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[procricket]

Michael Clarke (c), Steve Smith, (vc) Fawad Ahmed, Brad Haddin (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson.

Come on people who knock England lets hear your Australia Syops

[WalkingWicket37]

England will beat both NZ and Australia and shut a few up

Whatever it is you've been on, can I have some please? 

[procricket]

Whatever it is you've been on, can I have some please? 

Maybe but i have faith i like some others fear NZ more than Australia but i fear neither batting side in truth in England.

Go on bore me with crickinfo stats

So come on Cam instead of your whitty one line post lets here what you think really

[Gerry SA]

England will crumble like a deck of cards the first time Mitch Johnson has the rock in his hands.

[edge]

Aussies start as favourites, but only slight favourites I'd say! (also didn't they announce this squad like 2 months ago?)

Aussies:
Bowling is incredibly dependent on Harris, Johnson has gone off the boil recently and never bowled well in England anyway. Siddle has lost a couple of yards, expect he'll bowl economically but wouldn't expect him to pose much of a threat. Starc has been mostly poor in tests to date. Hazlewood looks a good bowler, be interesting to see how he goes on slower pitches (compared to Oz) with more swing on offer. Lyon is reliable but no more, don't see Ahmed getting a game.
Batting looks strong at first glance, but none of them have really scored consistently in England. Warner and Smith are the keys for me, and if they're gonna get found out anywhere, it'll be England. Selection of Voges shows they know this, you don't pick a 35 year old uncapped player if he's gonna be carrying drinks - he'll be in the team because he's scored runs in CC here and they're worried about the swinging ball.

England:
Cook is a concern, , if Trott comes off we all know how good he is (concern if he doesn't though). Middle order looks ridiculously strong at present, don't really care about Ballance/Root/Stokes being 'unproven' against the best attacks - neither is Steve Smith and I don't see anyone doubting him! Ballance/Root are two of the outstanding test bats from the past year, and Stokes will win us a game singlehanded at least once if he plays all five. Buttler will cause chaos if he's coming in with a good platform, a bit uncertain otherwise.
Anderson will be as good as ever, Stokes coming in to the team helps him a lot. Broad is a concern, needs a rest badly and told to rediscover some pace. Third seamer slot could be the key to our bowling attack, if whoever it is bowls well and keeps Anderson/Broad on their toes and stops them having to bowl too many overs, I think our bowling will do very well. Don't see Jordan doing that however. Ali, meh. Done ok so far, who knows how he'll goes. Seems to do well when batsmen attack him, which NZ/Oz will both do, fingers crossed there.

In short, if we get our opening bats firing (and by all accounts Cook is improving fast) and our third seamer sorted, I think it'll be a very close series. Also actually think NZ are possibly more of a threat than Oz though.

[WalkingWicket37]

So come on Cam instead of your whitty one line post lets here what you think really

I think the Aussies will wipe the floor with England.

Although not as potent, Mitchell Johnson will have left scars from the sides last meeting. With him as "the enforcer" and Starc bowling as well as anyone in the world right now, England have two left arm seamers to contend with.
When they're not facing a barrage from those two, they'll have Ryan Harris - who is injury prone but world class, Peter Siddle - who will hold up an end for next to no runs all day, and either Lyon or Ahmed. Lyon is a pressure bowler, so won't give away a lot of runs, while Ahmed is a (somewhat) mystery leggy, it won't be easy getting runs against that attack.

There's then the batting, Warner will bludgeon a few, Buck Rogers will accumulate, and Clarke will almost certainly be playing his last Ashes series, so will be hungry for runs. Smifffy is one of the most improved players on the planet, Watto has started scoring runs again down the order and Haddin is more than capable of putting bowlers to the sword.


In comparisson England have Jimmy - a world class swinger. Stuart Broad, who's been down on pace and taking some tap, Chris Jordan - lacking in control, Ben Stokes - another back up bowler and Moeen - a part time spinner. That's hardly the same firepower that Aus have.

