The Winter Cricket Thread 2013/14 - The Ashes Down Under

[TheMajorSTFC]

What concerns me is the people I'm seeing saying we can't play that bad again. The battings been shit for ages, particularly trott and prior, who should both be worried about their place in the squad

Agree Bogus Dave, but the sad thing is from the current squad we only have Bairstow (minimal test experience), Ballance and Stokes (no test experience) waiting to come in who can hold a bat. All be it lower down the order too. I think if England do get beat in this series, and despite the result of the first test and what I've said previous, there are still 4 more tests to go now what remains to be seen is whether we'll see a trouncing by the Aussies or an England fight back...if it's the former I can see changes being made for the future with the likes of Vince at Hampshire, Taylor at Notts and others of that Lions team mould being given a chance in the not so near future if Trott, Prior etc form with the bat doesn't pick up during the series.

[fittons_coaching_badge]

Where to begin!

Well that Warner and Bailey are a bunch of cocky twats and both in need of firm kicks in the cunt!

Problems:

I discussed the Swann being unable to hold up an end and pressure that creates on the rest of a 4 man bowling attack problem.  At least now there is a break of 10 days before Adelaide but the 2nd and 3rd, and 4th and 5th tests are back to back.
Trott is all over the place especially against Johnson. England do have a 2 day game but the opposition will be sub standard and that rapid left arm over is tricky to replicate.
Prior .... 150 runs in his last 8 matches at an average of 18!  Since that match saving ton in New Zealand he has struggled to locate the middle of his bat and his second innings dismissal turning the ball straight to leg gully stank of a man so out of form it wasn't funny.
KP/Trott ..... Being caught out hooking in the second innings of a test which you are trying to save is not a good look.
The Tail .... Bringing Bresnan in will strengthen it slightly, however whoever it is will undergo a bumper barrage so intense you cant see them lasting to long.

Within similar and quicker conditions expected in Perth. I think Adelaide is must win for England. However will a low slow pitch expected yes it will negate Johnson but it will be trickier to force a result.

[TheMajorSTFC]

I think Adelaide is must win for England.

Completely agree, whether it happens is another thing after what the 1st test gave us!

Bailey is a cunt!

[DMR]

Hahahahaha useless like KP. Good one IOB. Keep taking the meds you weirdo.

[sonicyouth]

As bad as we've been in this test it's worth keeping things in perspective and noting that the Australians played exceptionally well from the very first ball on Thursday morning.

England moaning about the sledging and comments from Warner is just going to encourage them further and makes us look ridiculous.

As for KP being 'useless' and 'shite'... of greater concern is Prior's failure since a superb previous winter.

[RedRag]

I disagree with the comments that Bresnan might hold an end down where Tremlett didn't. Tremlett had a good economy rate with naturally much of the old ball and played that role reasonably well, especially in the first innings. 

Tremlett's loss of pace however makes him less penetrative and as a result perhaps less likely to take wickets.  I would go for Bresnan, if fit, at Adelaide but wouldn't like to see him breakdown in a 4 man attack.  The Aussie's aren't going to prepare Swann-conducive pitches but his failure to stem the tide of runs or take any wickets  didn't help the cause.

If the top 6 don't sort themselves out however they will be looking for miracles from the bowlers.

[janaage]

The Aussie's aren't going to prepare Swann-conducive pitches but his failure to stem the tide of runs or take any wickets  didn't help the cause.

I'm no cricket expert at all but from my reading on the subject I thought Adelaide is a decent fit for Swann, and even possibly Panesar?

Perth's going to be even quicker than Brisbane, so 2nd test is huge for England and Wales Cricket Board.

Fantastic start to the series though, fascinating stuff.

[kerry red]

Bring Boycott back.

That Yorkshire cunt seems to know everything

[Nemo]

Trott's flown home with the Trescothick phrased 'stress related illness'.

That'll cause a lot of cultish things to be said over the next few days. Hope the man makes a full recovery, cricket's record on mental illness is not enviable.

From a completely on field point of view, that fucks our batting order mightily. Need a top order batsman on a plane ASAP, Compton?

[Nomoreheroes]

Trott's flown home with the Trescothick phrased 'stress related illness'.

That'll cause a lot of cultish things to be said over the next few days. Hope the man makes a full recovery, cricket's record on mental illness is not enviable.

From a completely on field point of view, that fucks our batting order mightily. Need a top order batsman on a plane ASAP, Compton?

I don't think Compton is good enough. I don't think Balance is good enough either. I don't even think Taylor is good enough.

The England batting line up has flattered to deceive for a few years. Trouble is, the potential replacements aren't at a high enough standard.

[Nemo]

I agree there's nobody obvious to step in. Flower says no replacement, so Bairstow or Ballance, probably at six with Bell flipping to three.  Ballance is a decent player, not sure he's ready yet but the numbers are there.

[DMR]

I'd go Compton. Straight swap. He's the closest fit to Trott and proper bloody-minded, he'll get stuck in and battle.

Ballance hasn't hit the ball off the square all tour. Bairstow got found by the Windies with the short ball so I should imagine Johnson and Harris would kill him.

The only other option would be to bat Stokes at 7 and hope Prior sorts his life out.

[fittons_coaching_badge]

I'm no cricket expert at all but from my reading on the subject I thought Adelaide is a decent fit for Swann, and even possibly Panesar?

Adelaide will be low and slow rather than a sub continent type rager!

I imagine Bairstow and his test experience might win the day but Stokes would give England a fifth bowler. So obviously it will be Ballance.

[Sir Pissalot]

Fuck off, Trott!

I apologize unreservedly for the above post that I made on Saturday morning after watching the way that Trott gave away his wicket, given the position we were in at that time.  I hope he makes a quick recovery to full health.

[TheMajorSTFC]

One Jonny Trott..! Hope he comes back stronger, we could all see something wasn't right in his game these past few series v Aus but put it down to poor form. Such a shame as I'll never forget his knock at The Oval on test debut in 2009 - pretty much won us The Ashes with that ton, along with his 100s in the 2010/11 Ashes series away.

I think Bell or Root will move to 3 and the other will be at 5, that's been the whispers today, with Bairstow or Ballance coming in at 6.