The Ashes

[C C Csiders]

Any guesses on the leading run scorers and wicket takers for each country for the upcoming series.

My guesses:

England leading runscorer - Andrew Strauss (417 runs)
England leading wicket taker - Andrew Flintoff (24 wickets)

Australia leading runscorer - Damien Martyn (589 runs)
Australia leading wicket taker - Glenn McGrath (29 wickets)

I was initially confident that we could win this, but I think realisation is beginning to settle in. I think it might be in 2 years time over in Australia where we may stand a gretaer chance of getting the little urn back. By then there will be no McGrath and Warne for Australia, and the over 30s batsman will all be 2 years older as well.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

I'd go along with both of those calls for the Australians, although it'll be interesting to see how many times Harmy gets Martyn.

I'm less convinced about the English predictions.

I fear Strauss will struggle with "second season syndrome". He's made a brilliant start to his international career, but that second season is always harder. I'm actually struggling for a dead-cert to score runs for England. Ominously question marks hang over the entire batting line-up. The likes of Strauss, Pietersen and Bell may prove brilliant (and Vaughan, come to that), but I feel post Butcher, Hussain and Thorpe England lack a banker, someone who can be relied on to bring some stability to that order, will score a couple of timely 50s, a match-winning century and average 40+ for the series.

Flintoff will be a key bowler for England, but I doubt he will be top wicket taker, mainly because he will be bowled more sparingly than Harmison.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

England leading runscorer - Kevin Pietersen (509 runs)
England leading wicket taker - Steve Harmison (25 wickets)

Australia leading runscorer - Adam Gilchrist (564 runs)
Australia leading wicket taker - Glenn McGrath (29 wickets)

Matt asks "who is England's banker?" and I am convinced the answer is Kevin Pietersen. I genuinely think he is going to repay the selectors' faith in him. He doesn't really understand the concepts of fear or pressure... his was the ultimate baptism of fire in South Africa, being booed by the crowds and having them turn their backs on him... so what does he do? Scores a ton.

The fact that McGrath has singled him out, saying "we've worked him out, we've got some little tricks for him" shows that secretly the Ockers fear him a little bit.

A lot of the Ockers' success against us has been the fear factor, and KP simply doesn't have that. Sure, he's vulnerable on the leg side. But McGrath is no leg-side bowler... so he's relying on (really) Gillespie and Shane to get his wicket. And who does KP get to practise against in the nets at Hampshire on a daily basis...?!

I am a KP nut... he's the real deal, and will be our best batsman; followed closely by Michael Vaughan.

Alas, however, the Baggy Greens will prevail... I'm hovering between 2-0 and 3-1, depending on the weather. We've allowed them to bowl themselves into form, with all of Lee, McGrath and Gillespie now picking up wickets. Hoggard has been anonymous most of the summer, Jones is OK but not in their class, which leaves an awful lot on the shoulders of Harmy & Freddy. They're both crackers - and would probably supplant Lee & Gillespie in the current Aussie side - but are probably not as reliably lethal as the arch-whinger, McGrath.

Unfortunately, the Aussies look a more solid all-round unit than we do at the moment... their "average" form is better than ours. We're going to have to be brilliant all summer - something which we haven't achieved yet.

The other blooper is starting the series at Lord's - a place where, in the last 100 years, we've beaten the Aussies precisely...


...once, in 1934.

I don't know who's idea it was to start the series at Lord's, but it was a daft one. Hey ho.

Matt

 

[The General]

I'll go for Hoggard then with 23 wickets. I feel it will be fairly equal with Freddy and Harmy also taking about 20 wickets each.
As for Australia, its got to be Lee with about 30 and McGrath not too far behind.

Batting wise, i'm with Matt. Not too sure who will top score for us, if Strauss starts well i can see him getting 500 and perhaps top scoring but then if someone likes Vaughan gets a big 150/200 then he could top it. As for Australia, not too sure to be honest, could be Gillchrist but perhaps Martyn but im pretty sure its all going to be pretty even ...

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

I'm not sure about KP being vulnerable on the leg-side but the crowd sitting on the leg-side are when Pietersen is batting - take a look at his wagon-wheels!

The main thing we haven't seen yet is whether he can be bored out. McGrath dropping on that metronimic line and and length will be a real test. If he can disrupt that line and length without surrendering his wicket its game on. However he'll find it difficult to work balls from outside off to mid-wicket.

Warne is another question which remains unanswered. I'm fairly confident as Pietersen showed he can play spin on the A tour of India, but whether he can play leg-spin and Shane Warne's mind games might be another matter.

Finally, can he cope with the expectation? The pressure he was under in South Africa will be a different type of pressure to that as the saviour of English cricket. He struggled at the start of the season under the weight of expectation, which allowed Bell to jump the queue against Bangladesh

 

[canveyshrimper]

I am not going to make predictions about number of runs scored or wickets taken. I think it likely that Langer will be the Aussies top scorer & McGrath the main man with the wickets. Lee has not played a test in 18 months, and although he is lightning fast he is not the most accurate. Both Gillespie & Ksprowicz are past their best & Warne well who can tell with him his personal life in turmoil. However he loves the battle and will be a threat as ever.

