The Ashes

[Alistair20000]

Sad news about poor Finn. Reminds me of Chris Tremlett.

I thought either Liam Plunkett or Mark Wood with their extra pace would be the next cab on the rank but good luck to Tom C who has a good attitude to the game and maybe the selectors took into account his batting. Shame he is from Sorry mind.

 

[Avening Posse]

I feel a bit of a fraud. I am going to this on the 5th of Jan in Sydney and know nothing about cricket whatsoever . Group of 14 chaps and chicks, good mix of Oz an English, looking forward to it a lot

 

[Jason H]

Sad news about poor Finn. Reminds me of Chris Tremlett.

I thought either Liam Plunkett or Mark Wood with their extra pace would be the next cab on the rank but good luck to Tom C who has a good attitude to the game and maybe the selectors took into account his batting. Shame he is from Sorry mind.

Surprised Plunkett didn't get the nod, Wood is a busted flush now. Good luck to Curran.

 

[godisagrecian]

Got to feel for Plunkett not being called up as a replacement as he arguably merited a seat on the plane in the first place. Curran is probably being lined up to replace Jimmy when he retires. Massive leap, but the ECB have backed him since day one. Our seam attack does look very one-paced.

 

[godisagrecian]

Jake Ball sprained his ankle bowling overnight. Starting to feel like the seam department is doomed; still two weeks to go.

 

[CREDYGRECIAN]

Good to see Craig Overton do so well in the warm up games - nice lad is Craig and a super talent for the future - used to hate rocking up at North Devon and see him and Jamie warming up - although I think Ball will get the chance

I reckon this will now be the starting 11

Cook
Stoneman
Vince
Root
Malan
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Ball
Anderson

 

[godisagrecian]

Good to see Craig Overton do so well in the warm up games - nice lad is Craig and a super talent for the future - used to hate rocking up at North Devon and see him and Jamie warming up - although I think Ball will get the chance

I reckon this will now be the starting 11

Cook
Stoneman
Vince
Root
Malan
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Ball
Anderson

This will be the side, I'm sure. Would still be nice to see Root pushed up to 3 though.

 

[Jason H]

I'd have Overton in ahead of Ball, who really doesn't impress me.

 

[spanky]

I'd have Overton in ahead of Ball, who really doesn't impress me.

Super lad is Jake. Very hard working, very focused, knows his flaws. See his career (not necessarily ability/strengths/weaknesses) a bit like Jimmy's at his age. A solid back up with heaps of potential, just needs more consistency. That'll come in time.

He'll take several hundred test wickets before his career is done, injuries permitting.

p.s. I am biased.

 

[Bittners a Legend]

I agree that Ball will probably get picked and I think he is a decent option but it is interesting that Overton despite being three years younger has 50 more first class wickets than Ball despite having spent half his career bowling on pitches entirely unconducive to pace bowling.

England have a lot of issues but this Australian team is very average and only three months ago lost a test match to Bangladesh. I'm sure we will see a few batting collapses on both sides during this series but I'm bewildered that the Australians are such heavy favourites. The jury is definitely out on Stoneman, Malan and Vince but the first two have scored reasonably heavily in first class cricket in the past couple of years and definitely have the potential to come good.