TOPIC:

I don't like our chances of turning things around in India but I'm more optimistic about the ashes as long as the right players are selected. The type of high risk cricket that England are playing right now (bazball) is going to go arse up on occasions especially against tight disciplined bowling. I think that our bowling attack at its best is capable of challenging the English batsmen and creating opportunities for wickets. The batting has to be better though in order to put scoreboard pressure on the poms.

They need a solid opening partnership, preferably a right/left combination. An opportunity there for a young guy like Henry Hunt to open with Khawaja. Wheres Warner you may be asking. I think he should be tapped on the shoulder as he not is batting well any more and putting pressure on others in the top order. Broad would be salivating at the prospect of bowling at him again so lets take that away from him. Warner can then concentrate on his white ball form as he can play till the next 20/20 and 50 over world cup.

So a test team like the following would be capable of at least making it a decent series

Hunt
Khawaja
Labusagne 
Smith
Head 
Green
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Boland or Murphy ( depending on the pitch)

Also take some younger guys ( Morris, Phillipe, Inglis , Meredith, Mcsweeney from SA or Sutherland) just to assist with the succession plan for the team. You could introduce some of these guys in at various points of a 5 test series. Just look what Murphy did as a young player, all they need is an opportunity.


 

Warner, like Ponting, like S Waugh has taken the selfish route and carried on 12 months too long. It's a pity Pucovski is a walking head injury, definitely would of been that long term opener Aust needs. Maybe Bancroft could be given another crack, got a feeling if Harris keeps scoring he will get an Ashes ticket. If Renshaw plays, play him as an opener, or does Aust take the Bazball route and play Head as an opener?

For me a left field Ashes 1st test line up could be
Head
Bancroft
Labuschagne 
Smith
Green
Hardie
Carey
Richardson
Cummins
Morris
Murphy

Won't happen, but one can only hope.

Good teams and clearly highlights the need to change, on another note what has happened to our spinners and their lack of ability to bat? I can't believe how many spinners around the country need to bat 10 or 11. I get it if you're a fast bowler, but really a finger spinner batting 11 doesn't offer much in my opinion.

My Ashes Team

Khawaja
Renshaw
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood

12th man from-

Boland
Morris
Richardson
Neser
Murphy
Bancroft
Hunt
Hardie/Sutherland
Inglis (w/k)
 

Your probably pretty close BH, though I'm sure at some stage the eastern states media will roll out the Maxwell and Harris to return lines.
 
I don't think Richardson will have enough games under his belt to be picked and with Neser, Boland and and Morris as spare quicks (+ Hardie or Sutherland) do we need to take more than 6 quicks?

I can't think of any other batters around the country outside of Hunt and Bancroft banging the door down.

I do have doubts about Khawaja - yes, he had an awesome previous 12 months but this summer in Australia and recently he has looked like the game has caught up with him. I fear the pommie quicks will swing the ball around and catch him with lead feet on the crease. He will nick a few to root at second slip.

And we are batting first with three spinners, 1 quick and head back in the team.

Kunerman to Debut - Agar should ask to come home to play for WA and should hand back his baggy green - they have burnt him so bad I would not be surprised if he is over cricket at the moment.

Yeah I agree on Khawaja PH but I just cant see us throwing Hunt & Bancroft in to the fire up against an English pace attack that could include any one of Anderson, Broad, Robinson, Archer, Wood, Stokes, Stone, Mahmood, Overton, Woakes or Potts!

On another note gee this is one of the worst Australian teams chosen I can remember for this Delhi Test, takes me back to that awful period 1984-87 after Chappell, Lillee, Marsh all retired and others went to SA on the rebel tours!
How the fark does Handscomb keep getting picked???
Agar should request the first flight home back to Perth as all he will be doing in India is bowling in the nets, sub fielding and mixing cordial!

Interesting to hear Dodemaide explain why Agar didn't get selected for this test.....apparently Agar is lacking red ball form! Ummmm why was he even selected in the first place? 

Looking painfully obvious how important Green is to the Aussie test make up. Slip Green in instead of Handscomb and Aust has 2 fast boys and 3 spinners, instead of 1 fast boy and 3 spinners...

premiership hangover wrote:

And we are batting first with three spinners, 1 quick and head back in the team.

Kunerman to Debut - Agar should ask to come home to play for WA and should hand back his baggy green - they have burnt him so bad I would not be surprised if he is over cricket at the moment.

With Starc and Hazlewood about to return, they could put Lance Morris on the same plane as Agar given he's only played a handful of BBL games in the last several months. 

i reckon your on the money BC. If he didnt get a game with injuries he won't get one now. He will break down when he has to bowl more that the allowed 48 balls in the nets