Team Of The Ashes

[marc71178]

would this be a fair side of a team that did not perform as well as expected? I still need one more player but fair to say not one of these would be picked in anyones side,i suppose the allrounder would be collingwood in this team but he only had 1 test,but anyway the point is it is dominated by aussies,i think that says a lot more than needs saying,can anybody find someone(anyone to replace anyone here?

Hayden
Gilchrist
Bell
Marytn
Katich
Jones
Gillesspi
Kasprowich
Giles
Taite

You're missing a specialist captain.

"we'll have a bowl" will do

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Apparantly Fred is STILL drinking, what a legend.

Surprised Strauss keeps on getting omitted from most teams of the series', it was always going to be difficult facing TGM bowling into the rough outside off, and after early struggles managed to find a way to score two tons.

 

[ashes winners]

If you were picking an Ashes team out of both sides then Lee cannot be considered as an average of 40 is woeful.He played well in the first 3 tests but when the chips were down he was not up to the task.Hoggard on the other hand was woeful in the first 3 games but came good when it mattered.Does that say something about the mental strength of the 2?

My team for what it's worth

Trescothick
Strauss
Ponting
Vaughan *
Pietersen
Flintoff
Gilchrist
Warne
Jones
Hoggard
McGrath

With this team you have 2 new ball bowlers and then Freddie and Jones to dominate with the old ball and Warne to be the genius he is.

 

[age_master]

J Langer
M Trascothick
M Vaughan (c)
KP
M Clarke
A Flintoff
A Gilchrist
S Warne
B Lee
S Jones
G McGrath

 

[Neil Pickup]

Yep your right m8 i realised that when i read back when i posted.

Your dead right,i think i got thrown off when i was told i couldnt have gillchrist opening and had to pick one keeper.But if you pick your team of non performers then place them in some form of a batting order then thats what i would have.
Giles played way beyong expectations of everyone and from all reports from the aussie blokes it couldnt happen to a better bloke. I heard a bloke on the radio here in oz saying that oz were to friendly witht the england players,therefor nulifying the invincability they had. He thought that by being friendly towards the eng boys they then could not go out with the same venom and swagger.I like to think differently that these guys are proffesionals and they will fight to the death to win but this is what seperates cricket from most sports,it is and should always be a gentlemans game.Cricket can only win by the 2 countries being freindly,i am certain that no player would try less just because they had a m8 in english side. It is good for the game and it will filter into junior cricket just as sledging used to.

Good post. Certainly, the England players being friendly with the Australians - note Flintoff - didn't stifle their competitiveness.

 

[wpdavid]

My Ashes team

Marcus Trescothick
Justin Langer
Ricky Ponting
Michael Vaughan
Kevin Pietersen (only marginally ahead of Clarke in my opinion, if he'd been held on one of his three chances at The Oval Clarke would get it)
Andrew Flintoff
Adam Gilchrist (batting was poorer than Jones, but not by very much, and his keeping was vastly superior)
Shane Warne
Matthew Hoggard (this is incredibly marginal for me, and I'm inclined to pick Lee, but Hoggard's record was superior so Lee misses out)
Simon Jones
Glenn McGrath

This all reminds me that I better get started on my Ashes review.

Me too. When do you reckon you'll be done?

 

[SJS]

As of today
1. Langer (A)
2. Strauss (E)
3. Vaughan (E)
4. Ponting (A)
5. Pietersen (E)
6. Flintoff (E)
7. Gilchrist (A)
8. Warne (A)
9. Simon Jones (E)
10. Lee (A)
10. McGrath (A)

 

[luckyeddie]

Hi jl-o

You didn't label your team best and worst; you called it "a team that did not perform as well as expected"

Of course Warne is a better spinner than Gil-o; but if you were to come up with some numerical value of "performed better than expected" Gil-o's score would exceed Warne's, simply because no one expected him to do anything.

jl has to be seen to be politically correct ( )

My Ashes team...

Trescothick
Langer
Ponting
Vaughan*
Flintoff
Pietersen
Gilchrist+
Warne
Jones
Harmison
McGrath

I've gone for Harmison in place of Hoggard purely and simply because I think that you need some of that nasty pace (and having him in the same side gives Justin Langer time for his battered body to heal ) - that's no detriment to Hoggard at all who has bowled two absolutely mesmeric and vital spells this summer.

Harmison and McGrath has a wonderful feel about it, as does the batting opening partnership of Justin Langer and Zoiderman. I make no secret of my admiration for Langer as a player - as dour and obdurate as Boycott when he needs to be, as dashing as Dashy Dasherson, the opening batsman of Dashington upon Dash Second XI when the opportunity arises.

Gilchrist gets in purely on potential ( ) - he'll make a good wicket-keeper/batsman one day if he stops getting out and hangs on to the odd catch.

The rest of the side picks itself.

 

[wpdavid]

My Ashes team...

