• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Team Of The Ashes

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I probably could/should have posted this in the official thread, but there are about 20 Ashes threads on the first 3 pages of CC anyway, and I fear this may get the lost in the seven or eight topics already being discussed in the official thread.

Anyway...

1. JL Langer
2. ME Trescothick
3. RT Ponting
4. MP Vaughan*
5. KP Pietersen
6. A Flintoff
7. GO Jones+
8. SK Warne
9. MJ Hoggard
10. SP Jones
11. GD McGrath

12. GJ Pratt

Openers
Hardest position to chose, really. Despite his hundred in the last match, I think we can rule out Hayden, but that leaves three to choose from. Trescothick, despite not scoring a hundred, was very reliable with the bat, always getting off to a start and notching up three fifties. Strauss failed a few times, and struggled against Warne at times, but to his credit, he went on when he made a start, and made two good hundreds. Langer was Australia's best batsman IMO. He opened the batting against a very good attack and can hold his head up high after a good series. His fighting nature proved vital for the Australian cause. Ive gone for Langer and Trescothick, but I wouldnt argue with Strauss over either of them.

Three And Four
These two were pretty easy to choose really. Bell and Martyn had very poor series, and while Vaughan was inconsistant, he played some good knocks. Ponting's heroics to save a match cant be forgotten either, and despite some poor captaincy, he had a reasonable series with the bat. Vaughan and Ponting are the only options.

Number Five - Clarke vs Pietersen
Clarke suprised me by having a pretty good series. If it wasnt for his back injury, he would have averaged over 40, which is a good effort against this attack. They are pretty similar batsmen, and up until the 5th day of the 5th test, I would have gone for Clarke, but Pietersen's innings was brilliant, so he deserves his spot.

Number Six..
Flintoff here - no question. Im sure I wont find any arguements for this.

Wicket Keeper
I went with Jones here. Gilchrist had a very poor series by his standards, and I was impressed with Jones at times, espeically his 80 odd. Both ended up with mid-20s averages and both had poor series with the gloves, which makes me want to pick Haddin simply for the fact that he did nothing wrong. This one's pretty tough, as both players were awful at times, but I think it has to go to Jones.

Spinner
Warne vs Giles. Enough said.

Quicks
McGrath and Jones are automatic picks in my eyes, which really leaves Lee, Harmison and Hoggard to fight out the last two spots. Lee was good in patches, but never really brilliant, and despite looking dangerous at times, he just never took the wickets he needed. This series is a perfect example of why an in-form Kasprowicz was picked over Lee. He looks dangerous, but he never really capitalises for one reason or another. Commentators continually said that he "bowled better than his average suggests" but the fact remains that he didnt capitalise on his good bowling spells. So that leaves the reliable Hoggard against the one-innings wonder Harmison. Harmison was unplayable in the first innings at Lords, but got into a flat patch afterwards and never really delivered, while Hoggard shock off some poor form to act as a good support bowler. I went with Hoggard in the end, due to consistancy and steady improvement, but I wouldnt really argue with having Harmison in.
 
Last edited:

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
agreed with your comments on Lee but i think he has bowled slighty better than Hoggard who been that spectacular with the ball this series aslo Bing's his batting heriocs speaks for itself...
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
aussie said:
agreed with your comments on Lee but i think he has bowled slighty better than Hoggard who been that spectacular with the ball this series aslo Bing's his batting heriocs speaks for itself...
Bowling well is only part of it - you have to take wickets cheaply to be effective, which Lee hasnt done.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
aussie said:
has hoggard done either.....
You seem to be underrating Hoggard's performances. He took 16 wickets @ 29.56 with a strike rate better than Flintoff's. Not his best series, but he came away with good returns, especially considering his poor form early on.
 

simmy

International Regular
That side is excellent but personally I would have had Strauss over Langer simply because Warne wouldnt be bowling to him if both are in this side! Warne was the only obstacle for Strauss having a truly sensational series.
 

