Why no place for Parkinson, Mahmood, Foakes, Alex Davies, Rob Yates, when apparently we can find room for so many proven failures and mediocrities?

 

[ImpatientLime]

foakes would get absolutely rekt by their pace attack

 

[grecian]

This is dire from the ECB. Why no place for Parkinson, Mahmood, Foakes, Alex Davies, Rob Yates, when apparently we can find room for so many proven failures and mediocrities?

I am really not convinced that any of those names are not mediocrities in themselves, I mean let's not pretend we have a swarm of talent.

Davies and Yates certainly seem the next of the rank, a rank that once wasa making people claim that Sibley, Lawrence, Crawley and Hameed has to play.

 

[GIMH]

Stokes and Archer are big holes at any time but especially for this tour. Might have to settle for a 3-0 win instead of the whitewash I was expecting.

 

[Daemon]

Very keen to see how Robinson goes in Australia. Hopefully he isn't overbowled.

 

[Pothas]

He probably will be.

I think 4 seamers and no spinner is pretty likely, especially to start the series.

 

[honestbharani]

Think Woakes might go better than people think.

 

[Gob]

So how about the Aust pace attack? Is Starc a first choice anymore? Its about time Neser gets a game.

 

[Pup Clarke]

What a depressingly cautious squad. Bairstow? Crawley might do ok but that's a big gamble. Both Bess and Leach? Nah

The likes of Mahmood, Garton, Topley and maybe even Brydon Carse have reasons to feel aggrieved. As much as its a cliche you need guys who can either be full and skiddy 90mph plus or bowl a 'heavy ball' from back of a length at that pace.

You need a point of difference, and apart from Wood I don't see it

EDIT : In saying that there is talent there. Can see Pope having a really good series and Lawrence has the confidence and presence to make runs here. Would have loved to see Livingstone involved

 

[Pothas]

Certainly a disappointing lack of options for the random debut in the last Test, they have all played before. don't they. Still sure someone will be drafted in when the time comes.

 

[grecian]

Certainly a disappointing lack of options for the random debut in the last Test, they have all played before. don't they. Still sure someone will be drafted in when the time comes.

Parkinson will be drafted into doing a Crane, and we'll never hear from him again, it's tradition.

 

[trundler]

Conservative selection, perhaps but who do you really expect to see there instead? I'd probably leave out Bairstow but it's classic rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. That said, Australia's batting still more or less hinges on Smith's elbow (and Labuschagne). The Indian attacks that dicked down Australia were vastly superior and much better suited to the conditions though so fat chance that matters anyway.

Just induce one hilarious choke, England.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Anderson also averages 40 in second innings recently, old man is a 1st innings bully.

At least Root won't be the only Englishman averaging over 40. After this series so will a few of the bowlers.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Certainly a disappointing lack of options for the random debut in the last Test, they have all played before. don't they. Still sure someone will be drafted in when the time comes.

Stevens or we riot.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Bairstow is just utter crap really. Genuinely think a mediocre random county player like Brett D'Oliviera say, would score more runs. Apparently scoring a few 30s in a home series buys you an Ashes ticket these days...