Trescothick
Langer
Ponting
Vaughan*
Flintoff
Pietersen
Gilchrist+
Warne
Jones
Harmison
McGrath

I've gone for Harmison in place of Hoggard purely and simply because I think that you need some of that nasty pace (and having him in the same side gives Justin Langer time for his battered body to heal ) - that's no detriment to Hoggard at all who has bowled two absolutely mesmeric and vital spells this summer.

Harmison and McGrath has a wonderful feel about it, as does the batting opening partnership of Justin Langer and Zoiderman. I make no secret of my admiration for Langer as a player - as dour and obdurate as Boycott when he needs to be, as dashing as Dashy Dasherson, the opening batsman of Dashington upon Dash Second XI when the opportunity arises.

Gilchrist gets in purely on potential ( ) - he'll make a good wicket-keeper/batsman one day if he stops getting out and hangs on to the odd catch.

The rest of the side picks itself.

Yes, there's not too many difficult choices. I'd go for Lee over Harmison despite the average because I remember him producing terrific spells in all 5 games. From memory, there was England's 2nd innings at Lord's and Edgbaston, the start of England's first innings at Old Trafford, their 2 innings at Trent Bridge,and before lunch on Day 5 at the Oval. Harmison, OTOH, did little after Lord's, has his more respectable average is heavily skewed by that match.

Beyond that, Tresco or Strauss could go either way. Tres was more consistent, but Strauss went on with it a couple of times once he's found his feet. Clarke or Pietesen was tricky until yesterday.

 

[Pothas]

1. Trescothick
2. Strauss
3. Vaughan
4. Ponting
5. Pietersen
6. Flintoff
7. Gilchrist
8. Warne
9. Lee
10. Simon Jones
11. McGrath

 

[jlo33692]

jl has to be seen to be politically correct ( )

My Ashes team...

Trescothick
Langer
Ponting
Vaughan*
Flintoff
Pietersen
Gilchrist+
Warne
Jones
Harmison
McGrath

I've gone for Harmison in place of Hoggard purely and simply because I think that you need some of that nasty pace (and having him in the same side gives Justin Langer time for his battered body to heal ) - that's no detriment to Hoggard at all who has bowled two absolutely mesmeric and vital spells this summer.

Harmison and McGrath has a wonderful feel about it, as does the batting opening partnership of Justin Langer and Zoiderman. I make no secret of my admiration for Langer as a player - as dour and obdurate as Boycott when he needs to be, as dashing as Dashy Dasherson, the opening batsman of Dashington upon Dash Second XI when the opportunity arises.

Gilchrist gets in purely on potential ( ) - he'll make a good wicket-keeper/batsman one day if he stops getting out and hangs on to the odd catch.

The rest of the side picks itself.

Ha ha Eddie..
I am trying to please two people here hahaha
I know it should not be said as someone we know would be pretty angry and hopefully will miss this part of a thread. I know this bloke who plyed a pretty high grade of cricket.
He travelled to a far away land to sort out the best team in there respective comepetitions.
This bloke copped a fearfull going over a few games into the series against one another.So much so that he ended the 3rd game with 2 fractures of the forearm ,this never saw light of day in any articles and was kept to the bare amount of people to know. He then continued to bat out the last 2 games and had a special protector on the offending part,as well as some pain deadening stuff.
This guy was in a lot of pain after each and every day from then on ,but never left the field of play.
There is a lot of stories that never come to light in a mans game,and that is how the warriors like it.
No excuses,just give your best and if thats not good enough tne you still sleep well knowing you were beaten by a better team. These things are not taken into consideration when people do the series teams and nor should they. But your selections and eye for a good hard fighter is noted with glee from afar away place. i love your team of the series,i wonder now if you love your team even more as it is a pretty guttsy team that would give you the best they had,and what more can you ask than that?....

 

[howardj]

As of today
1. Langer (A)
2. Strauss (E)
3. Vaughan (E)
4. Ponting (A)
5. Pietersen (E)
6. Flintoff (E)
7. Gilchrist (A)
8. Warne (A)
9. Simon Jones (E)
10. Lee (A)
10. McGrath (A)

So, with Lee, you like selecting guys who averaged 40 with the ball? I mean, the defence for Lee is that he has a 'big heart'. Well, I always thought that when you played for your country, a big heart was an expectation, not something that is special or extraordinary. And before people say he was 'unlucky', the fact is that he also averaged 40 in the 10 Tests before his 18 month spell on the sidelines.

Rather than being unlucky in this series, his average is an accurate reflection of Lee, post 2000. And what does Lee average, post 2000? Yep, again he averages 40. People are judging Lee by what he was like before 2000, when he averaged 17. He is not the same bowler - clearly. There are two distinct phases of his career, and people should wake up to this.

