"England have massive chance of retaining Ashes" -- Sydney Morning Herald

[adamberry]

My mistake. Better edit that post then!

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Whips_off_the_bails

So forget the nonsense about England's confidence rising on account of reclaiming the No.2 position on the Test table. Rankings count for little. England were, and continue to be, a massive chance of retaining the Ashes.

Goes without saying. Australia will not have played a test for some time. Couple that with an extremely aged team and you have a recipe for disaster, as Australia learned in England last year.

[Beny]

I'd see the chance to rest our players as a bonus rather than a problem. Their scheduals have been ludicrus of late and a 3 month break should have them all back into their primes.

[John]

I think the rest will do the Australian's alot of good. The series is too tight to call although home advantage may just swing it.
A lot depends how McGrath bowls, the rest will have done him good. With McGrath and Warne bowling well it sets the platform that they didn't have last time round.
Personally I would open up with Gilchrist and Langer. Hoggard needs to be take out of the attack. They targeted Giles last time this failed because he bowls this negative leg side line. For me Hoggard has to be the one they target his pace is hitable he hasn't bowled well recently and last time he went down under he got smashed all over the place.
Yes I know he has improved but if I targeted anyone it would be him.

[mudney]

How about they don't target anyone, and play each ball on its merits?

[John]

Originally Posted by mudney

How about they don't target anyone, and play each ball on its merits?

Fair enough. It was a suggestion, this will be discussed by the intelligent members of the Australian team. Mind you there intelligence seemed to fall short a year ago. Ponting electing to bowl when he should of batted, they bought McGrath back a Test too early. For Pontings I hope they have changed some of his advisors.

[Whips_off_the_bails]

Originally Posted by John

Fair enough. It was a suggestion, this will be discussed by the intelligent members of the Australian team.

Bwahahahha!!!

[John]

Originally Posted by Whips_off_the_bails

Bwahahahha!!!

Okay the nearest thing that they have. You know sportsmen.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Beny

I'd see the chance to rest our players as a bonus rather than a problem. Their scheduals have been ludicrus of late and a 3 month break should have them all back into their primes.

They had a large break before the last Ashes in England and that did'nt do them any good. Get ready for the old "We're rusty" excuses i think.

Originally Posted by John

A lot depends how McGrath bowls, the rest will have done him good.

Bowlers have to keep bowling. Rests do more harm that good unfortunately - especially faster bowlers. That is why McGrath is against Australia's rotation policy

Originally Posted by John

Personally I would open up with Gilchrist and Langer. Hoggard needs to be taken out of the attack. .

Big call. Hayden is currently ranked 6th in the world. Might well work but i doubt that it will ever happen.

[TopperHarley]

I think England definately have a decent chance, but i would make Austrailia slight favourites for the Ashes.

Do we have any idea of Englands definitive first-choice team? Are they going with a four or five-man bowling attack? Who bats number eight? Who keeps wicket? Do they drop Collingwood or mahmood to accoodate Flintoff? Who is the first-choice spinner? Sadly, whilst answers to these questions may appear obvious to english cricket fans, it's the selectors who call the shots, and often they are on a different wavelength.

Look at Englands batting line-up. Strauss is solid, Tresco in a slight slump. Cook seems to wear concrete shoes when playing spin (warne and mcgill must be licking their lips) KP is a proven test batsmen. Colly seems to be most likely to be dropped for fred, despite being the best player of spin, and Bell has history with the aussies. Who do england pick as the spare batsman? I would pick ramps, but he hasnt a hope in hell...Shah? key? Joyce? Tufnell?

As for the bowlers....Harmison doesnt often travel well...we have no idea as to Flintoffs effectiveness when or if he returns...Hoggard struggled last time in aussie, but is a much better bowler now...and neither Adjust Mahmood nor Jon lewis nor Liam plonker have made a definitive case to become a regular.



In contrast Aussie have a settled batting line-up, including Hussey, gilchrist, Langer and Ponting who seem to making runs at the proverbial rate of knots. Warne, Lee and McGill are proven test bowlers....McGrath obviously is, but we have no idea what his return from injury will do to his bowling, and I must confess to knowing very little about Clark. Gillespie and kasper provide an ample surfeit of delicious half volleys, so I'm happy to see them on the scene.



I think austrailia have a marginally stronger batting line-up, and a proven genius bowler. Thats the difference.



Cant wait though....should be a cracker!