Your team for the Ashes...

[courtjester]

Here's mine, flame on...

M. Hussey
D. Warner
D. Hussey
S. Watson
M. Clarke
M. Wade
A. McDonald
R. Harris
J. Pattinson/P. Siddle
B. Hilfenhaus
N. Lyon

 

[damochandler]

ussie in at 4 or opener for mine

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I don't understand this obsession with picking Ashes teams/squads this far out. There are three Test series and a full season of Sheffield Shield before then.
The other Test series aren't practice matches, like so many people seem to treat them as. They are Tests and deserve the best available eleven in each match.
So much can change in the next 12 months (its even possible, though unliekly, that Mitchell Johnson will learn what that strip without much grass on it is for).
I can't even decide on a squad to take on South Africa.

I don't mean to be critical, I just don't understand this thiking that everything else is aorund planning for the Ashes. In limited overs cricket, sure, plan for the World Cup; everything else is just preparation for that. To me Test cricket is very different, every Test is important, Ashes or not.

 

[dan warna]

David Hussey should have been in the test side 6 or 7 seasons ago. Its too late now and short sighted to select him now.

I love the hussey and if he was selected, he would be worthy, but as good as he is, he's on the decline from his best 2 or 3 seasons ago.

McDonald won't go either, he acquitted himself admirably, given limited opportunities, but he's not the selectors radar.
cummins, should be fit by them to go as well.

They'll take a full battery of cummins, pattinson, siddle, Harris and Hilfenhaus. starc maybe a spare as well or on call, if he can get a visa

 

[dajesmac]

Wouldn't be completely surprised if Cummins isn't considered in our best 4-5 bowlers by that stage.

He is only 19, he's going to fluctuate for a good few years before getting a settled spot.

 

[dajesmac]

In my opinion, it's all up in the air at this stage. The only ones I'd be confident enough to lock in are:

Warner
Clarke
Watson
Hussey
Siddle
Pattinson
Haddin
Wade
Lyon (due to lack of replacement)

The rest are going to be fighting this coming summer out for a spot:

Cowan
Ponting (string of failures could spell the end)
Hughes
Khawaja
S.Marsh
Forrest
Christian
Hilfenhaus
Harris (most likely depends on fitness)
Johnson
Beer
Smith
Bird
Cummins
Starc
McDermott

I would say everyone above has a reasonable -> slight chance of making the squad. Some, like McDermott and Marsh, would require big summers but they're very capable.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Might be controversial, but here we go...

Phil Hughes - Form SS opener.
Liam Davis - Will continue to plunder runs next season.
Ricky Ponting - Has to move back to number 3.
Michael Clarke - Speaks for himself.
Marcus North - Impeccable record in England
Shane Watson - Back to number 6.
Brad Haddin - Complain all you want, we need the experience over there.
Mitchell Johnson - We won't win without X-Factor.
Nathan Coulter-Nile - Will leapfrog all opponents in the Shield season.
Xavier Doherty - Will use his T20 prowess to keep it tight(vital) at one end.
Peter Siddle - Always bowls well in tandem with Johnson.

Mike Hussey won't make it, Harris and Hilfenhaus will lose form.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I'm stumped as regards batsmen, I'm not sure that it matters if the conditions are bowler friendly.

But I'll do a list for the bowlers.

8 - Anybody but Mitchell Johnson
9 - Anybody but Mitchell Johnson
10 - Anybody but Mitchell Johnson
11 - Nathan Lyon

 

[dajesmac]

Might be controversial, but here we go...

Phil Hughes - Form SS opener.
Liam Davis - Will continue to plunder runs next season.
Ricky Ponting - Has to move back to number 3.
Michael Clarke - Speaks for himself.
Marcus North - Impeccable record in England
Shane Watson - Back to number 6.
Brad Haddin - Complain all you want, we need the experience over there.
Mitchell Johnson - We won't win without X-Factor.
Nathan Coulter-Nile - Will leapfrog all opponents in the Shield season.
Xavier Doherty - Will use his T20 prowess to keep it tight(vital) at one end.
Peter Siddle - Always bowls well in tandem with Johnson.

Mike Hussey won't make it, Harris and Hilfenhaus will lose form.

Prediction or just personal choice?

Davis in particular is an interesting one. Really had a break out season this year.

 

[dan warna]

Might be controversial, but here we go...

Phil Hughes - Form SS opener.
Liam Davis - Will continue to plunder runs next season.
Ricky Ponting - Has to move back to number 3.
Michael Clarke - Speaks for himself.
Marcus North - Impeccable record in England
Shane Watson - Back to number 6.
Brad Haddin - Complain all you want, we need the experience over there.
Mitchell Johnson - We won't win without X-Factor.
Nathan Coulter-Nile - Will leapfrog all opponents in the Shield season.
Xavier Doherty - Will use his T20 prowess to keep it tight(vital) at one end.
Peter Siddle - Always bowls well in tandem with Johnson.

Mike Hussey won't make it, Harris and Hilfenhaus will lose form.

