Ashes 2019

[RugbyReg]

This deserves it's own thread.

Here's the schedule:

First Test: August 1-5 at Edgbaston, Birmingham
Second Test: August 14-18 at Lord's, London
Third Test: August 22-26 at Headingley, Leeds
Fourth Test: September 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
Fifth Test: September 12-16 at The Oval, London
Prior to that we have the Cricket World Cup (30 May to 14 July)
So how many do we take on an Ashes tour?

 

[Up the Guts]

Langar said 15-16 although we took 17 in 2015. There is an Australia A side playing matches before the Ashes kicks off.

Some names I’d throw out:

Warner
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Patterson
Head
Paine
Starc
Cummins
Richardson
Lyon
Hazelwood
Pattinson/Tremain
Harris/Labuschagne/Renshaw

The single names (on the one line) are the ones I think are locked in, multiple names are those I think are competing for spots. Obviously still a lot of time to go.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I would be excited by the prospect of James Pattinson joining the current bowling lineup if he can regain and retain fitness. At his best, would be competing for a starting spot.

I can't fault any of your suggested lock-ins. But I would really like to see both Harris and Labuschagne included. Harris, because he has shown a lot of skill batting in the opening spot, but inconsistent against Sri Lanka. Labuschagne because of his leg spin bowling. I think he has the makings of a very good leg spin bowler if given opportunity and time to develop. Could be a match winner against the Poms.

Heartening to see all the main venues returned for this tour. No ambushes at Swansea or the like.

 

[Up the Guts]

Harris certainly has the game to be a long term test opener, he just needs to work on his shot selection. Burns is also still prone to fishing outside his off stump so I don’t think the other opening spot is locked down. Patterson looks the most sound out of the batting debutants this summer and I’d probably have him at 6.

The selectors need to be proactive with the fast bowlers in England. Tremain, Richardson, and Pattinson are all more than capable of succeeding, if Starc and Hazelwood struggle again the selectors should be willing to replace them.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Richardson, Jhy, could be a star in England with his ability to move the ball both ways. Could out-Anderson Anderson.

 

[Braveheart81]

Pattinson is very good when he's healthy but I'd be so worried about picking him. The frequency with which he breaks down is difficult to overcome in terms of test selection in my opinion. If you pick him you run a very real risk of ending up a bowler short for a substantial amount of a game.

 

[RugbyReg]

Pattinson is very good when he's healthy but I'd be so worried about picking him. The frequency with which he breaks down is difficult to overcome in terms of test selection in my opinion. If you pick him you run a very real risk of ending up a bowler short for a substantial amount of a game.

yeah, gees he looked good for the Heat in the BBL but he got injured after 4 overs!

 

[RugbyReg]

and, while I've probably picked them previously in a proposed squad, the more I think of it the more I don't want to pick Warner or Smith for the Ashes. I think they should work their way back through first class cricket and I also think it brings absolute undue pressure on the team (and Tim Paine) if they are there in front of those English crowds.

On paper / in form / of sound mind they strengthen the team. But I don't think that's enough yet.

My squad would be (using UTG's as the base):

Harris
Burns
Renshaw
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Patterson
Head
Wade
Paine
Starc
Cummins
Richardson
Lyon
Hazelwood
Pattinson/Tremain

 

[Braveheart81]

I would put Smith straight back in but I would be wary about bringing Warner back. His record over the last few years away from home is poor and the question of whether he will continue to be a toxic influence on the team will never go away. Smith couldn't control him and putting Paine in that same situation seems like a recipe for disaster particularly when the benefits Warner brings to the team aren't as clear.

 

[Up the Guts]

What do we do if Bancroft makes big runs at the end of this Shield season? He’s actually been in reasonable form for the Scorchers in the BBL (obviously not indicative of long form success) so it’s not like the time off killed his game completely.

 

[The torpedo]

Feel like Warner will never play test cricket again

Starting XI:

Harris
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Patterson
Paine (c)
Cummins
Richardson
Lyon
Hazelwood

Others:

Wade
Renshaw
Starc
Tremain
Maxwell
Lasagne (as a spinner)

 

[Brumby Runner]

I've done quite a bit of spinning spaghetti around a fork in my time, but never lasagne.

 

[Braveheart81]

 

[Up the Guts]

Maybe we’ll get rid of that scrambled seam rubbish now.

 

[Braveheart81]

It was fairly telling when Starc went back to have a session with the NSW bowling coach before the Canberra test and then came back with a 10 wicket performance.

Throughout the Summer the Indians had amazing seam positions relative to the Aussie bowlers. None of our bowlers consistently get the seam to stand bolt upright.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Starc, more than any other top class bowler I've watched over the years, seems to need a lot of game time to reach his peak performance. His problems early on this summer were with his wayward direction as much as seam position, I think. It was also good to see him spend more time around the wicket to right hand batsmen where I think he is much more effective.

 

[Getwithme]

Warner
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Patterson
Paine (C) (Wk)
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood

Richardson
Stoinis
Labuschagne
Renshaw
Bancroft (Wk)

A couple of hard choices for the make up of the squad.
Do they pick an another front line spinner?
Who takes up that back up keeper role?
Who comes as the allrounder?

For me, Renshaw over Harris because of his ability to play down the ground along with his runs on the board playing County cricket.

Labuschagne makes the squad due to his spin bowling and is ahead of Ashton Agar as the 2nd spinner. We really only need a 2nd spinner to bowl a maximum of 10-15 overs due to Lyon's skill anyway.

Stoinis as the all rounder because Marsh isn't in the ball back at the moment.

Bancroft over Wade because Wade has been blacklisted from the set up. Heard this from multiple players/coaches.

 

[Braveheart81]

We took 17 in 2015.

I think you are very close to the mark. I'd be surprised if Bancroft gets selected. He'd need a huge finish to the Shield season. I think Carey or Whiteman are more likely. If they select a part timer to keep then Handscomb could make the squad.

I think you're probably right that Labuschagne will probably be the 'second spinner' in that they'll think he's not actually going to get selected as a bowler, Lyon will play every test and there won't be any tests where they want two specialists.

That will allow them to pick Pattinson as another bowler if he's fit. He'd be the 5th pace bowler picked.

 

[Up the Guts]

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp...d/news-story/df78fd9cfde208fdeae0067d020d7541

Here’s Warnie’s side for the first Ashes test, couple of questionable inclusions. I think the whole ‘Shane Warne cricket genius’ hype goes to his head too much at times and he goes for unorthodox “just something about them” selections that don’t make a lot of sense. He reads the game brilliantly but I’m not sure I’d want him as a national selector.

 

[Getwithme]

yeah he has some ridiculous ones in there. Inexperience/Unknowns at first class level get caught out in England, regardless how good they are.

Remember the late Phil Hughes after his debut in South Africa? Was destroyed in England and dropped.