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Congrats to Paddy on getting the skippers job.....looks like a good egg on and off the park.....be interesting to see how he manages himself and whether his loyalty to Starc clouds his captaincy judgement.....

As for the keepers position, Carey hasn't made a run of late, Inglis hasn't batted of late.....yet they are the two in Ashes contention?....crazy TBH.....Inglis was wasted in the T20 sadly......right now Josh Philippe is scoring runs and taking catches for fun in all formats so far this season for WA.....big jump I know from shield to tests.....but so is not playing any red ball format for over 3-4 months in Inglis or scoring fark all over the last 2 months for SA in Carey......rather go Inglis....but Carey will get the nod i reckon.

I reckon Queensland's Jimmy Peirson would be a worthy inclusion as Test wicketkeeper, Freez.
However, I think it will be either Carey or Inglis who wears the gloves.
I think England will be a very competitive opponent. 

I think that they will be more than competitive ADGM. This summer has a little bit of a feel of 2010-11 about it. The Australian team appears to be in disarray just 2 weeks out from the series with a new captain, uncertainty about the batting order and a breakdown in an already testy relationship between CA and the players over the way Paine was managed. Meanwhile England are quietly going about their preparations in Brisbane. I hope I am wrong but I smell an upset

Fairly good summary Mike. Aussies are no certainty one feels. Hope Paine can ride off into the sunset and get the proper help for his mental health issues. Then a huge task of rebuilding his relationship/ marriage, although I hear his wife is standing by him. Some are questioning the elevation of Smith after his previous. On the positive it appears Cummings is a well liked/ respected choice. The Aussies need to concentrate on the job and put the recent distractions out of their minds. 

Mike, I don't think either Australia or England are particularly great Test sides.
Given the home-ground advantage and the fact that we have two world-class batsmen (Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith - I exclude Dave Warner because his best days are behind him) against England's one (Joe Root), I believe that we have more talent than the visitors.
Jimmy Anderson is 39 and Stuart Broad in 35, so I don't think England can afford to play both in all Tests.
That said, our much-vaunted pace attack failed to deliver against India last summer.
While England has had the sorry Yorkshire CC racism issue to deal with, that's a broader matter than the Tim Paine "Sextgate" scandal which has directly impacted our Test team.
WAG, I think Pat Cummins will be a good Test skipper but it will be disruptive if he's rested for one Test as part of the talked-about player rotation. 
Yes, full credit to Bonnie Paine for sticking by Tim.
As Terry Jones' character said in The Life of Brian: "He's not the Messiah; he's a very naughty boy."
That said, I'm certainly no saint.

It will be interesting to see if Mitchell Starc is still part of the first choice pace attack. In my mind Jhye Richardson has gone past him and his form in the Sheffield Shield this year should be rewarded with selection in the first test.

The whole Pommy squad must have been sitting around giggling to themselves over the last few weeks.

-You had the majority of the Aussie squad have not even been in the country but in the UAE playing hit and giggle cricket.
-No red ball cricket in the lead up to the 1st Test at the Gabba for most of our chosen Test squad.
-As it stands no wicketkeeper, no.5 or opening partner for Warner locked in.
-The whole Tim Paine sideshow and debacle.

Meanwhile the Poms have welcomed back a refreshed Ben Stokes into their fold whilst getting a good months head start on us with red ball centre wicket practice there on the Gold Coast.
As Mike posted this has the 1986/87-2010/11 Ashes Series result written all over it!

On a side note is this the latest start to an Australian home Cricket Test Series ever?
Or is it just me who is hanging out for some proper International red ball cricket.....

One would think Carey's recent 100 has him in the box seat for the keepers spot....more so for his leadership experience.....especially with Cummins as the skipper. Inglis just hasn't batted in any format for how many months now? Pity that, because he is obviously has the X factor that Gilchrist had in his day.

Stokes whilst raring to go, has played fark all competitive cricket for nearly a year....so whilst obviously a super talented player, surely will be a tad rusty....but I guess won't most players from both sides be, considering the lead up to the series. 

Richardson surely deserves first go at the GABBA, especially after just playing there and doing well, coincidentally v 4 of Qld batsmen who are considered "good" enough to be selected in Aust & Aust A squads in Street, Uzzie, Labuschagne and Renshaw. Save Starc for the game in the day night match, where statistically and mentally he has done well in the past.

For me:
Warner, Harris Labuschagne Smith Uzzie Green Inglis Cummins Richardson Lyon Hazlewood.

Actually wouldn't mind Renshaw at 6, and Green at 5.....Renshaw showed heaps a few years back, but vanished, now seems to know his game better being older and having opening experience, batting 6 usually means coming in v the new ball, but then again we are talking about Aust here..... of late, it's been all out by the 80th over or there abouts.

Actually play Uzzie ahead of Harris, but then that makes Aust openers both 34 + and not really a good sign for the future....pity Pucovski can't get a decent run of health......

The Perth test is history, the Emperor has put his almighty foot down and insisting that there be a 14 day quarantine for all players and team officials if they want to come to the hermit kingdom. No wives/partners allowed. Likely go to Hobart, maybe Canberra or a 2nd test to Melbourne perhaps.

 

Yes saw that SS. McClown is fast becoming a joke and his border policies just ridiculous where it can't be played here because of quarantining requirements but can be moved to Melbourne instead. You couldn't make this stuff up.