Team for the 1st Test

[cantplaycantalk]

Originally Posted by cantplaycantalk

Not sure about Trescothics mental strength at the moment and the others are all averaging very well, also not sure about Tresco's footwork on these fast bouncy? Aussie wickets.

I thank you, I thank you, I must say it gives me no pleasure to be proved right re Tresco.

So on current form availabilty and the supposition that the England management can't stand Chris Read...

Cook
Strauss
Bell
Peitersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
GO Jones
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson

(Just waiting for Adil Rashid to force his way into the England team and bolster the batting.)

[greg]

Nooooooooooooooooo.

We can't leave out Monty and play Giles but i have a horrible feeling it will happen.

[cantplaycantalk]

I would personnaly prefer Monty and Read ahead of Giles and Jones but the selectors are not likely to listen to me.

I will admit that I would just love to see monty taking on the aussie batsmen, and I don't expect Giles to average a lot vs McGrath, Lee and Warne so what is the issue in this series?

Equally Read may not be as good a batsman as GOJo but he has a hell of a lot more fight in him and he is a better keeper to boot.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Thats the key here - read has got much more fight, even if jones has more batting talent. Ifwe are playing 5 bowlers which is rumoured, chances are jones will be batting at 6, and at some point try an ill advised hook shot and get out - read may well hang about a bit more. If we were playing NZ or somebody without a great bowling attack, jones can punish it but as we are he's a liability.

Sad news about tresco, yet not unsurprising.

[cantplaycantalk]

5 bowlers includes Freddy, which means Jones will bat at 7 not 6

You could also include Bell and Collingwood as a 6th bowler

[flanflinger]

Sad as I am that Tres has gone, I had early on mentione that I wondered whether he should have been picked at all.. With Tres now gone I think we can now say that the batting line up will include Cook, Bell and Collingwood. Read is out of favour as keeper. Anderson was in the wickets, but Mahmood didn't bowl despite being in the 14 (why was he picked at all, why not have Read in there!!)

So this means that we are left with one major question - two spinners or one (and if so which one!!)

I am hopefully that if they do go for one Monty will be the man...but I am still very worried that Gilo will get the nod..I have nothing against Ashley, it's just that he is not the same attacking force that Monty is...

My team now

Cook
Strauss
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Jones
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson/Giles
Panesar

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

So this means that we are left with one major question - two spinners or one (and if so which one!!)

I'm not so sure that's the biggest question any more: Harmison has one three day match to show some form... otherwise he might as well follow Tresco back home: at present, Anderson looks to be in FAR greater form...

[greg]

Rachael we won't go into the first test without Harmison unless he is injured.That is one thing i can almost be certain of in this tour of surprises.

It is now basically 2 from 3 between Anderson,Panesar and Giles to go with Hamison,Hoggard and Flintoff.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Rachael

I'm not so sure that's the biggest question any more: Harmison has one three day match to show some form... otherwise he might as well follow Tresco back home:

Rachael,

I can practically guarntee that if Harmison is fully fit he will be playing in the first Test...

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

Rachael [...] I can practically guarntee that if Harmison is fully fit he will be playing in the first Test...

Because the pitch is the Gabba... meaning the fastest and bounciest of the pitches for this series.... I'd be inclined to agree. That said... if Harmison continues to be less effective than Anderson in the remaining warm up and in the first Test.... I think it could be Harmison making way for Giles for the two-spinner tracks to follow.