Then there's the batting. Cook isn't in decent nick right now, you can say what you like about his average in the last X tests, but he's out of nick! Trott isn't an opener I'm afraid. Ballance could go either way, and I hope he scores big. Bell is consistent and looks pretty playing his shots, but we don't need a 30-odd man! Root is unproven against Aus still and could go either way, he has the potential to be great though. Stokes needs to nickle down in the long form for me, he has the talent but sometimes doesn't play a situation. Jordan is a number 8 hitter, in ODIs the pyrotechnic batting is great, but this is test cricket. Buttler is a possible star, but needs to play a test match, his best scores on Tests have all come playing a ODI innings. Then there's the bowlers, Moeen will get bounced out, Broad will be stood behind the Square Leg umpire and Jimmy is just Jimmy.

A like for like comparisson of the sides put Aus as favourites for me, and I think the Ashes will be retained after 3 tests.

[Alvaro]

A like for like comparisson of the sides put Aus as favourites for me, and I think the Ashes will be retained after 3 teats.

That's udder rubbish!

[ProCricketer1982]

Aussies start as favourites, but only slight favourites I'd say! (also didn't they announce this squad like 2 months ago?)

Aussies:
Bowling is incredibly dependent on Harris, Johnson has gone off the boil recently and never bowled well in England anyway. Siddle has lost a couple of yards, expect he'll bowl economically but wouldn't expect him to pose much of a threat. Starc has been mostly poor in tests to date. Hazlewood looks a good bowler, be interesting to see how he goes on slower pitches (compared to Oz) with more swing on offer. Lyon is reliable but no more, don't see Ahmed getting a game.
Batting looks strong at first glance, but none of them have really scored consistently in England. Warner and Smith are the keys for me, and if they're gonna get found out anywhere, it'll be England. Selection of Voges shows they know this, you don't pick a 35 year old uncapped player if he's gonna be carrying drinks - he'll be in the team because he's scored runs in CC here and they're worried about the swinging ball.

England:
Cook is a concern, , if Trott comes off we all know how good he is (concern if he doesn't though). Middle order looks ridiculously strong at present, don't really care about Ballance/Root/Stokes being 'unproven' against the best attacks - neither is Steve Smith and I don't see anyone doubting him! Ballance/Root are two of the outstanding test bats from the past year, and Stokes will win us a game singlehanded at least once if he plays all five. Buttler will cause chaos if he's coming in with a good platform, a bit uncertain otherwise.
Anderson will be as good as ever, Stokes coming in to the team helps him a lot. Broad is a concern, needs a rest badly and told to rediscover some pace. Third seamer slot could be the key to our bowling attack, if whoever it is bowls well and keeps Anderson/Broad on their toes and stops them having to bowl too many overs, I think our bowling will do very well. Don't see Jordan doing that however. Ali, meh. Done ok so far, who knows how he'll goes. Seems to do well when batsmen attack him, which NZ/Oz will both do, fingers crossed there.

In short, if we get our opening bats firing (and by all accounts Cook is improving fast) and our third seamer sorted, I think it'll be a very close series. Also actually think NZ are possibly more of a threat than Oz though.

Cook is improving fast You know he's been out of form for 2 years right?? And who says he's imoroving?? That will be the ECB hacks who we can't trust to be doing anything other than toeing the ECB party pr line!!

[procricket]

I think the Aussies will wipe the floor with England.

Although not as potent, Mitchell Johnson will have left scars from the sides last meeting. With him as "the enforcer" and Starc bowling as well as anyone in the world right now, England have two left arm seamers to contend with.
When they're not facing a barrage from those two, they'll have Ryan Harris - who is injury prone but world class, Peter Siddle - who will hold up an end for next to no runs all day, and either Lyon or Ahmed. Lyon is a pressure bowler, so won't give away a lot of runs, while Ahmed is a (somewhat) mystery leggy, it won't be easy getting runs against that attack.

There's then the batting, Warner will bludgeon a few, Buck Rogers will accumulate, and Clarke will almost certainly be playing his last Ashes series, so will be hungry for runs. Smifffy is one of the most improved players on the planet, Watto has started scoring runs again down the order and Haddin is more than capable of putting bowlers to the sword.


In comparisson England have Jimmy - a world class swinger. Stuart Broad, who's been down on pace and taking some tap, Chris Jordan - lacking in control, Ben Stokes - another back up bowler and Moeen - a part time spinner. That's hardly the same firepower that Aus have.

