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

[Nomoreheroes]

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.

It makes sense now why they took Ballance and left Onions at home. Obviously taking Trott was a gamble that backfired.

[TheMajorSTFC]

Right 2nd Ashes Test match starts tonight, can England bounce back or was Brisbane a sign of things to come in this series?

Since we last met: Well Jonathan Trott has flown home with a stress related illness, good to see both sides wish him well, Michael Clarke fined 20% of his match fee for telling Jimmy Anderson to 'get ready for a broken fucking arm', Australia adamant the sledging won't stop where as England want it to calm down (a meeting happened yesterday between Cook, Clarke and match referee Jeff Crowe), England struggled with the bat again against the Aussie Chairmans XI but performed well with the ball, and my favourite Tim Bresnan has been added to the test squad after he performed well for the England Performance Squad XI - All this in the space of less than 2 weeks! It certainly makes it an interesting series.

Major's prediction: Australia will name the same XI, although I expect Mitchell Johnson to struggle on a slower 'dropped in' wicket, and England will make 2 changes - it looks like Root will move to 3 and I think Gary Ballance will make his test debut at 6, and I think Tim Bresnan will come in for Tremlett. England cannot afford to lose at Adelaide in my opinion and they have a track record of bouncing back the longer the series goes on, but with Perth and another fast/bouncy wicket expected it looks like they'll need to win the 2nd test looking further ahead in the series!

What the bookies say: England are 3/1 to win this test match, Australia at 7/4 and the draw (with bad weather expected throughout the test) at 11/8.

Here we go again...

[Nemo]

3/1 on us on a slower pitch is very tempting. We need to win the test, I'd be tempted to bring Panesar in but obviously someone closer to the pitch will make that call.

[leefer]

Think there is a whisper that Stokes is playing.

[Nemo]

Stokes and Panesar according to journos, although that's not exactly nailed on. Would be a brave choice but by god are we then reliant on KP, Cook or Bell having a monster game.

[TheMajorSTFC]

Stokes would very much be an interesting choice...Panesar I wouldn't be surprised at, looking at tweets from Michael Vaughan who says the wicket is looking very dry!

[JoeMezz]

If we play Stokes and Panesar, we are extremely weak in the batting.
I reckon bowled out for under 250 both innings and Aus to win by 8 wickets.

[Nemo]

Some smart arse on Twitter pointing out that Panesar might be in for his batting- he's got plenty of experience facing bouncers

[TheMajorSTFC]

Looks like Stokes plays - Strauss handing him his 1st test cap! Fair enough, hope he does well! Panesar also looks like he plays based on that selection!

[fittons_coaching_badge]

With two spinners and with no recognised 3rd seamer this is a huge toss!

Win it and rack up 500 another collapse would be fatal!!

Aus win toss and bat!

[TheMajorSTFC]

Fuck's sake! Could have done with winning that toss!

[DMR]

Come on lads. About time we got that fat brawling fuck early.

[sonicyouth]

We're doomed!

[DMR]

Road. Draw. Bring on Perth.

[TheMajorSTFC]

Shit shot, fuck off Warner!