Counting down to the back-to-back Ashes series in 2013/14

[Alviro Patterson]

Headlines of this nature ridicule a fine international cricketing side, more so undermines the efforts of Nathan Lyon who is a better cricketer than what people give him credit for.

[rich1uk]

lyon maybe isn't the best spinner around but hes not done alot wrong , but then i didn't think hauritz did alot wrong either before he was dropped

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cowan to play for Notts?

[shankycricket]

I'm hoping for some rank turners against Australia.

[Arthur Crabtree]

In Nottingham? Chester-le-Street? Lord's?

The Oval maybe.

[from_the_stands]

Nathan Lyon will spin a web... if they select a spinner...

[shankycricket]

In Nottingham? Chester-le-Street? Lord's?

The Oval maybe.

Old Trafford and The Oval.

Jimmy will swing them out at Chester Le Street and Nottingham. The best they can hope for is a draw at Lord's.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Maybe tosses will only really matter at Lord's and The Oval? Lord's to bowl first, and the Oval to bowl last. Trent Bridge can disintegrate, but that's not reliable.

I don't want anyone to mistake this for confidence, but at the moment I see the home (UK) series being decided by whether the Aussies can turn up with a top three. I can see both sides being conceivably well matched otherwise.

But Cook/Root or Compton/Trott, against Cowan/Warner/Hughes, in English conditions, looks like the key.

Or even four, if you add Pietersen and Watson.

Clarke has to bat at four. Why wouldn't he?

[Arthur Crabtree]

A new member for the Oz top 6 come Ashes time; http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/505110.html

Just have a look at that average! :shock:

Bradman-esque!

He's only 18 and has done well in his recent matches. If he continues that form then who knows...

Any news?

[from_the_stands]

Maybe tosses will only really matter at Lord's and The Oval? Lord's to bowl first, and the Oval to bowl last. Trent Bridge can disintegrate, but that's not reliable.

I don't want anyone to mistake this for confidence, but at the moment I see the home (UK) series being decided by whether the Aussies can turn up with a top three. I can see both sides being conceivably well matched otherwise.

But Cook/Root or Compton/Trott, against Cowan/Warner/Hughes, in English conditions, looks like the key.

Or even four, if you add Pietersen and Watson.

Clarke has to bat at four. Why wouldn't he?

Surely Michael Clarke will bat at 4 with Twatto moving down to 6. I kind of feel like a broken record by continuing to say it, but at some point, the selectors must come to their senses and move Watson down to 6. And it needs to happen sooner rather than later. If he continues to play at 4, and continues to fail, he might find himself being dropped altogether. There's still 6 more Tests to go for the Aussies before the first Ashes Test, so potentially, that's a lot of failures that Twatto risks having.

[from_the_stands]

A new member for the Oz top 6 come Ashes time; http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/505110.html

Just have a look at that average!

Bradman-esque!

He's only 18 and has done well in his recent matches. If he continues that form then who knows...

Any news?

Are yes, the next big thing in batting... maybe. He's only played the one game, against a somewhat depleted WA side (who are usually substandard even when they are at full strength). He played in the under 19 World Cup side last year. Big things are predicted for him. He needs to break into the NSW side first, so my guess is that he might be a few years away. He's a potential post-Hussey player with hopefully a very big future ahead of him. I mentioned him in a blog I wrote some time ago; http://www.cricket-match-special.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=19395

[Arthur Crabtree]

Surely Michael Clarke will bat at 4 with Twatto moving down to 6. I kind of feel like a broken record by continuing to say it, but at some point, the selectors must come to their senses and move Watson down to 6. And it needs to happen sooner rather than later. If he continues to play at 4, and continues to fail, he might find himself being dropped altogether. There's still 6 more Tests to go for the Aussies before the first Ashes Test, so potentially, that's a lot of failures that Twatto risks having.

Obviously Australia have thought about Clarke moving up. And have had a meeting about it. Either they've decided not to do it, or the person who was detailed to look this idea, and get back to the board about it, has been sacked over some discrepancies over the petty cash.

Maybe the Aussies should just say. Clarke won't bat at four. Maybe they have. Someone must have asked? Maybe the same person who asked why Watson was opening?

[greyblazer]

I just noticed Ozzies have 5 lefties in their top 7. Hmm, leaving Smith and to a lesser extent Huss (he should have been out at Gabba) rest of the lefties have really struggled against Swann and Jimmy combination in the last 3 years.

[greyblazer]

#shankychameleoncricket
#shankyEngIndAusAlreadyButNotYetNZWIPakSLbiggestFan
#shankydiscombobulatedAboutHisTrueFeelingsFan

#justsaying

[from_the_stands]

Oz XI for the first Ashes Test in july;

Dave Warner
Ed Cowan
Phil Hughes
Michael Clarke
Usman Khawaja
Shane Watson/Glenn Maxwell
Matthew Wade/Tim Paine
Mitchell Johnson
James Pattinson (hopefully)
Peter Siddle
Nathan Lyon

Mitchell Starc (12th man)

No room for Jackson Bird unfortunately, who will definately be in the squad (if he doesn't pick up an injury between now and then).