TOPIC:

I actually like PH's team (as much as I want Warner dropped it aint going to happen) as it strengthens the batting and Head can hold up an end for a bit with his offies for some variety whilst the extra seam option could help alleviate the load off Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood who has played little Test cricket in the last 2 years-

Warner
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Hazlewood

Murphy is just not quite ready for an Ashes series at this stage, he bowls too quick through the air and off the pitch thus no turn, which works well in India but not in England.

yeah well it's sticks out they don't trust Murphy he would have bowled a bit more - sorta makes the squad look inadequate if you can't bowl your back up spinner
stack the frail batting up

Beasley Hutton wrote:

I actually like PH's team (as much as I want Warner dropped it aint going to happen) as it strengthens the batting and Head can hold up an end for a bit with his offies for some variety whilst the extra seam option could help alleviate the load off Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood who has played little Test cricket in the last 2 years-

Warner
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Hazlewood

Murphy is just not quite ready for an Ashes series at this stage, he bowls too quick through the air and off the pitch thus no turn, which works well in India but not in England.

I would drop Warner down the order to 4 or 5 and promote Marnus or Smith to open.

Man U land always turns, the pitch that is, you would be better off picking Murphy. Cummings has to learn to use his spinner, even allowing Lyon to bowl around the wicket, which is not his role, ideally. Interestingly neither side has really been able to pick their best spinners in the series.

we were developing a good young guy who can whizz the pill - Swepson and they've just discarded him , what a difference he could make up there

The best way to go this test is use Murphy with Smith as the leg spinner turning away. Is Head better than Ray Bright all of a sudden, in the collective mind of the selectors?  How ever Australia does, it nethier will be able to bowl for five days in a test match; that will fall mainly to Murphy if the selectors are sensible. 

Beasley Hutton wrote:

I actually like PH's team (as much as I want Warner dropped it aint going to happen) as it strengthens the batting and Head can hold up an end for a bit with his offies for some variety whilst the extra seam option could help alleviate the load off Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood who has played little Test cricket in the last 2 years-

Warner
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Hazlewood

Murphy is just not quite ready for an Ashes series at this stage, he bowls too quick through the air and off the pitch thus no turn, which works well in India but not in England.

I agree the above team looks like it could do the job, only Hazelwood could be described as a bunny, long batting line up to try and keep the pomms out on the paddock as long as possible, it may be overly conservative thinking, but the first priority is to protect the Ashes so batting long will likely deliver a draw which takes a series win out of the pomms hands and will deflate their massive ego's. Tactics can change during the game if we get on top early and can go for the jugular. But the toss will be vital, better check the coin to see if it has a head one side and a tail the other!!

Nathan Lyons absence in this series is a massive factor. If he had been present on the last day at Headingly I reckon we would have bowled England out for a lot less than 250. The problem was that the pace bowlers were all going at 5 RPO despite the fact they were taking wickets regularly. Lyon would have exerted some control at one end while the seamers attacked at the other.

leaking 5 an over will see you lose more than win - don't think I've seen Cummins & Hazelwood go for that before in Tests

Dont forget the Pommy bowlers have been going at 4+ an over. This is one of the fastest run rates I've seen in an ashes series.