The Ashes,your reflections.

[Scoffers]

One average side beat another average side. The real test comes in November

 

[Gwylan]

Talent - maybe. Technique and temperament to play TEST cricket - no way. Not yet anyway.

Not yet is the right phrase. He'll be back sooner than you think - this is a man with all the shots. He had a rough start but he's made a better start to his test career than Graham Gooch and Steve Waugh (to name just two) and needs some application to go with his undoubted talent. I think he'll go to SA (but not be in the first choice side) and if not, he'll be in the Lions team and told that he's near selection to full squad. He's certainly still in the selectors' thoughts.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Re. the games not being on terrestial TV. I coach U10s cricket and when I try and give a 'role model' for certain types of shots I get blank looks from the kids. Most of them don't have access to Sky to watch the Ashes, or any live cricket (it's ALL on SKY!). The ECB have spent money on promoting the game for kids but they have to because its becoming a minority sport, for youngsters especially.

I'm a bit of an old fart and enjoy the TMS coverage, not least as you can get on and do other things at the same time, but I do think it should have 'Crown Jewels' status.

It's been a good even series and exciting because of that. We shouldn't get too carried away, though, as it could easily have gone the other way.

PG

 

[8ace]

Not yet is the right phrase. He'll be back sooner than you think - this is a man with all the shots. He had a rough start but he's made a better start to his test career than Graham Gooch and Steve Waugh (to name just two) and needs some application to go with his undoubted talent. I think he'll go to SA (but not be in the first choice side) and if not, he'll be in the Lions team and told that he's near selection to full squad. He's certainly still in the selectors' thoughts.

I agree - don't think he should bat at three though.

 

[Gwylan]

I agree - don't think he should bat at three though.

He's not a number 3 - at least not yet.

I think England have got this wrong - they promote middle order batsman to 3. They should pick an opener like they did with Vaughan. I'd play Denly or Moore, possibly both if you drop Cook.

 

[8ace]

He's not a number 3 - at least not yet.

I think England have got this wrong - they promote middle order batsman to 3. They should pick an opener like they did with Vaughan. I'd play Denly or Moore, possibly both if you drop Cook.

Yep, would like to see another opener at No 3 especially against South Africa's pace attack.

 

[Regina_George]

Was good to see them win. My old man passed away a few days before it and he was looking forward to watching it, call me a pussy or what not hah, but I wanted England to win more so for him; Im not that big a cricket fan but I kept an eye on it while he was in hospital updating him etc. Feel like a twot for posting this now. Ah well.

 

[Simster]

Cook has a poor series, but I've always felt he's looked fairly solid in previous series. His test average is quite acceptable too isn't it? (obviously not good in the past series though)

 

[Gwylan]

Was good to see them win. My old man passed away a few days before it and he was looking forward to watching it, call me a pussy or what not hah, but I wanted England to win more so for him; Im not that big a cricket fan but I kept an eye on it while he was in hospital updating him etc. Feel like a twot for posting this now. Ah well.

Ah no. Sorry to hear about your loss.

My dad died 17 years ago and his very last words to me were to bring him a radio so he could listen to the test match through the night (it was winter). He died before I could see him again - it's sad that your old man couldn't get to see the Ashes being won back though.

 

[Regina_George]

Ah no. Sorry to hear about your loss.

My dad died 17 years ago and his very last words to me were to bring him a radio so he could listen to the test match through the night (it was winter). He died before I could see him again - it's sad that your old man couldn't get to see the Ashes being won back though.

Ahhh, We weren't allowed to take in a radio for him because it would apparently "interfere with hospital equipment" plus we were told it would irritate other patients, so the best I could do for him was bring a little walkman radio with headphones, that got taken off him halfway though him listening to it which pissed me off big time, was told it would get tangled up with all his tubes/wires etc. So I read updates from the paper which he was just as happy to hear from

 

[sten_super]

The reason I say he won't be in again soon is that you have all the side that played at the Oval PLUS Kevin Pietersen ahead of him in the pecking order. So as things stand he's relying on two players losing form or fitness to get another chance - and that might be more if anyone else plays themselves into contention.

I think he has talent, and he's clearly a decent one day player. However, after his first innings I wrote on this site that he simply hasn't got the composure or patience to play a test match against a decent side. He plays at EVERYTHING, and he attacks from the moment he goes in. If he was a better player then that may be alright, as he could make a quick 50 or 60, but at the moment he's making a quick 10 or 20.

I agree with pretty much all of that. However I think that Collingwood may well be out for the Saffers series; I think he should be anyway. If he is, then Bopara is first reserve again. I suspect that the move of Collingwood to 4 for the last Test was because they see long term Trott batting at 5 with KP at 4, and probably Bell at 3. Then if KP gets injured Trott can move up to 4 (where he bats for Warks) and Bopara can come in at 5, a position he is MUCH more suited to.

