The Ashes 2010/2011

[Spoff]

It's nearly here, really enjoying the build up. I think England will win 2-1 with one of the draws being Englands for the taking.

I think Strauss is growing into the captaincy and will have a series like Vaughan did a few years and hit run after run. Cook is still hit and miss and will have as many good innings as bad. Trott and Collingwood are both solid players who won't let us down. Not sure on Pietersen, he's talking a good game and has support of those in the know. He might just get himself up for this series and have a cracker, but if he does it will be the last big series he has. Prior is looking confident and is a big player now.

Slightly worried on the bowling front having just four of them, think Collingwood and Pietersen will need to turn their arms over.

Broad I think will be the star, along with Swann in the early tests, but I think the amount of overs Swann will bowl will leave him knackered by the end. Finn is solid and I think his place will interchange with Tremlett.

Anderson is the only one I worry about really. Awesome when it swings, but will it in Aus?

 

[Gillespie16]

Can't wait until the first test starts. I think it will be a good tour for us, we have a better bunch of players now then the aussies do. So it will be 3-1 win for us.

Come on England.

 

[Aztecs27]

Can't wait. Gonna be awesome.

First time we've got a genuine chance to win down under in YEARS. Hope we can pull it off.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Bresnan is bowling well. Broad needs to step into the Flintoff mantle and hopefully Swann will be the key. Prior will get runs lower down as will Broad and if the top 5 can dominate a relatively inexperienced Aussie bowling attack then we could be in business. That or we'll cock it up as usual

 

[Junior]

Sorry, I think the Ozzies will step up. There batting is stronger (think Ponting, Hussey, Clark) and I think Hilfenhaus and Johnston will be the leading wicket takers.

Apart from Swann our bowling is weak. I hope i'm wrong but Anderson will struggle as the ball doesnt really swing after 5 overs.....and I hope they take a punt on Tremlett and Shazad over Finn.

 

[JT77]

This is a great chance to maintain the ashes, England have a strong side, the aussies have been faultering over the last few years, but they are at home and will be very tough competitors, think it'll make for a great test series.

 

[MizunoGreyhound]

`Tis my belief we will win 3-1.

The Aussies had a bad time against India and we do genuinely have a spinner worthy of the term in Swann. There seems to be discontent in the Australian camp and not a settled side. Mitchell Johnson turns into a pie chucker against England and there doesn`t appear to be a match winner amongst their bowlers.

Our batting should be sound, but if Anderson and Broad don`t perform we wont get 20 wickets a game.

Fingers crossed we kick the XXXX out of them!!!!

 

[Farneyman]

'mon the Aussies..

 

[0]

2-1 England but it is so important to have a good first day at the gabba with bat or ball.
And whats the betting KP will soon come to the party and get a big score against these boys.
Anyone know much about this left arm rookie spinner they have bought in ?
You can't serioulsy tell me the aussies are picking one bowler just on the off chance he can get KP out are you ?
Also any more news on Clarke's bad back
I reckon we have to get finn to hit the deck hard and treat watson ponting and clarke to some good old fashioned chin music early on in their inninigs.
They don't like it up em

 

[patricks148]

Trouble is I’ve been hearing “ this is our best chance to win in Aus for “ and “ this is our best side” etc. for the last four tours down under.

I wouldn’t underestimate the buggers. Just coz Hussey, Clarke, Ponting and North have been short of runs just means they are due a few.

My main concerns are Anderson and Collingwood.

I just don’t rate Anderson, he may be fine in perfect bowling conditions like we had at home this summer, but in Aus the ball swings if at all for 10 overs max. He will then revert to his stock delivery, Short and Wide….

Collingwood just doesn’t have the technique for test cricket; he’s only scored a couple of 50’s in the last year or so and always gives the bowlers a chance outside off.

I’d like to think we will win, but it won’t be easy.

 

[Spoff]

Excellent, just confirmed Thirsday/friday off work, Ashes through the night, then Race to Dubai from 8am, sleep for a bit then Ashed through the night...

