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Ashes 2019

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Well the World Cup is over. We could keep arguing about the final till the next one but England are going to keep the cup so let’s focus on how we might go about beating them at home. With the success of Warner and Smith in the WC any lingering doubts about them not being first picks has been dismissed. Now the team that beat Sri Lanka in the second test at home was:

Harris
Burns
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Head
Patterson
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Richardson
Lyon

Now we definitely are going to add Warner, Smith and Hazelwood. Hazelwood is the easiest to account for because he comes in for the injured Jhye Richardson (would have loved him in the WC side). Warner comes in for Harris for mine, Harris doesn’t quite have the temperament yet and Broad and Anderson will wear him down by bowling on or just outside his off stump. I think they’re likely to remain with Burns who has made runs since he joined the Australia A side.

The middle order is a bit more undecided, Smith will obviously be at 3 or 4. 4 if they play Khawaja at 3 (depending on how he recovers from his injury) otherwise probably at 3 if Khawaja is not included. Head proved himself last summer and deserves to start at 5. This leaves the 6 spot open. Patterson is a class player and was tremendous against Sri Lanka but I’ve not heard much about him on the Australia A tour. Wade and Labuschagne have both been making runs. Wade is probably ahead based on batting (it’s a close thing) but Labuschagne also has his handy leggies. So at the end of it all I get something like this:

Warner
Burns
Khawaja (if unfit shift everyone up one and add one of Wade or Labuschagne)
Smith
Head
Patterson
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood

I’m unfussed if that 6 spot is given to Wade or Labuschagne in place of Patterson.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I reckon James Pattinson is a huge chance of inclusion. His form is very good. He could play instead of Hazlewood.

I think they could easily squeeze Patterson out. He hasn't been going as well in the UK as some of the others, particularly Labuschagne.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Patto must play IMHO. He's devastating in these conditions and if he stays fit I think he is a chance to rip through England's brittle top order on multiple occasions.

In terms of batting, Smith and Warner must also play. Their recent form ticks every box and they're both in the best six batsmen in the country. That leaves four other spots. I think Head will play, but I also think that Wade and Marnus are a big chance given their super form in recent times. Ussie I'm not sure about given the state of his injury.

My very tentative XI, depending on the OZ v OZ A game:

Warner
Burns
Ussie (if fit)
Smith
Head
Wade
Paine (WK, C)
Cummins
Patto
Starc
Lyon
 

Froggy

John Solomon (38)
Initially I would stick pretty much with what worked last summer, plus Smith & Warner.
I would pick Harris to open with Warner, Ussie gets three if fit, if not Smith goes up one to 3 and Wade comes in. I'm sticking with Patterson at 6, and while I'm a big fan of James Pattinson, I think Hazelwood's ability to completely tie down one end and produce wickets at the other can't be underestimated. It's the role Tangles used to play with Lillee and Thommo, very valuable.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
One or two very much in form batsmen will miss out. Personally, I rate Labuschagne's leg spin and if he's also in form with the bat, then I'd have him in the side. Either way, four of Harris, Burns, Khawaja (if injured), Labuschagne, Head, Patterson, Wade and Bancroft will miss out.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Teams for the trial game between AUS and AUS A (except they’ve mixed the teams so there’s no real A side):

Hick XII: Joe Burns, Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (c, wk), Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Chris Tremain, Nathan Lyon

Haddin XII: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Travis Head (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Will Pucovski, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Love this concept. Two sides with blokes bursting to play in the test team, in English conditions. I hope they smack seven shades of shit out of each other and the XI for T1 becomes obvious.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Best batsmen should play 3 and 4. Hanscombe is a marginal selection at best with very ordinary technique. No way he should be at 4.

Query also Patterson at 3, but at least he has the technique and imo is a better player. So more likely to succeed. Haddin's XII looks much the stronger. Is it intended for the 12th man to get real game time? I reckon they should.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Best batsmen should play 3 and 4. Hanscombe is a marginal selection at best with very ordinary technique. No way he should be at 4.