Hughes hasn't done much to suggest he is back in form and deserving of national selection.
Marcus North just isn't good enough.
Haddin just isn't good enough with bat or gloves. Experience? Its worthless if you drop catches.
Doherty is a good keep it tight bowler, but won't take wickets in the test arena against a disciplined england side.
You can't have siddle AND johnson in the same test side. Unless Johnson can prove he's had a hilfenhaus/siddle like readjustment, its insane.

If we go with your test team, its a recipe for a thrashing at the hands of the english in my opinion.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Surprised my team didn't get more bites, its a blatant troll.

Way too early tbh; so much can and will change before squads are being considered.

 

[The Passenger]

there's still a good bit of water to go under the bridge.... the biggest concern is obviously the batting, and whether hussey and ponting can maintain their indian series form for another 15 months...

will warner find consistency?? will cowan start capatilizing on starts?? can watson push on to make big centuries...

it's really impossible to answer any of those five questions, and if there are two many answers in the negative, the potential replacements aren't the most inspiring...

 

[Torz]

Surprised my team didn't get more bites, its a blatant troll.

Way too early tbh; so much can and will change before squads are being considered.

Nice one.

I kept looking at the team and thinking, 'surely not'.

Like the Coulter-Nile inclusion though.

 

[dajesmac]

Surprised my team didn't get more bites, its a blatant troll.

Way too early tbh; so much can and will change before squads are being considered.

I was trying not to be a douche and openly criticise your opinion haha. Looking back over it now it was quite obvious, I laughed.

But I stand by my comment on Davis, he's in the A squad, he may have half a shot.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I was trying not to be a douche and openly criticise your opinion haha. Looking back over it now it was quite obvious, I laughed.

But I stand by my comment on Davis, he's in the A squad, he may have half a shot.

Haha, cheers for being a good bloke.

Davis would need another huge season to be in the Ashes mix. I'm still not fully convinced myself about him myself, so I'll be keen to see him back it up next season.

 

[4evablues]

I don't the the squad will change much to the one that went to the West Indies!

I reckon Ponting is the only doubtful one....but I'm picking he will have a huge summer and be in the Ashes series!

Mitchell Johnson.....sorry but I dont think he has a chance

 

[Blue Dimension]

David Warner
Phillip Hughes/Usman Khawaja (which ever is in form)
Shane Watson
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Matthew Wade
James Pattinson
Peter Siddle/Ben Hilfenhaus
Pat Cummins
Nathan Lyon


Just my guess. It's still ages away so hard to tell. The team I've listed is definitely not our current best side, it's my prediction of what might be.

 

[Hue_Jars]

My Test X1:

Warner
Watson
Clarke
M Hussey
Quiney
D Hussey
Paine
Pattinson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Lyon


Players I think will be pushing for spots by the time it all comes around:

Starc
McDermott
Johnson
Liam Davis
Cummins
Beer
M Marsh
D Christian
Wade
N Coulter-Niele
C Ferguson (a good year will put him right up there again)
Kawajha


Players expired:

Harris (break down imminent)
Ponting
Hughes (too many holes in his technique, and too big a nose)
S Marsh
Haddin
M North (leading us to the Sheffield Shield title!)
S Smith

 

[JimDocker]

My team will be England

 

[Jimthegreat]

Be inclined to play Dave Hussey. Given we're only a year or so away at this point just pick the best (if Dussey is at the time of course) irrespective of age. No more time for development at this point until after the Ashes. May as well be setting up our team. We only have 6 Tests before then (or is there a tour somewhere in-between?).

 

[Carbine Chaos]

My team will be England

Then you're backing the dud horse, my friend.

 

[WATiger86]

As many have stated, too far out to pick a side, plenty of water to go under the bridge until a ball is bowled...

However i think its fair to say the locks are:
- M Clarke (c)
- D Warner - Cricket Australia's Love child - would have to fail in every innings of every series in the lead up not to get one of the opening spots in the first test
- S Watson - If fit will play
- N Lyon - has had a good start to his career, would take some seriously strong shield form to displace him

Will Probably make the XI
- M Hussey - At least one of punter and huss will be there, i'd say huss is a safer bet
- M Wade - Haddin should do the righty and step aside
- B Hilfenhaus - English conditions were made for his bowling, would have to get injured or loose form not to be there
- P Siddle - When fit has taken the mantle of the "Leader of the attack"

Leaves an opening bat, middle order bat and a pace bowling position up for grabs.

If punter is serious about having another crack at ashes redemption, i'd say he will score a shitload of runs in the lead up series, making it impossible for the selectors to drop him.

Pattinson and cummings are fighting it out for the last pace bowling spot.

Roughies for a spot for me would be dave hussey and steve smith, could see one of them filling the spin bowling spot and batting lower middle order as North did when the selectors got sick of looking for the next warnie!

 

[dajesmac]

Pattinson would be close to a lock for mine.

 

[Hue_Jars]

Pattinson is quality. He has genuine c***. The question is if his body will hold up.

 

[dajesmac]

He has genuine c***.

Excuse my ignorance but what does that even mean? haha.

Patto_man is going to be a long term gun and I would be amazed if Cummins managed to edge him out for a spot.