This year's Simon Jones

[BoyBrumby]

Who's going to step up to the plate (if you'll forgive the baseball metaphor) in a similar fashion to the way our very own horse-faced Welsh genius did in 2005? I really mean from the more unheralded end of the teams; Warne spinning circles round us & Freddie carrying our batting & bowling on his broad shoulders are more-or-less taken as givens.

Cook? Watson? Monty? Clark? Thoughts please!

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I don't think anyone will have the impact that Jones did this year. Jones was probably the best player in the series after Warne and Flintoff, and came from virtually nowhere. While I could see the likes of Cook, Watson or even Johnson if he got picked having a good series and surprising plenty of people, I doubt they will have that sort of impact.

I can see Lee being the key to Australia's bowling fortunes though, which might be a surprise of sorts, even if he carried the attack last year too.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I don't think anyone will have the impact that Jones did this year. Jones was probably the best player in the series after Warne and Flintoff, and came from virtually nowhere. While I could see the likes of Cook, Watson or even Johnson if he got picked having a good series and surprising plenty of people, I doubt they will have that sort of impact.

I can see Lee being the key to Australia's bowling fortunes though, which might be a surprise of sorts, even if he carried the attack last year too.

TBF a few posters on here mentioned him as the potential dark horse beforehand. Liam & (modesty should forbid, but **** it) myself, certainly.

 

[andyc]

Monty will have a much bigger impact than expected (by Australians), I reckon. Could also see Warne not living up to the last series. I hope I'm wrong, mind you.

 

[Pothas]

I would certianly expect Bell to have a much better series than he did last year. Its a very big series for him and Cook. A massive test for both of them but im hopefull they will both come through it well although Cook against Warne is a very worrrying thought.

 

[Jono]

Macgill?

 

[Jnr.]

Kevin Pietersen, Monty Panesar and Michael Hussey. I think Ian Bell will have a good series as well (seems much improved), while Cook might not go as well as expected.

 

[Jnr.]

Monty will have a much bigger impact than expected (by Australians), I reckon. Could also see Warne not living up to the last series. I hope I'm wrong, mind you.

I'm not sure if anyone can live up to 40 wickets @ 20. He'll probably share a few with MacGill this time around.

 

[Loots]

For England - I think that some of their batsmen may suprise, Cook has a formidable reputation already so they will be aware of his promise - But I think that they have not got the same attitude for Collingwood and Bell. Collingwood still has a bit of a reputation as an ODI specialist rather than a test player, and Bell is still linked with his failure in the last Ashes series. Panesar is obviously a key player, but I think that the Aussies have more respect for him than they are letting on - I wouldn't be suprised if he only makes an impact in fits and spurts. I think very highly of Liam Plunkett, will he be fit?

For the Australians, I think that Hussey will really come to the attention of the English media, and that Hayden will also suprise some of the English press - he was written off after the last Ashes series. The same goes for Gilchrist, I think the fashion in which he became Flintoff's bunny blinded the press as to how good a player he still is. On the bowling side, Stuart Clark could be a suprise - He's not that well known in England but when he made his Test Debut against us last Summer I was very impressed with his control.

 

[tooextracool]

I don't think anyone will have the impact that Jones did this year. Jones was probably the best player in the series after Warne and Flintoff, and came from virtually nowhere. While I could see the likes of Cook, Watson or even Johnson if he got picked having a good series and surprising plenty of people, I doubt they will have that sort of impact.

One must say that the only reason he 'came from virtually nowhere' is due to pure ignorance. Before the Ashes last year i certainly mentioned that the Aussies should be wary of him before the Ashes, because it was plainly obvious that they were more interested in the Harmisons, Giles', Flintoffs and Pietersens. As such anyone who watched him bowl against Bangladesh during the summer or even taken notice of his performances in FC cricket during that time would have at least considered him to be a threat.

 

[tooextracool]

Who's going to step up to the plate (if you'll forgive the baseball metaphor) in a similar fashion to the way our very own horse-faced Welsh genius did in 2005? I really mean from the more unheralded end of the teams; Warne spinning circles round us & Freddie carrying our batting & bowling on his broad shoulders are more-or-less taken as givens.

Cook? Watson? Monty? Clark? Thoughts please!

For me the definition of a dark horse is someone who is given very little chance of succeeding. For me someone averaging nearly 60 in tests or another who is mentioned in the news every single day shouldnt be considered a 'dark horse'. From England's point of view i'd put Anderson down as a possible candidate if he bowls like he can. I'd also put Owais Shah down, because i wouldnt be surprised if England were digging into their reserve batsmen not too long after the start of the series.

 

[tooextracool]

I think very highly of Liam Plunkett

Why?

 

[valvolux]

Finally in this mornings paper the aussie media is starting to fire a few shots back - hinting that Jones is nothing more than the beneficiary of some clever ball tampering. His disturbingly unconvincing reasons for generating such swing, such as a "hard outfield", is quite comical. So if there is a new Simon Jones, they'd want to get their excuses in check now or they will be left as fried as the barmy army in the sun by the media.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Saj Mahmood.

 

[grecian]

Why?

squared?

 

[aussie]

Mitchell Johnson

 

[Johnners]

Watson, Cook, Lee & Bell

Watson & Cook as promising youngsters to really put the stamp on international cricket, and Lee & Bell to capitalise on their recent form.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Shane Watson for me.

 

[Slow Love™]

For me the definition of a dark horse is someone who is given very little chance of succeeding. For me someone averaging nearly 60 in tests or another who is mentioned in the news every single day shouldnt be considered a 'dark horse'. From England's point of view i'd put Anderson down as a possible candidate if he bowls like he can. I'd also put Owais Shah down, because i wouldnt be surprised if England were digging into their reserve batsmen not too long after the start of the series.

To be fair, he did say "horse-faced", not "dark horse".

I wouldn't mind seeing Anderson do well either, although I don't expect him to make the starting lineup. He looked pretty good in the ODIs he played down here last time, although obviously he's about as consistent as a Lenny Kravitz album. I'm also quite interested to see how the Aussie bats treat Panesar.

 

[marc71178]

I wouldn't mind seeing Anderson do well either, although I don't expect him to make the starting lineup.

If fit, I'd expect him to be one of 5 bowlers if they take that route.