Aussie squad for the Ashes

[Ron Manager]

Announced earlier today (Oz time) -

Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Andrew McDonald, Marcus North, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Hauritz, Graham Manou, Shane Watson*.
* subject to fitness

Let the countdown begin!

 

[canveyshrimper]

I've never heard of Graham Manou. But just seen he's the back up keeper.

http://content.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6480.html

Only one spinner in Hauritz, and no Andre Symonds, despite Ponting talking him up the other day. Given that Shane Watson is perenially injured he may yet get a spot.

Only 6 front line batsmen, and 4 of them left handers. If the convicts stick to their normal policy of 6 batsmen, Haddin at 7 and 4 bowlers their top 6 need to stay fit and in form.

 

[Ron Manager]

I've never heard of Graham Manou. But just seen he's the back up keeper.

http://content.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6480.html

Only one spinner in Hauritz, and no Andre Symonds, despite Ponting talking him up the other day. Given that Shane Watson is perenially injured he may yet get a spot.

Only 6 front line batsmen, and 4 of them left handers. If the convicts stick to their normal policy of 6 batsmen, Haddin at 7 and 4 bowlers their top 6 need to stay fit and in form.

No Symonds is the big talking point in Oz, especially here in Queensland where he's a bit of a local hero. There's also a lot of talk about only one recognised spinner. The Aussie's aren't their usual over confident selves about this series but I think it will be a tough summer for England.

 

[BalmainShrimper]

I'm surprised Symonds hasn't made it. He doesn't deserve to be in on form, but he does seem to have a mythical status in the squad. Given the amount of talk in the run up to the announcement I thought he was in.

Australia can always do damage with the bat, but this looks like a potentially weak bowling line up. Couple of guys coming back from serious injury, a few rookies. Mitchell Johnson is the spearhead and has been outstanding recently.

Should be a cracking series

 

[Bluesmanager]

Just put SSN on, and whoever's up at Edgbaston today just laid into the selection no end. Ronald McDonald was mentioned.

Seems that they're expecting us to waltz it. (Pun fully intended, by the way)

 

[BalmainShrimper]

Certainly has the potential to be one of the weakest Australia sides in recent history. They've been shown to be fallable and are certainly not the same without Warne and McGrath.

But remember they are the masters of the mind games and targetting individuals. Ponting's already stated they are going after Strauss.

England are on the up at the moment, but beating the Windies hardly counts for too much these days. And when we start to get skittled it can go off the rails rapidly.

The key to the 2005 win was, I believe, England rattling Ponting at Lords. It gave us the confidence and showed that Australia had fragility. We will need to repeat that to win this series.

My guess is that whoever wins the first game will win the series.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Certainly has the potential to be one of the weakest Australia sides in recent history. They've been shown to be fallable and are certainly not the same without Warne and McGrath.

But remember they are the masters of the mind games and targetting individuals. Ponting's already stated they are going after Strauss.

England are on the up at the moment, but beating the Windies hardly counts for too much these days. And when we start to get skittled it can go off the rails rapidly.

The key to the 2005 win was, I believe, England rattling Ponting at Lords. It gave us the confidence and showed that Australia had fragility. We will need to repeat that to win this series.

My guess is that whoever wins the first game will win the series.

Luckily for England that didn't happen in 2005, as they bounced back from the defeat at Lords.

I'll be very interested to see how Katich & Hughes go as an opening pair in English conditions, Anderson, Broad & Onions don't seem to have problems bowling to left handers, and with North and Mr ****ing cricket they'll have four in the top six.

IMO Symonds won't be a great loss in Test cricket as I don't think he's anywhere near Test class. I'm a bit surprised they didn't pick either McGain or Krejza along with Hauritz, but the spinning cupboard is bare after the departure of Warne & MacGill.

I'm really looking forward to this series.

 

[BalmainShrimper]

There's a good piece on the Guardian website

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/may/21/australia-beatable-ashes-england-mike-selvey

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Can't understand why people are surprised that Symonds has been left-out. He's a ****-head who even at his best (which he hasn't shown for some time) was well short of test class. Marcus North is a far superior batsman who can provide enough spin to fill in.

I wish Australia had a half decent spinner only to stop England falling into thinking spin was the way to win the series. This series will be decided by pace.

Unfortunately whilst an Aussie attack of Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and AN Other may be inexperienced, I'd take them over England's attack who have only proven themselves against West Indies, as opposed to those three against South Africa. They have the edge in pace and their inexperience is matched by Anderson, Broad and Onions'.

Hopefully we'll be up against Lee, Clark and Hauritz.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

There's a good piece on the Guardian website

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/may/21/australia-beatable-ashes-england-mike-selvey

That might be a fair assessment of Australia, but a similar assessment of England would reveal even less to worry about.