For England, i think our attack is right, and i think Simon Jones just may surprise a few people. Harmison the main man with the ball & Vaughan with the bat.

It is essential that England hit the ground not running, but sprinting and they must win the first 6 sessions at Lords to really hit the Aussies.

I genuinely think this Aussie team is at the top of the hill, and just ready to go over it, whether it be this summer or in the winter, their selectors will soon have to make wholesale changes. Lee & Clarke are their only players under 30. Wheras England have only Giles over 30 & Vaughan who is 30. I find ironic that the Aussies always lecture England about selecting the old guard, and not replacing them as they get near the retirement stage. Even the reserves of the Aussies are 30 or thereabouts - Hussey, Hodge, Love, Symonds etc, and apart from Tait no quick bowler of note in the locker.

I think England are the coming team and under the tutealage of Fletcher and Vaughan will become the number one test team in the next 18 months.

However i think this series may just be slightly too early for the England side.

So Australia 2 England 1

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

England leading runscorer - Andrew Strauss (458 runs)
England leading wicket taker - Steve Harmison (32 wickets)

Australia leading runscorer - Adam Gilchrist (502 runs)
Australia leading wicket taker - Glenn McGrath (29 wickets)

This is what I'm going for...

Other top performers will be:

Kevin Pietersen - but he wont set the world alight in terms of total runs over the tournament. I think he'll succeed and succeed big on some days, but then fall cheaply on others.

Andrew Flintoff - Freddy will go from strength to strength. If England win the Ashes I can see him being Man of the Series.

Matthew Hoggard - a big series expected this time from Hoggy.

Justin Langer - top batsman who will run Gilchrist close for the Aussies' top scorer.

Shane Warne - will take 20 wickets for the Ockers


Overall, I can see this being a tight series. Whoever wins will do so by a point...

 

[chadded]

Anyone else rather it went to the final test, even more than an England victory in the 3rd test, just for excitement value?

 

[W4 Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (chadded @ July 20 2005,23:15)]Anyone else rather it went to the final test, even more than an England victory in the 3rd test, just for excitement value?

Well I don't think there's any danger of us wrapping it up by the 3rd Test anyway.

If we go to The Oval for the 5th Test either one up or with the series level then fantastic - all the more so seeing as I'm going on the second day!

 

[chadded]

Quote[/b] (W4 Shrimper @ July 21 2005,08:13)]

Quote[/b] (chadded @ July 20 2005,23:15)]Anyone else rather it went to the final test, even more than an England victory in the 3rd test, just for excitement value?

Well I don't think there's any danger of us wrapping it up by the 3rd Test anyway.

If we go to The Oval for the 5th Test either one up or with the series level then fantastic - all the more so seeing as I'm going on the second day!

Meh, was just being optomistic

In truth, I think it's too close to call.

What I do know is the coverage starts in 40 mins, and i'm to get my supplies for the day, before sitting in front of the TV for the rest of the day.

The joys of Annual Leave.

 

[W4 Shrimper]

Arse. Aussies win the toss and elect to bat

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

I actually think it's not a bad toss to lose today, Ponting had to bat once winning, as Vaughn would have done, but Lord's at 10.30 is not the best place to be batting and looking at the cloud cover coming over, I would imagine Hoggard and Harmy fancying it a bit.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (BILLERICAY BLUE @ July 21 2005,10:18)]I actually think it's not a bad toss to lose today, Ponting had to bat once winning, as Vaughn would have done, but Lord's at 10.30 is not the best place to be batting and looking at the cloud cover coming over, I would imagine Hoggard and Harmy fancying it a bit.

Agreed... it's cold, breezy, and the clouds are rolling in. Time for Harmy to do some damage.

 

[blues_r_best]

Hoggard did the damage, bowled Hayden.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

The physio is still trying to stop the bleeding on Ponting's face
Ponting taking the treatment quite bravely here - it looks like he
might even be getting a stitch or two
Now there's a plaster come on, just between his right ear and eye

Match State: Drinks

10.4 Harmison to Ponting, no run, and it is Ponting's turn now! Short
ball, Ponting goes for the pull and cops a nasty blow on the grill
of the helmet
Another disruption in play here as the helmet seems to have jammed
on Ponting's face and caused a bit of bleeding
It looks a bit gory there as the blood pours down Ponting's cheek,
but it's not as bad as it looks
The physio has come onto the field and is attending to Ponting

 

[blues_r_best]

Harmison bowled to Ponting and caught by Strauss.

 

[blues_r_best]

66-3 Freddy bowled to Langer and caught by Harmison

 

[blues_r_best]

66-4 Simon Jones to Martyn, thick edge and out.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Woohoo!!

Good God, what the heck is happening out there! We're actually not getting battered in a Lord's Ashes Test (yet!!)!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

66-4??

What's wrong with me? NURSE!!!