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Fourth Investec Ashes Test, England v Australia, Chester le Street 9-13 Aug 2013







5Ways Gull

È quello che è
Feb 2, 2009
1,188
Fiveways, Brighton
No, this team has some resilience. Despite arguably 2/3rds of the team being out of form, we're coming through in good shape - which only proves how poor the Aussies are.

Absolutely!! Twice in this series we have batted first, been all out for less than 250 and gone on to win the Test Match. Is it 3 or 4 times in this series we've been 3 wickets down with less than 50 on the board and yet we are 3-0 up! Makes no sense at all!
 


spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
I'd like to see a few changes for the Oval - the Aussies have worked out Root - so give Compton or Taylor a go. Rest Anderson and try Finn or Tremlett and dare I say rest Matt Prior !

I think Anderson & Swann will get a rest ahead of the one day stuff. I hadn't considered Prior but that's actually a really shrewd call, we currently have no real idea who our back up keeper is.

I'd like to see Taylor get a go but it is imperative that Root plays. He's young, these are all learning experiences for him. Remember Ian Bell's first Ashes series in 2005? He was even more of a rabbit in the headlights than Root currently is and that turned out ok. I would say it's more likely Pietersen could get a rest if he's not 100%.
 


spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
Any stattos care to tell me what Australia's longest streak without winning a Test Match is? I suspect they'll win at the WACA but that's the 3rd Test of the next series.

Do they play anyone before us in the winter?
 


Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
I think Anderson & Swann will get a rest ahead of the one day stuff. I hadn't considered Prior but that's actually a really shrewd call, we currently have no real idea who our back up keeper is.

I'd like to see Taylor get a go but it is imperative that Root plays. He's young, these are all learning experiences for him. Remember Ian Bell's first Ashes series in 2005? He was even more of a rabbit in the headlights than Root currently is and that turned out ok. I would say it's more likely Pietersen could get a rest if he's not 100%.

The reserve keeper is Bairstow.
 






hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,763
Chandlers Ford
Swann 23
Harris 20
Anderson, Siddle, Broad all on 17

They'd better bloody not rest Swann. What a terrible, terrible suggestion!

I doubt very much they'd rest Prior either - he needs the chance to get a score.
 


spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
@ Bold Seagull, I think this article is on message with your feelings around this England side. http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/content/story/661997.html

As an aside, it's so sad to see talk of Swann being at the end of his career. He should have played about 10 years more but a combination of his bad attitude & unforgiving selectors ensured it didn't happen. We will struggle to replace him by the looks of it.
 




Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,464
Hove
Is it a dead rubber at the Oval though!?

ICC Rankings predicator says that if we win the series 4-0 we go 1 point above India into 2nd in the rankings, it will also relegate Australia to 5th!!. If the series finishes 3-1, we'll stay in 3rd and Aussies will stay in 4th.

I'd say it's vital we keep the momentum going, if we are going to challenge South Africa at the top, we need 4-0 here, and a big series win out there to start getting close to them.
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,464
Hove
@ Bold Seagull, I think this article is on message with your feelings around this England side. http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/content/story/661997.html

As an aside, it's so sad to see talk of Swann being at the end of his career. He should have played about 10 years more but a combination of his bad attitude & unforgiving selectors ensured it didn't happen. We will struggle to replace him by the looks of it.

Thanks for that, couldn't agree more, I posted about winning 4-0 before I read that. We can all pat them on the back, say 12 tests undefeated, 3 nil up etc. but no one can deny this team is capable of more. Exciting times ahead hopefully. Perhaps the Oval will be a release of some tension and we will see a less inhibited and more expressive performance.
 


Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
Respectfully, he's not even a 4 day keeper at his county, we'd get away with it in one day stuff but I think Steven Davies went on the winter tours didn't he?

He is the 4 day keeper when he is at Yorkshire. Hence why Hodd was brought in up there mid way through last season, as they kept losing him to England.

Davies did not go on either winter tour, Prior and Bairstow were the 2 keepers.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/297433.html
 






Basil Fawlty

Don't Mention The War
Is it a dead rubber at the Oval though!?

ICC Rankings predicator says that if we win the series 4-0 we go 1 point above India into 2nd in the rankings, it will also relegate Australia to 5th!!. If the series finishes 3-1, we'll stay in 3rd and Aussies will stay in 4th.

I'd say it's vital we keep the momentum going, if we are going to challenge South Africa at the top, we need 4-0 here, and a big series win out there to start getting close to them.

It's going to be a very tough decision for the Selectors to make, before we head to the Oval. Will the Selectors think about Rankings and trying to get Second spot?! Or will we rest Broad, Swann, Jimmy and take our foot off their Throats, like we did at Old Trafford?
 


spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
Swann 23
Harris 20
Anderson, Siddle, Broad all on 17

They'd better bloody not rest Swann. What a terrible, terrible suggestion!

I doubt very much they'd rest Prior either - he needs the chance to get a score.

I suppose but it does worry me that if anything were to happen to Prior, we haven't got any real experience there. He's also massively important to the balance of the side. The keepers with international experience fall into two categories - the sloggers (Kieswetter, Buttler) & yesterdays men (Read, Foster, Ambrose.) I suppose by process of elimatation, it's Stephen Davies but he has yet to play in a test match.
 




Titanic

Super Moderator
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,923
West Sussex
It's going to be a very tough decision for the Selectors to make, before we head to the Oval. Will the Selectors think about Rankings and trying to get Second spot?! Or will we rest Broad, Swann, Jimmy and take our foot off their Throats, like we did at Old Trafford?

They have an objective to be No 1 Test side... no changes for me at The Oval (unless there are injuries or a real need for a 'rest').
 


spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
He is the 4 day keeper when he is at Yorkshire. Hence why Hodd was brought in up there mid way through last season, as they kept losing him to England.

Davies did not go on either winter tour, Prior and Bairstow were the 2 keepers.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/297433.html

Fair enough, I suppose the question remains though, given Bairstow's form. I've not seen much of him keeping but what I have seen had him firmly pinned down in the One Day keeper camp. He may well have improved. Giving Bairstow the gloves at the Oval might be an opportunity to experiment with the balance of the side or have a look at another batsman.
 


Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
Fair enough, I suppose the question remains though, given Bairstow's form. I've not seen much of him keeping but what I have seen had him firmly pinned down in the One Day keeper camp. He may well have improved. Giving Bairstow the gloves at the Oval might be an opportunity to experiment with the balance of the side or have a look at another batsman.

Davies has slipped out of the picture since the emergence of Butler and Bairstow.

The problem with Bairstow is he is batting too high up the order, but then England for some reason cannot find a number 6 batsman, so Bairstow is almost playing by default.
 






knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
13,108

Sorry old chap I was a little worse for wear. Trying to say what a marvellous 2 days cricket I had had around the drinking. Chester-Le-Street created a great atmosphere and best ground outside of London. Certainly top 3 of the 10 Test venues I have visited in England.
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,763
Chandlers Ford
There is a full week off before the fifth Test, and nothing of any real importance immediately afterwards. There is absolutely zero reason to REST anyone at all. If there are one or two changes (I think there will be none) then they will be driven by a wish to give the incoming players the match-time, rather than any need to rest / drop the others.
 


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