Ashes 2019

[Lou Grant]

1st test starts Thursday.

England probable starting XI:

Burns, Roy, Denly, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Archer, Anderson

Obvious weakness is in the top 3, but Australia also have some weaknesses in their batting. Both sides have strong bowling attacks.

Also be interesting to see how well those that played in the WC adapt back to the red ball game.

I'm expecting a close contest, no drawn matches unless we get extreme weather delays.

[subsub]

My boss goes on holiday for a month on Thursday, and he's fine with us having The Ashes on the office TV

[Shedboy]

C'mon the Aussies!

[Holden Mcgroyne]

If we go in with an attack that includes Broad (one 5 wicket haul in 37 test matches) and Ali (whose wickets against Australia have come at an average of 66), we're going to need Anderson, Woakes and Archer to stay fit and be at the top of their game for 5 tests in 6 weeks.

We're not going to score many runs, we'll be lucky if one of the top 3 averages 30, Root and Bairstow are mentally exhausted and Ali still looks to be suffering from crickets version of PTSD when he's bowled a short ball.

[subsub]

If we go in with an attack that includes Broad (one 5 wicket haul in 37 test matches)

[subsub]

The same Stuart Broad that's just taken seven wickets in the last Test match?

[Lou Grant]

If we go in with an attack that includes Broad (one 5 wicket haul in 37 test matches) and Ali (whose wickets against Australia have come at an average of 66), we're going to need Anderson, Woakes and Archer to stay fit and be at the top of their game for 5 tests in 6 weeks.

We're not going to score many runs, we'll be lucky if one of the top 3 averages 30, Root and Bairstow are mentally exhausted and Ali still looks to be suffering from crickets version of PTSD when he's bowled a short ball.

The advantage of Broad - if they pick him - is that he's been playing red ball cricket. Most of our and the Oz team have no or severely limited red ball cricket behind them. There's a logic to the likes of Broad and Siddle playing, particularly at Edgbaston and Lord's ... but I'm not certain they will.

Moeen has taken 45 wickets in his last 9 tests at an average of 23 - so first name on the team sheet for me, and anyone quoting figures from his bowling on Australian wickets in relation to this series either has an agenda or doesn't know anything about cricket.

[Jonathan]

Just hope we perform better than the ladies. The T20 was on in the pub on Friday night. The standard of our ladies was dreadful and all it got was laughter. Don’t think that’s what Sky were looking for given the amount of promotion they gave it.

This is a long series played in a short amount of time. Can’t imagine Broad and Anderson are going to stay fit for every test given their ages. The top 3 is the obvious worry. If Roy comes off he could be a game changer. If Ali is the first name on the team sheet then we must be in an awful state. It’s a home test so he does normally get a bit of form. Let’s hope we don’t have too wait a few tests in when it’s too late for that. Archer was always going to be in the squad. Hope he’s fit enough to start and not rushed into the team.

Toss is probably going to be key for both sides so let’s hope Root gets lucky.

[shabbado]

Has a 5 test series ever started so late in England?

[Zambo]

Can't ever remember two tests being played in September before. Probably 10:30 starts.

[Holden Mcgroyne]

If we go in with an attack that includes Broad (one 5 wicket haul in 37 test matches) and Ali (whose wickets against Australia have come at an average of 66), we're going to need Anderson, Woakes and Archer to stay fit and be at the top of their game for 5 tests in 6 weeks.

We're not going to score many runs, we'll be lucky if one of the top 3 averages 30, Root and Bairstow are mentally exhausted and Ali still looks to be suffering from crickets version of PTSD when he's bowled a short ball.

The advantage of Broad - if they pick him - is that he's been playing red ball cricket. Most of our and the Oz team have no or severely limited red ball cricket behind them. There's a logic to the likes of Broad and Siddle playing, particularly at Edgbaston and Lord's ... but I'm not certain they will.

Moeen has taken 45 wickets in his last 9 tests at an average of 23 - so first name on the team sheet for me, and anyone quoting figures from his bowling on Australian wickets in relation to this series either has an agenda or doesn't know anything about cricket.

Moeen averaged 45 with the ball in the home series against them in 2015. They'll play him like a fiddle.

Broad has been playing red ball cricket but his bowling average in county cricket was poor. A few wickets against Ireland doesn't change anything.

[JimmyDee]

Is it the fucking Ashes, AGAIN?

It's every couple of weeks, seemingly, and I pine for the days when it was a long-awaited event, that only happened every few years. Still, that's marketing for you.
Perhaps every England game in that football should be against the Germans, and we should only talk about the Germans, and pretend that the only games that take place are against the Germans.

[shabbado]

Is it the fucking Ashes, AGAIN?

It's every couple of weeks, seemingly, and I pine for the days when it was a long-awaited event, that only happened every few years. Still, that's marketing for you.
Perhaps every England game in that football should be against the Germans, and we should only talk about the Germans, and pretend that the only games that take place are against the Germans.

It's been 4 years since an Ashes series in England.

[JimmyDee]

It's been 4 years since an Ashes series in England.

Don't confuse the issue with facts!

[Holden Mcgroyne]

Archer left out of the squad for the first test.

Broad and Ali playing.