I hope Bell continues the promising start he made in the final Test. He SHOULD be the long term option at 3, and appeared a bit more steely and determined. I know he got himself out, but it was at the start of a session on a pitch that was difficult to bat on first up.

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

Was good to see them win. My old man passed away a few days before it and he was looking forward to watching it, call me a pussy or what not hah, but I wanted England to win more so for him; Im not that big a cricket fan but I kept an eye on it while he was in hospital updating him etc. Feel like a twot for posting this now. Ah well.

My sincere commisations.......he'll be having a little chuckle at the Aussies from up above though

 

[Storer68]

that along with the demolition of the aussie batting lineup on the 2nd day of the last test.

although one can counter tha with the demolition of the England batting line up on days 1,2,3 of the Headingley test

 

[Uncle Buck]

TCB, you say the Aussies have the makings of a good side? Their bowling could be fairly settled (well the 3 seamers), but in reality they are going to have to rebuild the batting line up. Katich, Ponting, Haddin and Hussey are all the wrong side of 30 (34 and upwards in most cases), so they will need to be replaced. They have Hughes to come in and Jacques will play again. Stuart Clark has probably not got much left, same with Brett Lee and when it comes to spinners, where as England potentially by 2013 will have 4 or 5 spinning options (Rashid, Monty, Beer, Waller and maybe still Swann), the Aussie cupboard by all accounts is still rather bare.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Dealing with the batting first, I'd say Hussey and Katich aren't THAT good anyway, so a country like Australia will have no problems replacing them. I know Hughes had a poor start to this series, but he was dropped too quickly and he's showed he's a good player. I expect him to take Katich's place in the long-run with no noticeable weakening of the Aussie line-up - in fact, in the long-run I think he'll be a lot better. It's a similar story with Hussey. Maybe they could get Jaques back in and move Watson down to somewhere nearer his natural position? Again, I don't think that would weaken them. Ricky will still be around for the next ashes, and at a push maybe even the one after, and he's still a class act. Haddin is only 31, and in my opinion the best wicketkeeper/batsman in the world. Again, he'll be in England in 2013. So looking forward to the next 2-4 years, their top 7 could still be:

Jaques
Hughes
Ricky
Clarke
Watson
North
Haddin

To me, that still looks bloody good, and that's ignoring the very strong possibility that at least one or two new players will emerge for them that we're not considering at the moment.

On the bowling front, Mitchell Johnson is obviously a class act, and they have Hilfenhaus as a very reliable first change. Siddle I'm not sure about, I don't think he's got much to his game beyond being aggressive and banging it in hard. But he's only 24 so you never know. Brett Lee will do the job until the next ashes in 18 months, but I agree Clark is finished. Looking ahead to the next ashes in England they're probably two bowlers short - another front-line bowler to partner Johnson and a spinner. But to Australia that's not much of a problem - they'll have quicks coming through in abundance at some point. The spinner I agree will be harder to find, but South Africa haven't got a decent spinner and they're number one in the world, so I'm sure they can work around that one.

That batting line up does not look that fearsome. I suspect Watson will disappear from view and McDonald will take his place, but like North he is a number 6, so one of them will have to bat a place too high.

You say Haddin is the best keeper / batsman in the world, well Prior looked the better keeper and scored runs at important times in this series. Haddin’s main contribution with the bat was at Cardiff when the score meant he could hit out. Boucher and Dhoni are both better players than Haddin and Prior.

Regarding the spinners, South Africa is a bad example, the nature of their wickets (fast and bouncy) mean that spinners will not come through in South Africa. Australia have always had decent spinners, so the lack of a spinner is an issue for them.

 

[Gwylan]

Dealing with the batting first, I'd say Hussey and Katich aren't THAT good anyway,

er..Hussey has a test average of over 52 - higher than any England player (and that's after a poor run)

Kaitich's average is over 42 (but I believe that his average as an opener is in the high 50). I'd scarcely describe him as not that good.

Australia have also got Watson, North and Clarke who will be around for a few years yet. Jacques to come back and Hughes to come good. Shaun Marsh will no doubt make a full test appearance soon. That's not a bad line-up

The spinning cupboard is terribly bare though

 

[Uncle Buck]

er..Hussey has a test average of over 52 - higher than any England player (and that's after a poor run)

Kaitich's average is over 42 (but I believe that his average as an opener is in the high 50). I'd scarcely describe him as not that good.

Australia have also got Watson, North and Clarke who will be around for a few years yet. Jacques to come back and Hughes to come good. Shaun Marsh will no doubt make a full test appearance soon. That's not a bad line-up

The spinning cupboard is terribly bare though

Is Marsh in the one day squad?

They also have the Dutch quickie to come in.