The Ashes

[Nemo]

Yes, but they've jumped the 'queue' fairly significantly, and the ECB dropped Old Trafford, where we have a great win record.

Money over success.

Edit: In mildly related news, if anyone is listening to this 'comedy' Ashes preview on 5Live, Pat Murphy

[Bogus Dave]

The aussies lost to bangladesh there for christ sake. we will win the first test comfortably

[Nemo]

Watching the England Lions game, Bell has 18 off 61 balls

Now out for 20.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Cardiff may well have "jumped the queue" but it's been redeveloped and you have to admit that OT is falling behind in the test ranks. You have Headingley and Trent Bridge which have been redeveloped, The Oval has had a new stand, Lords is Lords and then you have Edgbaston. All of those are better than Old Trafford which isn't really a test standard ground anymore. Of course there is also The Rose Bowl and The Riverside as well. I can see a lot of test grounds being used in the future.

[DMR]

I think Johnson will rip us apart more than Lee. Australia to win.

The most overrated new boy on the scene ever, like a poor mans Stuart Broad.

[yeo]

weird thing is I dont like or get cricket but I find myself getting a bit into the ashes,im always easy pickings for media hype

[michael]

The squad has now been picked for the first test.

Harmison, Rashid, and Sidebottom all miss out.

Whilst I am here I think it is time to stop referring to Andrew Flintoff as an all rounder.

[Nemo]

England bowlers batting average in test matches:

Stuart Broad (av 31.35, high score of 76)
Graeme Swann (av 35, high score of 63*)
Andrew Flintoff (av 31.69, high score of 167)

Flintoff's is from a lot more tests, but we have three very capable bowling all rounders. I wouldn't desribe any one of them as a true all rounder, but they're all competent enough.

[leefer]

I think Freddie can count himself very lucky to be in the team...discipline problems and his form hasnt been brilliant in recent years...a very good bowler to keep things tight obviously.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

We have to remember Flintoff will now be batting at 7 so there is less responsibility on his shoulders to score runs. He's mainly in there for his bowling. With those averages above we have a decent lower order.

[santasdead]

We have to remember Flintoff will now be batting at 7 so there is less responsibility on his shoulders to score runs. He's mainly in there for his bowling. With those averages above we have a decent lower order.

More pressure on prior if he's at 6. No runs & nothing special with the gloves = get foster in.
The lowe order is better than it was on 05 by a long.

[Nemo]

If we'd picked Rashid over Panesar our lower order batting would be seriously good.

[Compo]

Off 2 the Edge of Baston on the 2nd of Aug.............. cant wait.

[Scot Munroe]

looking forward to wednesday. i think we might be able to sneak it. Cannot believe Ian Bell is in the squad and not Steve Harmison. Like 2005 the bowlers will have to lead England to victory.

[jonny72]

If we'd picked Rashid over Panesar our lower order batting would be seriously good.

I'm no expert on cricket, but I never understand the need to have decent batters that far down. If you've got 7 recognised batsmen and they all fuck up, I don't see how half decent batters are going to do any better than they did.

If we are in the position where we need the no 8 to come in and score runs, we're fucked anyway. Better to have some better specialist bowlers to do the damage when the other side bat. Our normal policy just seems to result in us having shit bowlers and shit batters.

Same for the wicket keeper, the bloke we used in the Twenty20 is apparently the best we've got so why not go with him? He picked up a few wickets we wouldn't have got otherwise in the Twenty20, I'd imagine he'd do the same in tests and save a good few runs as well.