2019 Ashes discussion

[Sproj]

I honestly didn’t think it was confusing and it was all factual , old mate has just said exactly what we have been saying since 2001- our bowling attack is so fast and yet we get rolled by guys bowling 40km slower.

Guys like Alderman would destroy England twice and not bowl above 130.

I am always sceptical of how good our attack is regarding being smart and using smarts and that will be needed again this series.

I did say potentially Pattinson could be the smart bowler if he can stay fit.

Did Lillee and Thompson ever destroy England in England?

 

[1910]

Just out of curiosity, I wonder what our best "England" bowling attack would be

Bird, Sayers, Mennie, Tremain?

Something like that I'd imagine.

I don't think you need to be 100% in and no pace but I just doubt we consider anyone that isn't above 150 really. We are obsessed with it. Neser would be in any team I picked if I wanted swing.

Would Alderman play Tests now? Not a chance.
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Pace aside, Cummins is currently the best fast bowler in world cricket. Patto has been tearing up county line ups for a while now, so it's not purely a fascination with his raw pace. I'm not a massive fan of Starc in English conditions, but let's get serious, he's most likely not going to get dropped.

EDIT: I'm not a massive fan of his, but I wouldn't mind Siddle as the third seamer with Cummins and Patto. He's been good in County of late. I always thought Faulkner would be a great bowler in English conditions, but injury and being pigeonholed as a short form specialist has rooted him.

But again, I can't see Starc being dropped.

I just think it hasn't worked since 2001, yet we do it again- why will it be different this time? I'd just like to see some variety and smarts.

If something hasn't worked in so long surely the question has to be asked why?

 

[1910]

Did Lillee and Thompson ever destroy England in England?

Thompson had less success than Lillee and interesting Lillee had his best return over there after his back and when he came back with less pace but more guile and would swing the ball.

Again I am not saying I wouldn't pick Lillee but would we go to India and not take a spinner? I don't understand why we just throw English conditions aside every four years and learn nothing.

 

[Unbreakable]

Australia coach Justin Langer says Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson are set to play in the Ashes opener as the selectors prepare to make several crunch decisions in Birmingham.

Langer confirmed Khawaja passed a fitness test on his hamstring on Monday and will bat at No.3 in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston starting Thursday, while only a last-minute setback will prevent Pattinson from playing in his first Test since February 2016.

 

[Unbreakable]

This is the team that's locked in so far according to Langer, as well as the positions up for debate -

1. Harris / Bancroft
2. Warner
3. Khawaja
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Labuschagne / Wade / M.Marsh
7. Paine (c)
8. Cummins
9. Starc / Hazlewood / Siddle
10. Pattinson
11. Lyon

 

[Unbreakable]

Out of the positional battles I'd be picking 1x left handed bat, 1x right handed bat and Starc.

You need Starc there, he adds another dimension to our bowling attack being the only left hander and having the best wicket tacking ball in the world. He's also a good batsman to have in the tail.

The 2 batting combinations I'd be looking at are Harris & Labuschagne or Bancroft & Wade. They both have their own pros and cons, it's a tough call either way, possibly leaning towards Harris & Labuschagne for the "loyalty" aspect, they're both more recently capped players and arguably deserve the first shot.

Edit: The more I look at it the more I'm tempted to go with Bancroft & Labuschagne...

 

[Sproj]

Yep, based on Langer's comments, I would go:

1. Warner
2. Bancroft
3. Khawaja
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Wade/Labooboo
7. Paine (c)
8. Cummins
9. Pattinson
10. Starc
11. Lyon

I just don't know who to go with at that 6 spot. If you asked me 6 months ago, I would have been totally against Labagel but his county season has been so good.

 

[Unbreakable]

Yep, based on Langer's comments, I would go:

1. Warner
2. Bancroft
3. Khawaja
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Wade/Labooboo
7. Paine (c)
8. Cummins
9. Pattinson
10. Starc
11. Lyon

I just don't know who to go with at that 6 spot. If you asked me 6 months ago, I would have been totally against Labagel but his county season has been so good.

Bancroft, Labuschagne & Head are young as well, it'll be good experience moving forward for them to get some reps in Ashes tests in England. We need to start planning for guys like Warner & Khawaja to start fading in their mid 30's

 

[Unbreakable]

Just read Ben Horne's article saying that Starc is little to no chance. He sees it as Hazlewood vs Siddle for the last bowling spot. With Siddle slightly ahead.

 

[Sproj]

Just read Ben Horne's article saying that Starc is little to no chance. He sees it as Hazlewood vs Siddle for the last bowling spot. With Siddle slightly ahead.

Is that due to injury for Starc?

 

[Unbreakable]

Is that due to injury for Starc?

Don't think so..

Might be that we're leaning towards making Starc a short form specialist, he was pretty ordinary last summer in the tests. Siddle has been bowling with the duke in county for years.

 

[Battler]

I don't think you need to be 100% in and no pace but I just doubt we consider anyone that isn't above 150 really. We are obsessed with it. Neser would be in any team I picked if I wanted swing.

Would Alderman play Tests now? Not a chance.
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I just think it hasn't worked since 2001, yet we do it again- why will it be different this time? I'd just like to see some variety and smarts.

If something hasn't worked in so long surely the question has to be asked why?

I agree with you 100% on Aus picking the wrong attacks for English conditions in the past, I just think our two best bowlers right now (Patto and Cummins) just happen to be express quicks on their day. Hazlewood and Starc have been bad pretty average of late, so I'm happy to see that they're battling it out with Siddle, who should be playing based on his County form, for the last spot.

 

[The True King]

If the rumours are true and we are leaving out Starc, I think that is a serious mistake.

If thats the case then we should definitely be picking Wade at 6 because our tail just got a lot weaker with the bat

 

[Sproj]

If the rumours are true and we are leaving out Starc, I think that is a serious mistake.

If thats the case then we should definitely be picking Wade at 6 because our tail just got a lot weaker with the bat

Did it? Pattinson is no mug and both Siddle and Hazlewood can hold the bat. Pattinson is basically a right-armed version of Starc. It will be interesting to see which way the selectors go at 6 though, that's for sure.

 

[Ponga01]

Did it? Pattinson is no mug and both Siddle and Hazlewood can hold the bat. Pattinson is basically a right-armed version of Starc. It will be interesting to see which way the selectors go at 6 though, that's for sure.

Something you see with quicks that have been injured is that they get a lot of time to work on their batting. Think Coulter-Nile, Cummins and Pattinson. Pattinson is a gun with the bat.

 

[Unbreakable]

 

[Sproj]

No Curran? Good news for Aussies. That said, all three front line quicks bend it so Smith better be on fire, he won’t be getting help.

 

[Unbreakable]