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[awp]

It's going to be hot, 38-41. Will Australia hold the Ashes on Sunday? Is resistance futile? Have the poms got anything to counter the Aussie Ambush?

[Buzz]

In short, we are going to get stuffed again, so yes the Aussies will hold the ashes by Monday, for the first time in my son's little lifetime. I find this most depressing.

[lazza32]

In short, we are going to get stuffed again, so yes the Aussies will hold the ashes by Monday, for the first time in my son's little lifetime. I find this most depressing.

You never know buzz your son just might be in one of the future ashes matches.

[Pendles10]

Pieterson, Swann and Anderson expected to be rested............The Aussies to return the urn!!!!!

[Red Ink Cricket]

i think it depends on which england turns up. if we pick the right side and dont play stupid shots then who says we cant win at perth. we dont ahve a great record there thats for sure but india went down 2 nil and won at perth. they arent exactly world beaters when it comes to the short ball are they?

kp swann and anderson to be rested for the onedayers and t20 not the tests. really cant see them resting all 3 when we still have chance in the series

[The_Bird]

Pieterson, Swann and Anderson expected to be rested............The Aussies to return the urn!!!!!

Surely that would help England?

Get Tymal Mills and Boyd Rankin in and try and fight fire with fire.

[Kieron_BT]

Pieterson, Swann and Anderson expected to be rested............The Aussies to return the urn!!!!!

Think you are getting confused with the ODI's/T20's mate

Agree on getting Tymal Mills in, said it from the start!

[Fearless Fly]

i think it depends on which england turns up. if we pick the right side and dont play stupid shots then who says we cant win at perth. we dont ahve a great record there thats for sure but india went down 2 nil and won at perth. they arent exactly world beaters when it comes to the short ball are they?

kp swann and anderson to be rested for the onedayers and t20 not the tests. really cant see them resting all 3 when we still have chance in the series

Think that is wishful thinking. so many "ifs". could be all over inside 4 days. i dont think they will play swann and either tremlett or finn will come in. Australia will probably keep same 11 which i think is right if Watson is fully fit as a bowler. if AUS win in perth it will be a long summer for you guys and brilliant for me

[awp]

In short, we are going to get stuffed again, so yes the Aussies will hold the ashes by Monday, for the first time in my son's little lifetime. I find this most depressing.

If this is the start of the next aussie period of domination (and im not suggesting thats necessarily the case) your son may be a father the next time england get the urn back.....still, youve had em for 4 consecutive years, that's plenty.....

[awp]

Pieterson, Swann and Anderson expected to be rested............The Aussies to return the urn!!!!!

Rest KP? One of the best bats in the world, youre nuts.  Swann, yep, with respect- I think eng would be better off with finn & bresnan coming in for swann/monty.  You need a specialist batsman @6.  Anderson is and looks shagged, and not digging too deep, done a lot of bowling to be fsir, perhaps hasn't got anything left to give. I think he's important for eng in perth and should swing it. So, anderson, broad, bresnan, finn, pretty solid attack no?

Touring teams often miss the trick in perth.  You need to pitch it fuller to take advantsge of the bounce, not get carried away with short stuff.  Batsmen need propper footwork in perth, if you get stuck on the creece to length balls youre out pretty quickly.

[jamesisapayne]

If this is the start of the next aussie period of domination (and im not suggesting thats necessarily the case) your son may be a father the next time england get the urn back.....still, youve had em for 4 consecutive years, that's plenty.....

I think you're being extremely optimistic - A lot of the players who have contributed to the (and rightly so) success the Aussie's have had in the first two test aren't going to be around beyond 2-3 years - see Clarke, Harris, Rogers, Haddin, Johnson. You'll need to be looking at the 22-26 year olds to see if that's a possibility. Which I don't think so.

[jamesisapayne]

Touring teams often miss the trick in perth.  You need to pitch it fuller to take advantsge of the bounce, not get carried away with short stuff.  Batsmen need propper footwork in perth, if you get stuck on the creece to length balls youre out pretty quickly.

Which is right up Bresnan's street. I'm not sure Broad is going to be able to resist bowling a barrage of bumpers though. Shame, as he's got the perfect attribute to get wickets off a fullish length = height

[Number4]

Problem is Finn has been ordinary in the practise games leading up to the ashes and Rankin hasn't actually done anything to force himself into the side either and Bresnan hasn't played much recently either.... I'd keep the team the same except for Panesar. Not real sure who I'd bring in though

[Red Ink Cricket]

Think that is wishful thinking. so many "ifs". could be all over inside 4 days. i dont think they will play swann and either tremlett or finn will come in. Australia will probably keep same 11 which i think is right if Watson is fully fit as a bowler. if AUS win in perth it will be a long summer for you guys and brilliant for me

I love how aussies are quiet and barely say a word when they are getting hammered but pipe up when they play better than a poorly playing england. dont get too carried away. things may be going your way atm but if you take out clarkes and haddins runs - who to be fair made the ashes games here closer, you're not doing a huge amount better. I agreed the aus bowling line up on paper is doing better but thats purely based on the fact the english batsman have played some ridiculous shots. How many batsman have been got out by the bowlers rather than hitting balls straight to the fielders. the england batsman are making the aus bowlers look world class. Yes MJ has bowled quickly and agressively and blown away the tail but he is only a couple of wide deliveries away from losing all that confidence and bowling all over the shop again. he didnt get many wickets in the second innings when we played him properly ( cook is obviously excused from this as he failed to play him properly)

Yes it sucks that we are 2-0 down but lets put it into context. we are 2-0 down due to the failings on the team and the fact the aussies have played better than us. they are not a better team, their frailties were highlighted here when our bowling line up ripped through them on numerous occasions. are they taking their catches and taking advantage of some pretty average shots? - yes. they are also benefitting from 80mph bowling which can be tucked into nicely on some batting friendly surfaces. the England bowlers have had the aus batting under some pressure in both tests. only to then drop catches and roll over. a few catches here and there and the batsman actually using their brains and it would be a hell of alot closer.

for me bresnan needs to come in. should bowl a good length at reasonable pace. Finn should also come in and be asked to bowl 5-6 over spells at full pace. get it full and get it quick. he will get bounce and movement naturally. the rest can take care of itself. Stokes also needs to be dropped in favour of a proper batsman. i was never sure why he was included in the first place

[joeljonno]

I think it is very similar to the summer, a poor touring team getting beat by a better performing home team.

If you look at both teams, there is not much succession planning in place, or at least, there are no real performers that are banging on the door, because if there was, they'd be in already.

Look at the ages
Clarke - 32
Johnson - 32
Watson - 32
Rogers - 36
Haddin - 36
Bailey - 31

All are in their pomp, or beyond.  Either way, I cannot see them improving much more, and all will tail off in the next 5 years.

Bell - 31
Carberry - 33
Pietersen - 33
Trott - 32
Prior - 31
Anderson - 31
Panesar - 31
Swann - 34

Same with England.

Got to remember that they only need to win two of the next three tests, and draw the other to retain the ashes.