Ashes 2013 in England

[Esky Lid]

OK . We Have to win back the Ashes ! Its the end on 2011 , we have 18 months to get it right .

Name a squad of 17 to start getting prepared for it :
I am going for 6 (B)Batsmen, 2 (AR)all Rounders , 2 WK, 5 Quicks and 2 (S) Spinners:

and of course will play 5 Batsmen 1 AR 1 WK 3Q and 1S

here Goes :
1. Warner
2. Cowan
3. Marsh
4 Clarke
* 5. Khuwaja - 6th Batsman .. Maybe Wes Robinson

6. Watson - 2nd AR - Mitchell Marsh * Or maybe Take Watson as 5th Batsmen and take Dan Christian as the 2nd all rounder.

7. Tim Paine - 2nd WK ??? Haddin ??

8. James Pattinson
9. Peter Siddle
10. Ben Hilfenhaus - the other 2 Quicks : Cummins and Harris
... Johnson and Starc ??? I think a Lefty is required .. .But not sure who in the top 5 to leave out !

11. Nathan Lyon and Michael Beer as the spinners.

.. Batting is real Problem isn't it ??? I assume Ponting & Hussey will be pensioned off !!

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

Cool another name a team 2 years early. Some people couldnt even get the Boxing Day test right. Can we also have the fantasy prices for this so I can pick my team? Wanna get in early.

 

[Heisenberg_]

If you're options are Johnson and Starc a leftie isn't required, Johnsons career is over.
Bringing him back would be just stupidity after how much better everyone has bowled without him at the other end bowling his rubbish and releasing pressure.
Bowling line up will be Pattinson and a mixture of Hilfenhaus, Siddle, Hazelwood, Coulter-Nile and Harris.

 

[The Passenger]

Cool another name a team 2 years early. Some people couldnt even get the Boxing Day test right. Can we also have the fantasy prices for this so I can pick my team? Wanna get in early.

no harm in discussing.

even if our thoughts have no relevance to what actually happens, but that is the same across the the vast majority of forums world wide...

at the end of the day our selectors would already be putting plans in place for the 2013 ashes... and a lot of this forum is based upon the selection(s) of our national team.

for me our quick bowling is fine, our back up keepers are fine, our preferred keeper is underperforming, and so far lyon has done a good job in the spin department but if things were to go pear shaped we could be back to square one.

it's the batting that is the clear worry.

we have some real good young talents in the batting department but it is hard to see many of them being really ready for the 2013 ashes, though some of them may be thrust into the test arena.

Nic Maddinson, Joe Burns, Chris Lynn, Marcus Harris, Mitch Marsh have all shown signs, particularly Maddinson and Lynn last year but both of those have struggled this season. Joe Burns was having a tough season too but finally started to show some form in the last Queensland match with 59 and 123. It will be very intersting to see how he goes when the shield matches return.

Harris hit a century in his third match, but has seen his first class average drop back to the low 30's and is still a work in progress.

The real interesting one is Kurt Patterson wh scored 160-odd on debut (before getting inexplicably dropped)... I'm still yet to see him bat so can't comment first hand but he has a mountain of runs in sydney grade cricket, starred on debut... but he'd have just turned 20 then so it's hard to expect much by then.

Those are our most talented young batsmen, but maybe only Lynn and Burns are likely to be ready for the 2013 ashes... at a stretch Maddinson but he'll still only be 21 at that stage.

There are guys a little bit older who have all been tried - Steve Smith (24), Usman Khawaja (26), Phil Hughes (24)

There are a couple of guys in that 23-28 bracket that are scoring runs this season and if they can follow it up next season could start putting pressure on - Peter Forrest (27), Wade Townsend (27), Dan Christian (30), Tom Cooper (26), Liam Davis (28), Glen Maxwell (24)

Those last nine blokes don't inspire me as much as the first six young blokes do, but there is still 18 months for them to put their case forward.

You've got the incumbent top six plus Shane Watson in there... i'm still very very secptical about hussey and ponting making it another 18 months, so that's really at least one spot a massive chance to be available plus more if Warner, Cowan and Marsh can't make their current positions their own.

i do like that top three as i think it can work very well together but time will tell...