Homer, I think Broad is already a better player than Flintoff ever was, certainly his stats are a lot better.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I agree that Broad is a better player statistically but does he carry the same fear factor as a Botham or Flintoff?. I think if they bat sensibly and don't get bullied by the occasion and the crowd/players there is enough runs in the top 5 plus a decent safety net in Broad and Prior to post some totals that can be defended and allow the bowlers to be aggressive.

Rumour has it the pitch this week (according to David Lloyd tweets) is actually going to play slow. Not sure I believe that too much

 

[Deleted member 1418]

England 5-0.................. :grin

Am pretty confident that our opening bowler won't bowl the first delivery to second slip this time unlike that muppet Harmlesson!!

 

[richart]

Homer, I think Broad is already a better player than Flintoff ever was, certainly his stats are a lot better.

[/QUOTE]

Not sure that is quite right. I always thought you wanted a low bowling average and a high batting one.

For the record Flintoff averaged 31.77 with the bat and 32.78 with the ball.
Broad averages 28.10 with the bat and 34.42 with the ball. God i sound like Bill Frindall (RIP)

I think Flintoff was more of a batting all rounder and Broad is a bowling one.

 

[BrianDamage]

You lot have been reading too many newspapers.

You beat Pakistan (who were throwing matches) and Bangladesh at home and think you're world beaters.

Meanwhile we lose in India (no 1 ranked team) in a series that, quite frankly if it wasn't for Umpire Billy Bowden's complete incompetence (not giving the most obvious LBW I have ever seen when we required one wicket to win) should have been 1-1, and you all make out we got a hiding.

You got lucky last Ashes in your own conditions and you're hero Swanny was outbowled by Hauritz in the tests they both played. Hauritz can't even get in our team now. Jimmy Anderson will be toothless as usual away from home and you're only decent batsman is Strauss.

The last time you came over after narrowly winning at home and full of the same cockiness we all know what happened. I'm expecting a similar result.

 

[Spoff]

Homer, I think Broad is already a better player than Flintoff ever was, certainly his stats are a lot better.

Not sure that is quite right. I always thought you wanted a low bowling average and a high batting one.

For the record Flintoff averaged 31.77 with the bat and 32.78 with the ball.
Broad averages 28.10 with the bat and 34.42 with the ball. God i sound like Bill Frindall (RIP)

I think Flintoff was more of a batting all rounder and Broad is a bowling one.

[/QUOTE]
My comment wasn't totally clear, richart, Flintoffs stats after the amount of tests that Broad has currently played are not a patch on Broads.

Undoubtably Flintoff had the fear factor and other bowlers took wickets because of the pressure Flintoff built up which cannot be reflected in Stats.

Had Flintoff avoided injury I think he would have been up there with Botham, but he was never able to develop that consistancy. He didn't get anywhere near enough 100's and 5fers his reputation deserved.

 

[Dodger]

'mon the Aussies..

I'll second that motion.

 

[funkyfred]

Yeah, really looking forward to this one.

Agree with the things said about Anderson, and there lies our problem, can we bowl them out twice. Dont understand the inclusion by the aussie's of this spinner Doherty, surely not to just get out Petersen.

Looks like Clarke will be patched up to start the 1st test, best to keep him him out in the middle (fielding) for the first 2 days.

Personally I think we will draw the series one apiece.

 

[patricks148]

Whatever his faults Flintoff is in my opinion the better bowler than batter. He pretty much did for the Aussies in the 2005 and 2009 series. His sheer force of will pretty much won us the series at the oval in 2005. Langer and Hayden went off for bad light in bright sunshine coz they didn’t fancy facing him. The next day he bowled unchanged and got England back into the game . Not bad for a fat lad!

Botham wise he makes out what a great player he was Bothams Ashes and all that, but the best side in the eighties was the Windies and he had a meagre batting and bowling average against them.

 

[funkyfred]

As did most bowlers in the world at that time.

And to think of the W.I bowling attack so did most batsman