Query also Patterson at 3, but at least he has the technique and imo is a better player. So more likely to succeed. Haddin's XII looks much the stronger. Is it intended for the 12th man to get real game time? I reckon they should.
Perhaps they think it’s likely that Wade will play at 5 if he’s in the side so they’ve kept him there for the trial game? Maybe they’re also thinking Patterson at 3 if Usman is injured? I’d argue, without Usman, Smith should be 3 but it is interesting that Smith, Kohli, and Root will often bat at 4 despite being (along with Williamson) far and away the best players in the world.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Wade won't be picked. We're already needing to remove two batters from our top 6 who played the last test against Sri Lanka to slot in Warner and Smith. Khawaja being injured is one of those and the other will probably be Burns or Harris.

Labuschagne has scored a motza of runs in England but you'd also think he will be hard pressed keeping his spot. Likewise Kurtis Patterson currently boasts the highest test average in history and might not retain his spot. Handscomb may be preferred in the middle order to Labuschagne for example.

I see there being a chance that we will pick three openers with Burns batting 3 and Smith batting 4.

The locks at the moment would be:

1. Warner
3/4. Smith
5. Head
7. Paine (c)
8. Cummins
9. Starc
11. Lyon

I think there is a decent chance they will give Pattinson a crack ahead of Hazlewood given Pattinson is finally fit. They will know that our pace bowlers won't all get three 5 tests each and a bit of rotation will be needed. Pattinson in particular won't be able to play 5 tests and if they pick him in the first test they might get more games out of him.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
I read an article suggesting Starc is no sure thing. Considering the alternative would be Jimmy Pattinson it's not out of the question.
 

Finsbury Girl

Trevor Allan (34)
^ Starc in tests is always going to be a 50/50 call, BUT in the right conditions he will win us a test match, Hazlewood will not. I'd have Jimmy in if he's fit absolutely, an opening partnership of him and Patty @ full flight will send chills down the poms spine.

My XI

Warner
Burns
Smith
Patterson
TBC
Head
Paine
Pattinson
Cummins
Starc
Lyon

final spot unsure, we don't have a half decent allrounder so we need a batsman who can roll the arm over. Labuschagne hasn't convinced me but maybe he's worth a shout if his leg breaks are looking good. If Smith is bowling well then maybe drop Pucovski in the deep end.

If I could i'd almost drop Timmy for Carey but that's not happening anytime soon, though if we lose the Ashes it might.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Pattinson deserves a shot I reckon. There’s a few people who think he’s the most talented of Starc-Hazelwood-Cummins but has never gotten to prove it due to injury. I remember his test match debut against the Kiwis in Brisbane when he was bowling near unplayable late outswingers. You’ll get the rewards at Edgbaston if you hit a consistent line and length so there’s a good case to be made to leave Starc out there as he’s more inconsistent. Then again you miss out on the variation he brings as a left arm bowler and his ability to bowl unplayable deliveries. Good selection headache to have.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
I've always been a fan of Hazelwood since he spearheaded the Australian U19s (?) to the world cup. But if Pattinson is fit and firing, Josh should give way and not Starc as having a LHer to complement the two RHers is the best combination.

The batting lineup I'd prefer would be :

Warner
Burns (not unhappy with Harris though)
Smith
Patterson
Head
Labuschagne

Labuschagne's leg breaks are more than handy, and have potential to get better with more use. His batting is generally strong enough to fill the 6 spot.
 

Froggy

John Solomon (38)
Assuming no Ussie I'd be happy with that BR, probably prefer Harris to open but like you, no problem if it's Burns. Also would probably swap Head and Patterson in the order, but that's of little consequence.
I'm not convinced Labuschagne is a test batsmen yet, hopefully he is, but if not I would leave him out for Khawaja when available, despite his bowling. Aus selectors for years now have been obsessed with having an all-rounder and as a result, have picked a lot of cricketers just not up to test standard imo. If you have a Kallis, Flintoff, Stokes, Botham etc it's a wonderful bonus, but back in the 70's we won a hell of a lot of tests with just six batsmen, a keeper, three quicks and a spinner.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
I’m very happy with the preparation for the Ashes. Sending guys over early, holding a trial match, looking to pick players on form who suit the conditions, they’ve done everything you could ask for. We’re not going to be favourites but we’ve done everything we can do to give ourselves a chance.
 
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