I'd love to see Burns, Maddinson and Lynn all ready for the 2013 ashes as i think those guys are super super talents, but as i said, it's probably a stretch.

 

[frankrizzo]

... Johnson and Starc ??? I think a Lefty is required .. .But not sure who in the top 5 to leave out !

Do leftie wickets count for double or something?

It's strange this sudden fascination with lefties, during 89-2001 we dominated in england and our main quicks were always right arm quicks.

If one of our top prospects happened to also be a leftie than that's good i guess, but picking inferior bowlers simply because of the hand they release the ball with is ridiculous, whats really scary is if not for injury johnson would still be our "strike bowler" this summer.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Do leftie wickets count for double or something?

It's strange this sudden fascination with lefties, during 89-2001 we dominated in england and our main quicks were always right arm quicks.

If one of our top prospects happened to also be a leftie than that's good i guess, but picking inferior bowlers simply because of the hand they release the ball with is ridiculous, whats really scary is if not for injury johnson would still be our "strike bowler" this summer.

England have an excellent attack just chockabloc with righties. I really don't want Johnson back and I'd like to see Starc take wickets for NSW somewhere other than the GABBA. It's still just plain cheek that he got a gig with Aus at all.

 

[Blessed]

Bring back Kaitch to open.

He is as good as Cowan and has had success in England.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Warner
Khawaja
S Marsh
Watson(vc)
Clarke(c)
Maddison
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Cummins
Lyon
12th man: Hazlewood
Others on in squad:
Cowan
M Marsh
Nevill(Paines finger problem if going to be too much of a risk).
Hilfenhous
Beer
That is the eleven I would have and the 17 man squad.
Notable payers not there.
Ponting retired, same for Hussey. Haddin dropped. Johnson never gets back in again in my mind. Starc, I see no need for a leftie.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Ben Cutting would be in the mix by then, even if only a squad member. I'd like to think Cameron Boyce will have developed enough to be Lyon's understudy.

It's reasonable to assume Ponting, Hussey and Haddin would not be there. Hard to say if Ryan Harris will still be around, he reckons he's only one break-down from retirement.

I really don't think an all-rounder is needed. If Watson is there and fit to bowl, fantastic. But players like Dan Christian don't deserve Test caps based on bowling 5 overs of leg-side rubbish per innings. I wonder how Faulker will have come on by then?

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Ben Cutting would be in the mix by then, even if only a squad member. I'd like to think Cameron Boyce will have developed enough to be Lyon's understudy.

It's reasonable to assume Ponting, Hussey and Haddin would not be there. Hard to say if Ryan Harris will still be around, he reckons he's only one break-down from retirement.

I really don't think an all-rounder is needed. If Watson is there and fit to bowl, fantastic. But players like Dan Christian don't deserve Test caps based on bowling 5 overs of leg-side rubbish per innings. I wonder how Faulker will have come on by then?

I don't think that's a reasonable assumption at all. The chances are at least one of them is still going to be there. It's only 18 months away and they have been prepared to carry Punter and Hussey an awful lot already. Why would they not just continue that policy based on them doing just enough? And probably continue to rotate through the younger players despite them doing no worse than the older players.

And who knows why Haddin is always picked? As I have no understanding of the justification for him being picked - in terms of shot selection he gets away with blue murder and on top, is rewarded with the vice-captaincy - I can't see why they would drop him now.

 

[aussierulesrules]

If you're options are Johnson and Starc a leftie isn't required, Johnsons career is over.
Bringing him back would be just stupidity after how much better everyone has bowled without him at the other end bowling his rubbish and releasing pressure.
Bowling line up will be Pattinson and a mixture of Hilfenhaus, Siddle, Hazelwood, Coulter-Nile and Harris.

What about that Pat Cummins bloke? I agree with Hazlewood, but I still think Cummins may squeeze in there ahead of both he and NCN, if not all of them.

As for the rest, I wouldn't assume for a second that Ponting and Hussey, in particular, won't be there, as some look to be doing, as they seem to be able to buy themselves an extra 6 months (especially Ricky) with every good performance they put in. They've just bought themselves 6 months each with their good games in Melb and would only need to put in another one or two each, 6 months from now, and then again 6 months after that, to guarantee themselves spots on that tour.

Seriously though, I hope they continue on with this form and get right back to their best, like Sachin and Dravid have, late in their careers, as that will give us a much better chance in the Ashes. If they go back to struggling consistently, though, like Ricky has for much of the past 3 years, I hope they have the balls to stop picking them, or that they retire from test cricket, if they know they're done.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

I don't think that's a reasonable assumption at all. The chances are at least one of them is still going to be there. It's only 18 months away and they have been prepared to carry Punter and Hussey an awful lot already. Why would they not just continue that policy based on them doing just enough? And probably continue to rotate through the younger players despite them doing no worse than the older players.

And who knows why Haddin is always picked? As I have no understanding of the justification for him being picked - in terms of shot selection he gets away with blue murder and on top, is rewarded with the vice-captaincy - I can't see why they would drop him now.

Good point actually. Just after I posted that it hit me that Mike Hussey could easilt still be in the side by then. I said he might not be there based soley on his age, not form. His performance still warrant an extended run in the side.

Hopefully Haddin will have been dropped by then. But I'm not holding my breath, not with Clarke as a selector.

 

[tombomb]

I think the fact is that there are plenty of spots available for batsman, but at the moment ... no one really seems to want to take the opportunities that are there.

I think as a previous poster covered, there are quite a few young prospects coming through ... but they need to demonstrate that they consistently score runs rather than 1 big score followed by 4 failures.

Definitely of the opinion that taking ponting, hussey, and Haddin to England would be a recipe for another English summer of Australian batting collapses.

 

[Kent_Kingsley]

If you're options are Johnson and Starc a leftie isn't required, Johnsons career is over.
Bringing him back would be just stupidity after how much better everyone has bowled without him at the other end bowling his rubbish and releasing pressure.
Bowling line up will be Pattinson and a mixture of Hilfenhaus, Siddle, Hazelwood, Coulter-Nile and Harris.

Agreed. Hopefully Coulter-Nile can get his body right and push for selection by then because he could be anything.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Don't see Cowan or Marsh lasting tbh. I hope they prove me wrong!

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Don't see Cowan or Marsh lasting tbh. I hope they prove me wrong!

I don't see Marsh lasting either. I don't think he's got the backbone for it and I'm not just talking about his injury issues. i'd love to be wrong as I love watching him bat.

 

[big_e]

Pretty sure we only took 15-man test squads for the past two tours. No need for 17 any more as there are few tour matches, and the ODI and T20 squads are chosen separately.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Pretty sure we only took 15-man test squads for the past two tours. No need for 17 any more as there are few tour matches, and the ODI and T20 squads are chosen separately.

Nah we took 17 over for the 09 ashes.

 

[MisterMarcus]

It's an interesting exercise....I remember after the 2005 Ashes, Inside Cricket picked their 15-man squad for 2009....I think they got 4 out of the 15 right!

I am assuming Ponting, Hussey and Haddin will be gone.

I am also assuming that one batsman and one bowler we've barely heard of will come "out of nowhere" in the next season or two to grab a spot.

So assuming a 15 man squad IMHO it will be something like

Cowan: Has the goods for a long Test career in my opinion. I pick him ahead of Warner as I honestly don't see Warner lasting at this level.

Marsh: They're backing him strongly and he does have the talent to make it. Probably will open with Watson down the order.

Clarke (c): I want to see the captain and best batsman take it upon himself to bat 3.

Khawaja: too good NOT to come back. Likely batting up the order where he can build an innings.

Watson: filling the Kallis role of batting middle order and bowling 10-15 overs per innigns.

[Someone unexpected]: either someone like a Maddinson or Marcus Harris will have a breakout year, or the likes of Ferguson/Bailey will finally stop teasing and give us the monster 1200 run season we've been waiting for.

Christian: i think they will pick an all-rounder.

Faulkner: promising prospect who should be pushing hard in 2012, also provides variety and another all-round option.

Wade: No brainer....just don't see Paine getting back sadly.

Siddle: the workhorse should still be around, don't see Harris lasting til 2013

Pattinson: yep

Cummings: assuming he comes back fit and firing after the long lay-off.

Lyon: should do enough to keep his spot.

Hilfenhaus: even if he hadn't come back a changed bowler, he'd probably get picked for English conditions alone.