Then there's the batting. Cook isn't in decent nick right now, you can say what you like about his average in the last X tests, but he's out of nick! Trott isn't an opener I'm afraid. Ballance could go either way, and I hope he scores big. Bell is consistent and looks pretty playing his shots, but we don't need a 30-odd man! Root is unproven against Aus still and could go either way, he has the potential to be great though. Stokes needs to nickle down in the long form for me, he has the talent but sometimes doesn't play a situation. Jordan is a number 8 hitter, in ODIs the pyrotechnic batting is great, but this is test cricket. Buttler is a possible star, but needs to play a test match, his best scores on Tests have all come playing a ODI innings. Then there's the bowlers, Moeen will get bounced out, Broad will be stood behind the Square Leg umpire and Jimmy is just Jimmy.

A like for like comparisson of the sides put Aus as favourites for me, and I think the Ashes will be retained after 3 teats.

That's better Cameron than your one line stuff all about opinions I notice yours are all negative towards England and positive towards a ageing and unproven in this country side by and large.

I'm looking forward to all the games and expect it to be a great summer

Smith is interesting and I think we will find out how good he is with a moving ball but as people say opinions thnk it will be very close

[WalkingWicket37]

That's better Cameron than your one line stuff all about opinions I notice yours are all negative towards England and positive towards a ageing and unproven in this country side by and large.

I'm looking forward to all the games and expect it to be a great summer

Thank you David 

Don't get me wrong, I'd love England to do well. But things need to be changes.
stop putting the old guard in (out of position) and selecting them on past performance.

Cook needs to go and get some county runs  and Trotty isn't an opener.

What's wrong with the young talent coming through?
Why not play the likes of Hales, Vince, Rashid, Plunkett, even Panesar as the spinner!

I know a Moeen is one if the younger players I want to play, but he was a batsman who could bowl a bit, England are playing him as a front line spinner!

In my opinion the likes of Ballance, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Taylor, Hales, Vince etc are the future. Get them in and around the squad and side now.
Look at the Aussies reserve of players, they have a long list of youngsters who could all play their next test without a raised eyebrow at their selection. If other countries can do it so well, why are England's selectors stuck in the past?

[procricket]

Love the fact and this is not aimed at yo in particular we rant and rave about players yet have the time we have not seen very much of them at all.

Cook a interesting pick up look at his last 6 tests look at his average why does he need to go away and score runs he is scoring runs.

[WalkingWicket37]

Love the fact and this is not aimed at yo in particular we rant and rave about players yet have the time we have not seen very much of them at all.

Cook a interesting pick up look at his last 6 tests look at his average why does he need to go away and score runs he is scoring runs.

It's Cook's job as opener to score hundreds, something he hasn't done for a long time.
I'd like to see him play a few championship games (and hopefully get a Ton!) to give home every opportunity to be in the best possible form going into New Zealand series, and more importantly the first Ashes test.

[edge]

Important to remember that Harris won't make it through all 5 tests, and Starc quite possibly won't even play! ODIs yes he's very good, tests no. Australia have picked a very cautious squad - Voges in, Siddle in, none of their young quicks other than Hazlewood and Starc. That tells you all you need to know about what the guys in charge of the Aussie team think about the series - it's not going to be one-sided.

re. ECB and the England team - yes we were crap at the world cup, this does not mean the apocalypse is nigh...

[Cedrictoad]

The tea leaves say 2-1 to England in the Ashes.

You all have no faith!  The batsmen will stand up (I smell big runs for Root and Bell) and Jimmy will knock the tops off the Australian batting line up... Smith, Clarke and Watto won't be so comfortable when the ball is actually moving off the track (with Clarke's back right now it only takes about 4 short ones for him to give it away due to the spasms - and Haddin is almost as afraid of the short one as Broad). England always stand up at home, why can't the 2015 English boys make themselves into legends the way the 2005 lads did?

For the records the coffee granules say England will beat NZ as well (who are at any moment just one Bmac chip to mid-off away from disaster). 

Come the end of August everyone will be singing from a different songbook!

[The_Bird]

Australia have failed to beat us on our home soil for 14 years.

The bowlers will win it for them. We don't have the depth to compete with them so we need to hope and pray Steve Smith forgets how to bat and Clarkes back falls off.


I reckon England will tie the overall series record 32-32.

*I've clutched at as many statistical straws as I can.*