The Ashes mega thread.

[carcrash 11]

I know a few people on here like cricket so this thread is all about The Ashes.

 

The squad was announced yesterday and Flintoff was named as Captain.

Test squad

 

Andrew Flintoff, capt

Lancashire Age 28, 62 caps

 

Andrew Strauss

Middlesex 29, 31

 

Marcus Trescothick

Somerset 30, 76

 

Alastair Cook

Essex 21, 9

 

Kevin Pietersen

Hampshire 26, 18

 

Paul Collingwood

Durham 30, 15

 

Ian Bell

Warwickshire 24, 18

 

Chris Read, wkt

Notts 28, 13

 

Geraint Jones, wkt,

Kent 30, 31

 

Sajid Mahmood

Lancashire 24, 5

 

Matthew Hoggard

Yorkshire 29, 52

 

Steve Harmison

Durham 27, 45

 

Monty Panesar

Northants 24, 10

 

Ashley Giles

Warwickshire 33, 52

 

James Anderson

Lancashire 24, 13

 

Liam Plunkett

Durham 21, 6

 

I think making Flintoff captain might be a mistake. Strauss has done well this summer and he is one of the few player who's average has gone up whilst being captain.

 

I'm not sure about taking Plunkett and several of this squad are injured at the moment.

[Gypsy Hack 10]

Chris Read. 28. 13 caps. What a travesty. Arguably the best keeper in the world.

[Thunzi 10]

I think that the ECB had no choice but to make Flintoff captain. They layed it on a plate for him before his injury.

 

Strauss is a better prospect for replacing Vaughn long term in my opinion, he'll also be an excellent sounding board for Flintoff who I think might struggle this winter. He's coming back from injury, straight into the Captains role and he has a tendancy to overbowl himself when trying to find the breakthrough.

[surfinjim 10]

There's no suprise inclusions is there to be honest. The selectors have gone for the strongest squad available without the usual 1 or 2 "along for the ride" selections.

 

I'd have thought Broad would have been in that catergory along with the likes of Dalrymple.

 

With the injuries in the squad you can see a lot of weakness.

Trescothick

Giles

Flintoff

Harmison

 

Its the backbone of a strong side. If they are not available when it comes to the crunch then we look pretty vulnerable.

 

Mahmood

Anderton

Plunkett

 

have hardly pulled any trees up at international level

 

This tour could make or break the likes of Panesar, Bell, Cook.

 

All had very good summers in English conditions, but could be steamed in Oz.

 

I can't see who else I would pick, but we just look a little weak.

 

Jim:thumbsup:

[James7x7 10]

On past evidence, it's difficult to say who is the more tactically astute of the two Andrews. Strauss did well against Pakistan, but may be should have declared earlier in the Lords test rather than settling for the draw. Flintoff did well in India, especially in the last test, but was less than convincing against Sri Lanka. How Sri Lanka managed to get a draw out of the Lords test is incredible given the position they were in.

 

Flintoff is a good choice for his all round leadership qualities, and he is one player that the Aussies fear. Strauss will have a vital part to play as a sounding board.

[happyhippy 11]

Can't help but wonder if Jon Lewis should have had a recall ......

[marmite 10]

:clap: Gilo! Gilo! :clap:

 

show that Monty how we spin a ball thats for sure!!

 

i say bring back Gough, great for getting moral up within the team, decent bowler, good slogger, pretty sound player.

 

Watch out for Stewart Broad next ashes though! ( i think thats his name)

[carcrash 11]

I can see both monty and the king of spain playing in Sidney but I would go for Monty all the way.

[surfinjim 10]

:clap: Gilo! Gilo! :clap:

 

show that Monty how we spin a ball thats for sure!!

 

i say bring back Gough, great for getting moral up within the team, decent bowler, good slogger, pretty sound player.

 

Watch out for Stewart Broad next ashes though! ( i think thats his name)

 

As much as I like Gough, he is 1. Injury prone, 2. The wrong side of 30 3. Retired from Test Cricket as far as I am aware.

 

We need to look forward, and the same would apply with Panesar and Giles. You'd hope that Monty is no.1 choice ahead of Giles.

 

If we take a fit Harmison and Hoggard, and Flintoff is bowling then we have a chance of restricting them run wise, but I still feel we are lacking on our own batting front.

 

Jim:thumbsup:

[marmite 10]

Giles is surely the better batsmen out of him and Monty though?? At the end of the day, you win by having more runs...that still needs to be considered. Plus, fair enough, Monty can spill the ball more, and get more rip etc, he still doesnt have the experience that Giles has. 60 summit not out in the ashes for Giles is pretty good considering he is a tail end batsmen and very slow.

 

Which is why i cry

 

Gilo! Gilo!

[marmite 10]

We need to look forward, and the same would apply with Panesar and Giles. You'd hope that Monty is no.1 choice ahead of Giles.

 

 

Why?

 

becasue he is younger and can 'spin' more?

 

Panesar with a bat is frankly quite bad, and his fielding is not existent...

[Le_Rosbif 10]

I cannot for the life of me understand why England would want to win Ashes. It's not like any of the players have any affiliation with the poor bloke in the urn, likewise the Australian players.

 

Who is to say the person in question wanted his ashes to be passed around from continent to continent. Surely has family should have them, providing it's not his family that have donated the ashes.

 

Anyone care to shed some light on this subject please?!