Rolling Ashes Squad Thread, now featuring Haddin XII v Hick XII beginning p. 147

[The Airing of Grievances]

I thought before the 2015 series that Heazlewood would do well in England based on the likelihood he would get plenty of movement off the deck from pitches with a good grass covering. I was wrong, he was poor as he has admitted himself. I don't see a great deal of evidence that suggests he will do much better this time round, other than the hope he has learned to bowl better lengths. I agree with the view that Starc is more likely than not to be ineffective. The great danger is that like Mitch Johnson before him, if he's not getting wickets he's releasing pressure by leaking runs big time and so making it that much harder for the rest of the attack. All that being said, I think he will certainly be picked for First Test, along with Pat Cummins and ,hopefully, Pattinson who is the one most likely to do well. Siddle for Starc would be my preference, particularly given a forecast of cloud and drizzle over the first 2 or 3 days, but won't happen.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

The English have been pushing this structure for a while.

I think it underutilises Stokes bowling (who is comfortably the best #5 bowler in the world) and means they have a 4-5-6-7 with test batting averages of 36-33-35-29 respectively.

They seem to be working off the principle that their batting is so poor and their specialist batsmen are unlikely to do any better with the bat than their all rounders, so you might as well pick blokes who can bowl in those positions. I think long term they need to revert to a more traditional team structure with just the one all rounder in the top seven (which should be Stokes at either #6 or #7 depending on who they have keeping).

They seem pretty determined to stick to this methodology, but it's had a pretty mixed bag of results.

I can understand the view that this kind of lineup looks light on for genuine batsmen, But I guess the English view is that all of those in the "BBC List" above are genuine Test quality cricketers( with the exception of Archer who remains an unknown quantity at this level), whereas if they pick another specialist bat, he probably isn't. The theory is that they make up by sheer numbers of competent batting allrounders all the way down to number 10 for the lack of top quality(outside of Root and to a lesser extent Bairstow). On a bad day it can go horribly wrong, witness several spectacular English collapses in recent years. But the flip side, one which I suspect we'll see more than once this series is they can be 5 or even 6 down for not many and still wind up with 300-400. Which given our batting is likely to be plenty given their bowling and the pitches likely to be served up. I agree they seem to have one quick excess to requirements. I mean you'd think Archer, if hes to be effective , is going to want that hard new rock in his hand. So does Broad then become 1st change. I would think an attack of Anderson , Broad, Woakes and Stokes on a Birmingham pitch under cloudy skies is likely to mean no need for a 5th bowler much less a 6th.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

This will be interesting. He has only kept 1 test since 2015, although he was only picked for a few tests in 2016 and none in 2017.

I was thinking of how Bairstow has not been performing with the bat for a while. He's really only had one good year with the bat, so if Buttler is batting well, they might make some moves.

 

[Iceman!]

Pattinson confirmed in for the first test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Koala as well

Langer locks in Khawaja, Pattinson for Ashes opener | cricket.com.au

Coach confirms left-handed batter fit to take his spot at No.3 while James Pattinson will make his…

www.cricket.com.au

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bancroft for Harris

Think they will go Wade at 6. Him or Laubashgne it’s tight.

I’d go Siddle but they will go Hazelwood

 

[Ducky Tie]

That article gives the impression it will be:

Bancroft
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Wade
Paine
Patto
Cummins
Stars/Haze
Gaz

Edit. Sorry, didn’t realise that was cricket.com.au’s article. Cricinfo’s article says Wade is more likely.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

Bancroft for Harris

Think they will go Wade at 6. Him or Laubashgne it’s tight.

I’d go Siddle but they will go Hazelwood

I haven't been a fan of Labuschagne on the basis that he lacks the range of shots to score against tight Test level bowling. But at least he has a fairly tight technique and as I believe in rewarding form, particularly when he's made so many runs on English wickets this season, I would give him a go. But really all of the borderline batsman are very iffy and I suspect they'll all get a chance at some stage in this series to show what they can make of the moving ball

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I haven't been a fan of Labuschagne on the basis that he lacks the range of shots to score against tight Test level bowling. But at least he has a fairly tight technique and as I believe in rewarding form, particularly when he's made so many runs on English wickets this season, I would give him a go. But really all of the borderline batsman are very iffy and I suspect they'll all get a chance at some stage in this series to show what they can make of the moving ball

The safe choice is probably Wade in the bulk of runs but won’t shock me either way.

Really hope we don’t play Starc he’s a very ordinary red ball bowler

 

[Kram]

If Wade sits out this series I can only imagine how even more highly he will be rated on BF afterwards.

 

[Banga19]

Stoked that Patto is in! I'm bullish on this series, we seem to be picking for conditions and form which is refreshing.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

If Wade sits out this series I can only imagine how even more highly he will be rated on BF afterwards.