cameeel

International Captain
My Team

1. Strauss
2. Langer
3. Vaughn
4. Ponting
5. Pieterson
6. Flintoff
7. Gilchrist (keeping)
8. Warne
9. Lee
10. Jones
11. McGrath

12. Harmison

6-5 Aussies to Poms
 

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
Prince EWS said:
You seem to be underrating Hoggard's performances. He took 16 wickets @ 29.56 with a strike rate better than Flintoff's. Not his best series, but he came away with good returns, especially considering his poor form early on.
not underating hoggy's bowling performance but i think you have to look beyond that with their respective batting & lee has done better with the bat so i'd have him over hoggard.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
aussie said:
not underating hoggy's bowling performance but i think you have to look beyond that with their respective batting & lee has done better with the bat so i'd have him over hoggard.
And Strauss has batted better than them both - I dont see him getting picked as the 3rd quick.

Pick bowlers on their bowling, not their batting.
 

Neil Pickup

Request Your Custom Title Now!
aussie said:
not underating hoggy's bowling performance but i think you have to look beyond that with their respective batting & lee has done better with the bat so i'd have him over hoggard.
Suggest you pick Katich instead of Jones, too. You can't put a frontline seamer in a team of the series based on 20 wickets at an average of 41.10. Period.

Would add Gary Pratt as twelfth man...
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
You cannot seriously include Hoggard at the expense of either Harmy or Lee.

Hoggard has the easiest job in cricket. He literally only bowls with the new ball or when conditions are favourable.

Imagine if McGrath had the benefit of the same - his career average would be nudging single figures.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
social said:
You cannot seriously include Hoggard at the expense of either Harmy or Lee.

Hoggard has the easiest job in cricket. He literally only bowls with the new ball or when conditions are favourable.

Imagine if McGrath had the benefit of the same - his career average would be nudging single figures.
I dont see how Lee would even figure in the conversation. He averaged over 40 AGAIN this series.

Harmison bowled with the same new ball in the same conditions as Hoggard this series, so I dont see how Hoggard's job is any easier...
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Prince EWS said:
I dont see how Lee would even figure in the conversation. He averaged over 40 AGAIN this series.

Harmison bowled with the same new ball in the same conditions as Hoggard this series, so I dont see how Hoggard's job is any easier...[/QUOT

Pick Harmy, he's far more dangerous.
 

C_C

International Captain
My Ashes team 2005:

Justin Langer
Marcus Trescothik
Ricky Ponting
Michael Vaughan
Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Flintoff
Adam Gillchrist
Shane Warne
Simon Jones
Glenn McGrath
Steve Harmison

Comments :
1. Langer and Tresco are a lock for opening- Hayden did pretty bad and Strauss was ordinary- got promptly humbled by McGrath the first test and then capitalised on McGrath's injured status to score a few runs.

2. Gilly and Jones are pretty close when it comes to batting for this series and both were sub-par in the keeping department but Gilly was a better keeper by a bit IMO

3. Harmison and Hoggard are close- can go either way.
 

Paid The Umpire

All Time Legend
C_C said:
2. Gilly and Jones are pretty close when it comes to batting for this series and both were sub-par in the keeping department but Gilly was a better keeper by a bit IMO

An example was Gillies catch on the final day of test five.
Also Gilly is a player who could demolish a side quickly. Jones just isn't that good yet.
 

jlo33692

U19 Debutant
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
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
jlo33692 said:
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'd have to pick people in the roles they "failed" at - so you couldnt pick two keepers, or open with Gilly. Hence, you'd have to pick one of Strauss, Trescothick or Langer....

1. ML Hayden
2. AJ Strauss
3. IR Bell
4. DR Martyn
5. SM Katich
6. PD Collingwood
7. AC Gilchrist
8. AF Giles
9. JN Gillespie
10. MS Kasprowicz
11. SW Tait
 

Top