Cricket/Ashes thread.

[Scorge]

Thought I'd put this up now that we know who's in the Australia squad:

R Ponting ©, M Clarke (vc), S Clark, B Haddin, N Hauritz, B Hilfenhaus, P Hughes, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, B Lee, G Manou, A McDonald, M North, P Siddle, S Watson.

Anyone see anything other than a heavy England defeat?

[davidm]

yes.

england to win, a la 2005! cannot wait for it this year. bbc sport updates every 10 minutes! just hope it's the mighty ben dirs that does the commentary this year!

[kirkt]

yes.

england to win, a la 2005! cannot wait for it this year. bbc sport updates every 10 minutes! just hope it's the mighty ben dirs that does the commentary this year!

I miss Channel 4 coverage

It'll be an excuse for some days down pub though. If England's performance the last 2 tests are anything to go by, the Aussies should be shaking in their boots!

[Scorge]

england to win, a la 2005!

You still wanting a shot of the DVD box set? Could take it on Saturday if you like......

Biggest problem England have compared to 2005 is that they don't have four shit-hot quick bowlers! Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are both very good, but I reckon only Anderson will generate any serious swing on it (unless Ryan Sidebottom finds form/fitness and gets a recall, the upcoming ODI's maybe?).

Australia's top order is also stronger than last time round, although you would say their attack isn't quite perfect either.

3-1 Aussies I'd put down on the coupon.

[Hugh_Jazz]

You still wanting a shot of the DVD box set? Could take it on Saturday if you like......

Biggest problem England have compared to 2005 is that they don't have four shit-hot quick bowlers! Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are both very good, but I reckon only Anderson will generate any serious swing on it (unless Ryan Sidebottom finds form/fitness and gets a recall, the upcoming ODI's maybe?).

Australia's top order is also stronger than last time round, although you would say their attack isn't quite perfect either.

3-1 Aussies I'd put down on the coupon.

IMO, England didn't even have 4 shit-hot seamers in 2005. I'll give you Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff were excellent throughout, but except for the Lord's test, Harmison wasn't all that effective.

Flintoff, if he can stay fit, is as good a bowler now as he was then....Anderson is on top form, and Broad is improving with every test match. Among the seamers, Onions is the wildcard. Performed well against the Windies, but let's be honest, they're shite....so it's difficult to judge how good he'll be against the Aussies.

In terms of the spinners, England are in much better shape. Swann is the leading wicket-taker in test cricket this year, gets loads of turn, and can bat some useful runs down the order. Hauritz is ordinary at best and more of a containing bowler. If we get turning wickets for the Ashes, this plays very much into England's hands as they have two genuine attacking spinners, unlike Australia.

The Aussie quicks are pretty decent.....Johnson is excellent, but I'd say Siddle and Hilfenhaus are no better than Broad and Anderson.

For me, the batting is the more interesting area. I think Bopara looks mint at no. 3, and if our openers have a good series and Pieterson gets back to top form, I think we've got a good enough top/middle order to post some big scores. We've also got a stronger tail than 2005.......Broad,Swann and even Anderson can all bat a bit. If Flintoff can sort his batting out, I think England look very strong.

The Aussie's batting line-up looks good, but they've got a few young guys who are playing their first Ashes. The Aussie top 3 look like trouble though....especially Philip Hughes.

I honestly think that with home advantage it's too close to call. Can't wait....it's going to be an awesome series.

[kingofdeon]

Can't see why the Aussies didn't pick Andrew Symonds...I know he's had his troubles in the past but surely he is still a world class all rounder. I'd have him in.

[Scorge]

IMO, England didn't even have 4 shit-hot seamers in 2005. I'll give you Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff were excellent throughout, but except for the Lord's test, Harmison wasn't all that effective.

Flintoff, if he can stay fit, is as good a bowler now as he was then....Anderson is on top form, and Broad is improving with every test match. Among the seamers, Onions is the wildcard. Performed well against the Windies, but let's be honest, they're shite....so it's difficult to judge how good he'll be against the Aussies.

In terms of the spinners, England are in much better shape. Swann is the leading wicket-taker in test cricket this year, gets loads of turn, and can bat some useful runs down the order. Hauritz is ordinary at best and more of a containing bowler. If we get turning wickets for the Ashes, this plays very much into England's hands as they have two genuine attacking spinners, unlike Australia.

The Aussie quicks are pretty decent.....Johnson is excellent, but I'd say Siddle and Hilfenhaus are no better than Broad and Anderson.

For me, the batting is the more interesting area. I think Bopara looks mint at no. 3, and if our openers have a good series and Pieterson gets back to top form, I think we've got a good enough top/middle order to post some big scores. We've also got a stronger tail than 2005.......Broad,Swann and even Anderson can all bat a bit. If Flintoff can sort his batting out, I think England look very strong.