[someone unexpected]: our pace bowling stocks look good so this will probably be a spinner. Most likely one of Boyce/O'Keefe/Holland will have a breakout year that catapaults him into contention, although it's possible some unknown will emerge.

 

[frankrizzo]

It looks like we may have the makings of a bowling attack to win back the ashes but reality is the batting will lose us the 2013 ashes.

near 40 year old's Hussey and ponting are not going to help us win back the ashes in england and the batting of the younger generation clearly isn't going to match england's depth.

I don't think we will get destroyed in 2013, our bowling will win us at least a test but england have quality bowling and far better batting depth.

If we don't somehow unearth a few great young bats in the next year then we are heading for back to back ashes losses in 13/14.

 

[Bucking Beads]

It is a back to back Ashes as well so it will be very interesting to see how they get this team ready for the Ashes.

 

[scoremachine]

E.Cowan- Perfect grafter type player we need up the top to protect the middle order. Leaves the ball well which would be very important in England.

D.Warner- Hope he makes this spot his own as he would take so much pressure off the rest of the order if he fires. Great fielder as well which helps.

S.Marsh- I still think he has the game to bat at 3 even though he's been out of form lately, is a very classy player once set & has all the shots.

S.Watson- Would be perfect coming in at 4 & i would have more confidence in him scoring runs in England than Ponting. Even if we lost 2 quick wickets early he could use his opening skills to see the new ball off. Would be a real key with the ball too in these conditions, if his batting fires I think we could see something special from Watson here.

M.Clarke- Hopefully he's coming in when Swann is bowling & could really dominate the attack if he gets going. Has to stand up with the bat & be a consistent scorer for us to win.

M.Hussey- As he said he waited 10 years for the baggygreen & he aint about to give it up without a fight. Very important player at 6 & works well with the tail. Has faced these bowlers before & done well so I see no reason why he couldn't do it again. Awesome in the field as well.

M.Wade- My first choice would be Tim Paine, but as he is injured & Wade has gone from strength to strength he gets the nod here. His batting could be very crucial & would relish a scrap with the English bowlers.

J.Pattinson- Super impressive youngster who could really do some damage if he can get the ball to hoop around. Never gives up & looks promising with the bat as well.

P.Siddle- Very tough choice here between him & Cummins could have gone either way really. He has done nothing wrong lately & deserves the chance to win back the ashes. Really seems to hurry the batsman & has a ripper bouncer. If he can stay consistent would be a real worry for England.

B.Hilfenhaus- An outswing bowler in England who can bowl 140kph seems a great choice. Will be at his peak here & should trouble Cook & Strauss up the top.

N.Lyon- Need a spinner & he seems the logical choice atm. Gets nice loop & drift & can spin it a fair way. Could be a surprise.

12th Man- Pat Cummins- Pretty handy option to have & wouldn't be surprised if he goes ahead of one of the bowlers i have picked.

U.Khawaja, T.Paine?, R.Harris, C.Ferguson, B.Cutting, J.Burns & J. Hazlewood right in the mix.

 

[Wallaby]

Our top order is the big worry.

Warner has had one good innings out of 7 (it was very good). Cowan is worth perservering with (has he been dudded 3 times?). I think there is a spot for at least one more opener - but it's possible neither Warner or Cowan will be there.

Marsh - iffy.

Khawaja - am I the only one not completely enraptured with Khawaja? he's has a few tests and really failed to impress. He probably deserved a spot, but he wasn't exactly demanding to be picked - his shield record was OK.

I've been calling for Ponting's head for a couple of year's now - the problem is that we haven't yet found a genuine replacement for him (or Katich). I think we could be in for a couple more years of pain, because we still have not got a a settled top 3.

I know everyone is calling for Watson to be No 6, but his record as an opener is fine, and if we have to, we have to.

 

[frankrizzo]

If we are talking ashes in england i can't see watson prospering as an opener, he's been solid and sometimes dominating on flatter pitches but as soon as the ball moves he's looked a walking wicket.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

If we are talking ashes in england i can't see watson prospering as an opener, he's been solid and sometimes dominating on flatter pitches but as soon as the ball moves he's looked a walking wicket.

Who doesn't? Our guys fall apart when the ball moves around. What you need is bowlers who can exploit the conditions and then just hope for the best with the batsmen.