If Ashes were tomorrow

[Trescothick]

I don't know if anyones posted this up already but BBC have reported their player vs player report and this is what they came up with:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4391879.stm

Its 8-2 with only Thorpe and Trescothick proving stronger than their respective positions and Strauss getting a too close to call...

[Kirsty Harris]

These comparisons are intersting, but pretty much irrelevent in the scheme of things - how good a side is on paper and recent performance does not necesarily mean much in the context of future performances.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Trescothick

Its 8-2 with only Thorpe and Trescothick proving stronger than their respective positions and Strauss getting a too close to call...

Hi Tes,
I was gona do this one a few days ago, but it's full of iffs and buts, eg.If Flintoff is fit it would be 7-3, and Harmison has he been on form would have made it 6-4 I suspect.

I expect in the real world, that Hoggard will win he's personal battle, so that is 5-5, so if Strauss make it his call, Aussie will be trying to win the Ashes back in 2007.

[Paoli]

Originally Posted by Tresco

If Ashes were tomorrow

Australia would win quite comfortably.

[Trescothick]

hehe.. very good Paoli69, although not strictly true...

Those comparisons are very suspect, because they could change easily a few of them... We will have to see whos better on the days rather than on paper...

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Its hard not agree with Paoli to be honest. We'd be freddie-less and have a broken harmisson. Strange the closer we get, the less optimistic I get.

[unknown-entity]

That's funny cause the nearer we get, the more optimistic i get. Funny how they pitted Harmison against Gillespie and not McGrath though? Will be interesting to see how Pieterson fair's on the biggest stage he is likely to play, opening ashes test at Lords but the prospect of Flintoff and Pieterson sharing the crease together is beyond mouthwatering, it doesn't bare thinking about what damamge could be caused if those 2 batted together for a whole session or 2!

[Zainub]

Why talk about what will happen if the Ashes were going to be tomorrow when we know they aren't going to be tomorrow, hypothetical questions are more often then not more speculation and less facts.

[Leafy Seadragon]

Ern, I wouldn't mind some enlightenment on your thoughts, 'cos some of them seem blind faith to me...

If Flintoff is fit it would be 7-3

I'll accept this one

Harmison has he been on form would have made it 6-4

Debatable, even lined up against Gillespie rather than McGrath. Gillespie is a world class bowler with 248 wickets. Harmison still has to show he has that degree of quality

Hoggard will win he's personal battle

V McGrath? Basis other than blind faith? Improving good bowler V best bowler in the world? Please...

if Strauss make it his call

Okay, the whole post could have been simplified to "if this article is almost totally incorrect and the English all play better than the Aussies, they'll win the Ashes". On the flipside, if Hayden & Clarke find form and the Aussies work Strauss out (none of which is too fanciful) and the rest stays as is, its 11-0 and the Ashes remain (rhetorically) in Oz hands after nine days of cricket

[Zainub]

And this is theology number 10000000000 on "how to win the Ashes".