[Cricket] First Ashes Test - England v Australia - Cardiff

[Titanic]

England Squad: AN Cook*, MM Ali, JM Anderson, GS Ballance, IR Bell, SCJ Broad, JC Buttler†, ST Finn, A Lyth, AU Rashid, JE Root, BA Stokes, MA Wood

Australia Squad: MJ Clarke*, SPD Smith, Fawad Ahmed, BJ Haddin†, JR Hazlewood, MG Johnson, NM Lyon, MR Marsh, SE Marsh, PM Nevill†, CJL Rogers, PM Siddle, MA Starc, AC Voges, DA Warner, SR Watson

The weather looks overcast this morning... perhaps not a great day for batting?

 

[Papa Lazarou]

England Squad: AN Cook*, MM Ali, JM Anderson, GS Ballance, IR Bell, SCJ Broad, JC Buttler†, ST Finn, A Lyth, AU Rashid, JE Root, BA Stokes, MA Wood

Australia Squad: MJ Clarke*, SPD Smith, Fawad Ahmed, BJ Haddin†, JR Hazlewood, MG Johnson, NM Lyon, MR Marsh, SE Marsh, PM Nevill†, CJL Rogers, PM Siddle, MA Starc, AC Voges, DA Warner, SR Watson

The weather looks overcast this morning... perhaps not a great day for batting?

I would bowl today.

 

[Titanic]

Rashid and Finn to carry the drinks?

 

[sten_super]

Rashid and Finn to carry the drinks?

I suspect so - the only slight doubt in my mind is that Bayliss obviously isn't entirely convinced by Ali, and obviously likes what he's seen of Rashid (why else pick him after not taking him on the team-building trip?). Plus, if whichever of them plays is going to bat at 8 I think Ali's much better batting becomes less of a factor. If they can't trust Ali to hold down an end (and based on his recent form, they can't) then why not try Rashid?

 

[OzMike]

Can't wait, I will be the only red and white shirt amongst a sea of green and gold at the bar, getting flack from all directions!

 

[Badger]

Can't wait, I will be the only red and white shirt amongst a sea of green and gold at the bar, getting flack from all directions!

It's a test match, you should all be in whites.


Poor effort if this is supposed to be an official thread, where are the ASTERISKS?

 

[Titanic]

I would bowl today.

Nasser Hussain reckons it is a 'bat first' pitch... interesting!

 

[Titanic]

...Poor effort if this is supposed to be an official thread, where are the ASTERISKS?

This is CRICKET.

 

[Munkfish]

Is this the Official or the Unofficial thread?

 

[vegster]

I would bowl today.

Ditto. If we bat first I can see us being 78-4 at lunch, I know its against normal conventions but if we bowl first we might just take the sting out of their batting and restrict them to 250 ish.

If we bat I can see the Mitchells ripping us to pieces and putting down a marker for the series. Anderson and Broad have both seen their best days and there is not much at first change to worry the Aussies.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

Nasser Hussain reckons it is a 'bat first' pitch... interesting!

if we win the toss defiantely put them in then

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

Can't wait, I will be the only red and white shirt amongst a sea of green and gold at the bar, getting flack from all directions!

I've got 2 brothers that live in Perth,they reckon the place is flooded with Brits,where are they all?

 

[KZNSeagull]

I would play Rashid and Ali. Wood and Finn to carry the drinks.

And do the opposite to anything Nasser "we'll have a bowl" Hussain says.

 

[Badger]

This is CRICKET.

That's not the point, any official thread should have asterisks or at least the word OFFICIAL in the title.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Whens the coin toss - were loose....

 

[Titanic]

Mike Atherton says bat first too... interesting.

 

[Titanic]

England won the toss and elected to bat.

It's going to be an exciting first session!

 

[pasty]

Eng win toss and bat

Damn you [MENTION=36]Titanic[/MENTION] - I thought I was quick

 

[Titanic]

England unchanged from last NZ Test... as expected, Finn and Rashid miss out.

Rogers and Watson in for Australia... Dad's Army out in full force

 

[Titanic]

England: AN Cook*, A Lyth, GS Ballance, IR Bell, JE Root, BA Stokes, JC Buttler†, MM Ali, SCJ Broad, MA Wood, JM Anderson

Australia: DA Warner, CJL Rogers, SPD Smith, MJ Clarke*, AC Voges, SR Watson, BJ Haddin†, MG Johnson, MA Starc, JR Hazlewood, NM Lyon