Clarke has scored 373 runs at 124.33: there's no way he's out of a combined XI! Pietersen's 398 runs at 79.6 guarantee him a spot though... and Ponting's 524 runs at 104.8 and Hussey's 415 at 138.33 do the same for them.

Agreed.But,Pietersen has scored those runs against the likes of Lee,Mcgrath and Warne.Clarke scored the above runs against a relatively weak attack.Pietersen would be there if not in Clarke's place,maybe in symond's place

Symonds? After three Tests he (like Mahmood) wouldn't get into a SECOND Ashes XI!!!!

ps. That would be Hayden, Langer / Cook, Strauss, Bell / Collingwood, Martyn, Flintoff, Jones, Giles, Harmison, Anderson, Panesar

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Hussey
Pietersen
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Hoggard
Clark
McGrath

It looks a bit one sided but it is 3-0. Cook could have slipped into an openers position but he has not really done more than Hayden and Langer. Langer was consisent in the first test with two big scores, Hayden has been about the same making a good 90 odd in the same test as when cook made a ton. What has put them ahead is that they have been in the winning side.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

Acker, spot on!

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Latest Result:


Torquay 2-1 Droylsden


We are 24th out of 24 teams.

Brett Lee? Ahead of Clark? You've got to be kidding. Stuart Clark has looked the best seamer on the park in every England innings of three matches... with only one brief spell from Hoggard coming close to deserving the same praise... whilst Lee has varied between downright awful (the Gabba, the first innings at Adelaide) to just about passable with the odd, occasionally threatening spell (since).

Quagmire picked NINE Aussies for his combined Xi and Lee couldn't even make that list:he's not significantly out-bowled Flintoff (and in the eight days of the Ashes, a jaded Flintoff, looking well below his best, was undoubtedly the better of the two)... so that just doesn't stack up.

ps. Flintoff at 6? On current form? Ahead of Gilchrist? That's even more bizarre.

It does seem a bit one sided 9 Aussies out of 11 but the results are on the board Bell and Cook were just about par with some of the players I picked.Lee has been bowling pies at the moment, he is getting no movement and he accuracy has been nothing but passable at times. It doesnt matter if you bowl 160km/h if you cant hit the right areas and move the ball.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

Looks like by the end of 5 tests , it would be an all aussie ashes X1

This is what I consider to be the best team using all available players.

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Hussey
Pietersen
Clarke
Flintoff
Gilchrist
Warne
Clark
McGrath

Only two players from the English side would sneak into the Australian line up, and Flintoffs admission isn't even due to his efforts during the Ashes but just based on his overall talent.

With such a strong batting line up you don't need Flintoff and Hoggard has outbowled him so should take that place.You can't really argue about the rest of the side though.

Look at the Melbourne scorecard - who saved Australia, and who gave England a chance - small but a chance??

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Ern