Cricket
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
These 56 comments are related to the topic:
England v Australia - The Ashes
England v Australia - The Ashes
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 56
|
By:
Harris is a massive loss for the Aussies. 57 wickets at 20.63 is a difficult gap to fill (Cook 8 times & Bell 7). He seems to stifle us in the same way that Mcgrath did.
All the others have limited experience in England & have not fared particularly well! Johnson's record in England - 23 wickets at 37.78 Nathan Lyon's record in England - 9 wickets at 33.66 Mitchell Starc's record in England - 11 wickets at 32.45 Josh Hazlewood has never played a test in England Not sure Siddle will play. Since he made the ridiculous decision to become a vegan he looks a shadow of his former self Add to that England have only lost 3 home series in the last 8 years - 2 to SA & a strange one to SL last year I've changed my tune a bit in recent months & I now think England have a decent chance. The bowling and the opener are still a concern, but I'm hoping Stokes and Wood can rise to the occasion & support Anderson/Broad. I'd like to see Ali & Rashid play to bolster our attack. Eng - in this order for me - Cook, Lyth, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Rashid, Ali, Wood, Anderson, Broad. I have Broad at 11, but if it were up to me I would have him as 'absent injured' every innings. Might make him grow a pair of bollox! Aus - Warner, Rogers, S Marsh, Clarke, Smith, M Marsh, Haddin, Johnson, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood. |
|
By:
TBH, I'm glad Harris is out. It means we will see Hazlewood and Starc with the new ball, and they will really trouble the England batsmen. Johnson past his best, but is still capable of mopping up the tail. Series will hinge on how well England's middle order fare.
Australia's batting lineup not the best, but should be good enough against England's bowling. Without rain or dead flat pitches, I don't foresee any draws. |
|
By:
Starc has a suspect attitude for mine. Watching him cry off against India last year set the alarm bells ringing for me. Hazlewood unproven at this level. Last time around (2013) Pattinson and Starc were meant to rip England a new one!! Both made little impression over the series, with Pattinson getting injured and Starc dropped a few times
|
|
By:
England look rejuvenated under Bayliss and Australia are as strong as ever. Should be a cracking series. Michael Clarke & co. has the extra motivation of winning the Ashes for the first time in 14 yrs in the English soil. Australia deservedly starts the series as favorites, but you never know. A good first 2 days of Cricket from England will change the whole complexion of the series.
|
|
By:
Lyon 0-57 from 6
 Good write up jucel. I think many feel Ballance could make way for Rashid but I'll believe it when I see it. Would give Cook more options and we lose little from the batting. Ballance isn't the key to winning this series. I reckon the openers, our exciting lower middle order and our 5th day options will be.. |
|
By:
the indian batting line up england made look pretty hapless by the end of the series made 400 in each first innings last winter
i do think the potency of the oz attack is being overegged somewhat. starc and hazlewood are still very raw at test level |
|
By:
I am starting to believe and then I look at my Betfair Balance! Wake up folks!
Having said that I do think England should be able to put up a fight and if they do the chips will fall where the chips will fall. My instinct is to oppose Aus at evens or odds on. I dont think they will win 3 Test Matches particularly if England start well. A good toss and a benign batting strip might be a good equaliser. I don't think we have the bowling attack to win this series but we may have a lot of bowlers in the side which may help. We have a few biffers which on a flat deck might deflate some Aussie conceit. We also have a long batting effort which will need to be dismissed. I hope they take the game to Aus in the hope one or two of 8 will come off. Harris is a big loss but I rate Starc and Hazlewood highly, that with MJ and Lyon to me means Aus have the tools. I don't think we shall see trundler friendly wickets. The have enough pace to obtain reverse in dry conditions. It might boil down to luck and like I said where the chips fall. Their batting can be fragile but we need 20 wickets to win a match. Defense de fume |
|
By:
Given England's batting fragility and Australia's bowling, I'd be amazed if we go into the first test of five with only four specialist batsmen. Might be an option later in the series if we're behind and we prepare pitches to nullify Johnson et al, but first up, I doubt it. It truly is a new era under Strauss/Bayliss if Ballance is dropped.
I think only way Rashid plays is if he's picked ahead or Ali or Wood. |
|
By:
|
|
By:
Outside Smith and Warner, Australia's batting looks very suspect. Get both of them cheaply and England are in the game. Australia's tail however is the best in the world, they have gotten them out of difficulty many times over the past 2 years.
|
|
By:
relative performance of the quick bowlers always decides the Ashes, FWIW
(Obviously it's only a week away and we're all giddy with excitement about what's key for both sides etc. But it's about whose quicks are better...). |
|
By:
Have to be careful not to let heart rule head in these matches.
Can England win one? Possibly maybe probably. Can England win two? Unlikely in my opinion. Looks like the market has got it right in this first Test. I'm thinking of laying England at 4 and a bit since if they lose the price will be much bigger next time and I want to keep the draw onside for now. Waiting to see if the England price contracts nearer the off. |
|
By:
Ryan Harris has retired!!!
|
|
By:
To be honest it was a big ask for him to return at his age from major surgery
|
|
By:
And Hazlewood is being given the run around by Jesse Ryder in the Essex match - 26 off his first over with new ball!
|
|
By:
I could score runs on that pitch
|
|
By:
|
|
By:
Dad's Army losing Private Godfrey must surely hurt...
|
|
By:
Mitchell Starc will run riot this summer. Will miss rhino coming in at the tail and smashing england around with the bat more.
|
|
By:
It seems unlikely that we will see a significantly lower price for England pre-match and it might go higher so have decided to take the price on offer and lay England now. Hoping for a docile track to bring the draw into play.
|