The most disconcerting thing with Lee is that he has learnt nothing, from being left out of the side. When he can't get wickets immediately, he still regards bouncers as stock deliveries, while good length balls are something to be thrown in occasionally. Tait moves the ball more than Lee; reverses more than Lee; is six years younger than Lee; and at least he may show a willingness to learn, unlike Lee.

 

[social]

So, with Lee, you like selecting guys who averaged 40 with the ball? I mean, the defence for Lee is that he has a 'big heart'. Well, I always thought that when you played for your country, a big heart was an expectation, not something that is special or extraordinary. And before people say he was 'unlucky', the fact is that he also averaged 40 in the 10 Tests before his 18 month spell on the sidelines.

Rather than being unlucky in this series, his average is an accurate reflection of Lee, post 2000. And what does Lee average, post 2000? Yep, again he averages 40. People are judging Lee by what he was like before 2000, when he averaged 17. He is not the same bowler - clearly. There are two distinct phases of his career, and people should wake up to this.

The most disconcerting thing with Lee is that he has learnt nothing, from being left out of the side. When he can't get wickets immediately, he still regards bouncers as stock deliveries, while good length balls are something to be thrown in occasionally. Tait moves the ball more than Lee; reverses more than Lee; is six years younger than Lee; and at least he may show a willingness to learn, unlike Lee.

Harsh but fair.

Lee was exposed, as was the remainder of the attack barring Warne, by the injury to McGrath. His presence locks up an end for most of the day and allows Lee to go at 4-5 runs an over for brief periods of time as long as he is taking wickets.

Lee still hasnt learnt that line and length at 88-90 mph will be more valuable 9/10 times than higher pace all over the shop.

 

[marc71178]

What I still can't work out is how Lee was given so many overs on Monday, but Tait only 5?

Had Ponting forgotten he'd got Tait in the side?

 

[SJS]

So, with Lee, you like selecting guys who averaged 40 with the ball? I mean, the defence for Lee is that he has a 'big heart'. Well, I always thought that when you played for your country, a big heart was an expectation, not something that is special or extraordinary. And before people say he was 'unlucky', the fact is that he also averaged 40 in the 10 Tests before his 18 month spell on the sidelines.

Rather than being unlucky in this series, his average is an accurate reflection of Lee, post 2000. And what does Lee average, post 2000? Yep, again he averages 40. People are judging Lee by what he was like before 2000, when he averaged 17. He is not the same bowler - clearly. There are two distinct phases of his career, and people should wake up to this.

The most disconcerting thing with Lee is that he has learnt nothing, from being left out of the side. When he can't get wickets immediately, he still regards bouncers as stock deliveries, while good length balls are something to be thrown in occasionally. Tait moves the ball more than Lee; reverses more than Lee; is six years younger than Lee; and at least he may show a willingness to learn, unlike Lee.

I think you have a point. But one didnt see much of Tait really. I would replace Lee with Harmison or even Hoggard. But I concede what you say about Lee. Resultswise, as a bowler he wasnt great in the series but he won hearts with being with Warne McGrath one of the Aussies who seemed to hate losing the most.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Me too. When do you reckon you'll be done?

Tonight or tomorrow, I should think.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

So, how about a composite team from the two, but not based on form in the Ashes itself?

Justin Langer
Andrew Strauss
Ricky Ponting
Michael Vaughan (was going to pick Pietersen or Clarke, but Vaughan would be the better choice)
Damien Martyn
Andrew Flintoff
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Matthew Hoggard
Simon Jones
Glenn McGrath

I have five Englishmen now, whereas when I did the same team before the Ashes I had four, with Harmison and Gillespie in the team for Hoggard and Jones, and Thorpe in for Vaughan.

 

[Prince EWS]

So, how about a composite team from the two, but not based on form in the Ashes itself?

Justin Langer
Andrew Strauss
Ricky Ponting
Michael Vaughan (was going to pick Pietersen or Clarke, but Vaughan would be the better choice)
Damien Martyn
Andrew Flintoff
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Matthew Hoggard
Simon Jones
Glenn McGrath

I have five Englishmen now, whereas when I did the same team before the Ashes I had four, with Harmison and Gillespie in the team for Hoggard and Jones, and Thorpe in for Vaughan.

I still think Trescothick is a better batsman than Strauss. Im not sold on Martyn either, I'd probably put Pietersen in, or possibly bat Strauss down the order.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I still think Trescothick is a better batsman than Strauss.

Still so, so under-rated. Gilchrist never moves his feet and everyone ignores it because he averages 50, Tresco averages 45 and still no-one rates him because "he's always vulnerable". Never understood that.

 

[social]

Still so, so under-rated. Gilchrist never moves his feet and everyone ignores it because he averages 50, Tresco averages 45 and still no-one rates him because "he's always vulnerable". Never understood that.

Gilchrist is the best evr in his position - simple.

Were not comparing apples with apples, it's apples with turnips.