The Aussie's batting line-up looks good, but they've got a few young guys who are playing their first Ashes. The Aussie top 3 look like trouble though....especially Philip Hughes.

I honestly think that with home advantage it's too close to call. Can't wait....it's going to be an awesome series.

Agree with a lot of what you say there. I thought Onions looked like a decent wicket-to-wicket bowler, but he was quite expensive in the second test.

I think the key difference is the Australian batting, which was brutally exposed four years ago: if any of the top five, six, or even seven get stuck in, they will cream runs off of the third/fourth seamers who might not be able to keep the pressure on (that depends on Flintoff being fit, of course). Swann is a useful addition as you say, because he can bat a lot better than Monty!

[Mr Owl PhD]

I'm not too optimistic about England's chances. I think if the wickets are spin friendly and if the Aussies get off to a poor start then there's maybe a chance. But, as in 2005, I think England will need to be at their best and still hope the Aussies make a few mistakes. Their batting is clearly better than England's and I think their seam bowling is quite a bit better too, particularly with Clark and Lee coming back in. They may not be the team they were but they've just beaten South Africa away, which I think is a better indicator of form than England's recent wins against West Indies.

[chilli]

common known fact the aussie bowling attack is very weak

warne gone

lee has been over the top for a while

& not much in depth bowling experience

england to win a fairly close series

still miss C4 coverage

[Mr Owl PhD]

common known fact the aussie bowling attack is very weak

warne gone

lee has been over the top for a while

& not much in depth bowling experience

england to win a fairly close series

still miss C4 coverage

I hope you're right, especially as I shall be in Australia at the beginning of the Ashes. It would be helpful to be able to dish out some stick rather than being on the receiving end!

[Hugh_Jazz]

I'm not too optimistic about England's chances. I think if the wickets are spin friendly and if the Aussies get off to a poor start then there's maybe a chance. But, as in 2005, I think England will need to be at their best and still hope the Aussies make a few mistakes. Their batting is clearly better than England's and I think their seam bowling is quite a bit better too, particularly with Clark and Lee coming back in. They may not be the team they were but they've just beaten South Africa away, which I think is a better indicator of form than England's recent wins against West Indies.

Lee coming back in doesn't worry me at all. He was very expensive during the 2005 series and most of the England batsmen like pace on the ball. If he's just coming back from injury, it's hard to see him being at his best.

Clarke on the other hand is very handy, sort of in the McGrath mould. Overall, I don't see a huge amount between the two sides in terms of the seam bowling, with England having the advantage among the spinners.

For me, it's all about England's batting. On paper, Australia are stronger....but if England hit their straps, it's going to be damn close.

[chilli]

Lee coming back in doesn't worry me at all. He was very expensive during the 2005 series and most of the England batsmen like pace on the ball. If he's just coming back from injury, it's hard to see him being at his best.

Clarke on the other hand is very handy, sort of in the McGrath mould. Overall, I don't see a huge amount between the two sides in terms of the seam bowling, with England having the advantage among the spinners.

For me, it's all about England's batting. On paper, Australia are stronger....but if England hit their straps, it's going to be damn close.

Clarke will have to be some kiddie to be in the class of Mcrath & handy he may be

but hes not in the same league. its defo a weak Aussie bowling side. English batsmen

should give their bowlers enough margin to pressurise the aussie batsmen.

[Mr Owl PhD]

I think a few folks are getting carried away with a couple of wins against a weak West Indies team, who didn't really even want to be playing anyway! England's seam bowling attack has some promise but, like the Australians, is largely unproven at international level. I'd agree that the most interesting thing about the series, and perhaps the key issue, is which of these two attacks will come out on top. The advantage the Australian bowlers have is that they'll be bowling at a weaker batting side. I hope the Australian batsmen underperform as they did in 2005!

As for Lee, he's an expensive bowler but he gets wickets. I think whatever can be said about him coming back from injury also applies to Flintoff, who's a better defensive bowler but he doesn't take as many wickets.

[RossP]

Just watching the Yorkshire v. Lancashire 20/20 cricket and have seen the most amazing thing!

Fielder picks up the ball near the ropes and launches it toward the wicket keeper... a pigeon flies right in the line of the ball and gets hit square in the beak! Dead instantly. The slow motion clip was incredible. I'd expect it to be on youtube sometime soon

[Mr Owl PhD]

Just watching the Yorkshire v. Lancashire 20/20 cricket and have seen the most amazing thing!

Fielder picks up the ball near the ropes and launches it toward the wicket keeper... a pigeon flies right in the line of the ball and gets hit square in the beak! Dead instantly. The slow motion clip was incredible. I'd expect it to be on youtube sometime soon

It's there now: