Arthur Crabtree wrote:If the squad was intended to minimise hope and anticipation, I think the selectors have done a great job.
Good grief, something about the definition of insanity. It's almost the same squad as went last time, minus the one player who pretty much single-handedly prevented us being whitewashed (as he's retired). Who'd have thought Malan, Bairstow and Overton would be back? Crap last time around, so let's spend four years modding around trying to find better players, failing miserably, and going back to the ones who failed last time. Genius.
No Stokes again is a real blow - missing two overseas Ashes is going to be a real blot on his career. Clearly not his fault this time, but it was last time. I hope he can recover, but looking like yet another casualty of the relentless England pressure mill, like Tresco, Harmison and Trott. And of course, we've taken the most promising quick we've had in a while (Archer) and broken him.
Joe needs to continue his stellar form, as I can't see the rest of them making 200 between them.
sussexpob wrote:
But lets face it, with the quality of the Australia attack, I think they could take 10 years of and still plough into this batting line up
Pretty much. Australia have had some phenomenal luck with their bowling attack in the last few years, with very few injuries, especially given Cummins broke down a lot early in his career but now seems to be extraordinarily fit. But of course, Australia have played a fraction of what England have in the last two years. Maybe some correlation, no?
The Australian attack will destroy England. I guess the traditional prediction would be that England could get something out of the day/night test if the ball swings and Jimmy and Woakes have a good game. Australia can be vulnerable if Smith and Warner don't make a lot. But you still have to make enough runs to give your bowlers a crack at getting the opposition under lights.
I can't remember feeling less confident at this stage before an Ashes series. I know we got pummelled in 2006 and 2013, but we had just come off winning summers and had, on paper at least, competitive squads. Of course all went to cr@p with bad selections, injuries and mental health issues with key players, great Australian bowling and a healthy dose of bad luck. But there was reason for optimism in the run up. This time around I can't see us winning a single test. Apart from Anderson, Broad and Root this must be the weakest touring squad we have named in a very, very long time, and none of them have exactly shined on previous tours (except Jimmy in 2010).