He’s almost reached Bradman already

 

[Westend]

And it looks like Root will bat three...thats so much better for england if he does

Roy
Burns
Root
Denly
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler
Woakes
Broad
Archer
Anderson

Reckon they wont go Ali for this game against

bancroft
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Marsh
Paine
Pattinson
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
12 Marnus

Rain predicted for the first couple of days ...the pitch seems dry but there will be some moisture in the air....need bowlers that swing the ball....Pattinson and Starc

 

[LukeParkerno1]

And it looks like Root will bat three...thats so much better for england if he does

Roy
Burns
Root
Denly
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler
Woakes
Broad
Archer
Anderson

Reckon they wont go Ali for this game against

bancroft
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Marsh
Paine
Pattinson
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
12 Marnus

Rain predicted for the first couple of days ...the pitch seems dry but there will be some moisture in the air....need bowlers that swing the ball....Pattinson and Starc

You need accurate bowlers if there is moisture. You need either Siddle or Hazelwood. Don’t need Starc at all. Bowls 95% of absolute dog rubbish...which then means Cummins and Hazelwood are bowling more. Also you need a bowler to bowl “donkey” overs or long spells. Neither Cummins and Pattinson do that.

 

[Westend]

You need accurate bowlers if there is moisture. You need either Siddle or Hazelwood. Don’t need Starc at all. Bowls 95% of absolute dog rubbish...which then means Cummins and Hazelwood are bowling more. Also you need a bowler to bowl “donkey” overs or long spells. Neither Cummins and Oattonson do that.

Moisture in the air...swings.....I would go Hazelwood but I reckon the selectors reckon he needs another game so starc comes in . Starc is also the master of cleaning up the tail....We have a bowler to bowl donkey overs Lyon.....rotate the quicks up the other end we have been doing it for years

This pitch seems to be drier with a lack of grass...there is going to be rain about so its going to swing you hope...our best swing bowlers are patto and starc.....Siddle hazelwood back of a length bowlers who excel with grass on the pitch...siddle more so

and i have a strange feeling they are going to play marsh for insurance due to patto

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Moisture in the air...swings.....I would go Hazelwood but I reckon the selectors reckon he needs another game so starc comes in . Starc is also the master of cleaning up the tail....We have a bowler to bowl donkey overs Lyon.....rotate the quicks up the other end we have been doing it for years

This pitch seems to be drier with a lack of grass...there is going to be rain about so its going to swing you hope...our best swing bowlers are patto and starc.....Siddle hazelwood back of a length bowlers who excel with grass on the pitch...siddle more so

and i have a strange feeling they are going to play marsh for insurance due to patto

A master at cleaning the tail up...load of rubbish! Take out SL when’s he done that in the last 12 months?

I’d back Cummins and Pattinson to clean the tail up anyway. Starc has one delivery and test batsmen just wait for it and smack the rubbish out of the rest of his bowling which is a lot!

We better not play Marsh! He can’t bat at test level, there’s a reason he is our worst number 6 in our history

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Bancroft for Harris

Think they will go Wade at 6. Him or Laubashgne it’s tight.

I’d go Siddle but they will go Hazelwood

Surely not, what's his average at shield level ?

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Surely not, what's his average at shield level ?

What’s his county average this year. That’s what counts

 

[HODGEYROAD]

What’s his county average this year. That’s what counts

The Attacks at county level are not even in the same ball park as Anderson, Broad etc though are they ? Generally it's substantially lower standard than shield cricket.

 

[ROOTA#6]

The Attacks at county level are not even in the same ball park as Anderson, Broad etc though are they ? Generally it's substantially lower standard than shield cricket.

Except that Anderson and Broad and others have been playing County Cricket haven’t they?

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Except that Anderson and Broad and others have been playing County Cricket haven’t they?

Haven't been following it, so please do enlighten me ? What's his record this county season ? and what's his record in games vs likely English bowlers that will feature in the Ashes ?

 

[corbies]

Pattinson confirmed in for the first test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Koala as well

Langer locks in Khawaja, Pattinson for Ashes opener | cricket.com.au

Coach confirms left-handed batter fit to take his spot at No.3 while James Pattinson will make his…

www.cricket.com.au

Patto_man!

 

[corbies]

Haven't been following it, so please do enlighten me ? What's his record this county season ? and what's his record in games vs likely English bowlers that will feature in the Ashes ?

He has 1114 @ 66 in County Cricket. Leading run scorer in Div 2 this season by 250 runs.

I can't be bothered to work out the latter question but you're more than welcome to do the research.

 

[Seedsfan]

The safe choice is probably Wade in the bulk of runs but won’t shock me either way.

Really hope we don’t play Starc he’s a very ordinary red ball bowler

Safe choice would be Lab 1100 runs and 5 100s so far this English summer more than anyone else

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Just saw the forecast for the 1st Test, seems we'll be lucky to see a result.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Surely not, what's his average at shield level ?

Averages 60 in this year’s county season and second most runs in the warm up match behind Bancroft