The Ashes Thread.

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Harris is a good pro but no 'man of the series'.

Last time we played in England he was the pick of the bowlers. Guess that makes you out hit wicket cyrille

Cricket Records | The Ashes, 2013 | Records | Best bowling figures in an innings | ESPN Cricinfo

Only Swann took more wickets ( Despite Harris playing only 4 tests ) but at an average of 29 - compared to 19 for Harris

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/the-as...62;type=series

[hallelujah]

Harris is a good pro but no 'man of the series'.

Last time we played in England he was the pick of the bowlers. Guess that makes you out hit wicket cyrille

Cricket Records | The Ashes, 2013 | Records | Best bowling figures in an innings | ESPN Cricinfo

Only Swann took more wickets ( Despite Harris playing only 4 tests ) but at an average of 29 - compared to 19 for Harris

Cricket Records | The Ashes, 2013 | Records | Most wickets | ESPN Cricinfo

What last happened in England 14 years ago - almost the previous century - Wally?

[Bobcock]

Harris is a very good bowler...working with shit knees, I don't even think he will make the starting team.

[cyrille]

Yep - the glue factory beckons. I see their back up spinner got a good caning from a Kent youngster too.

[hallelujah]

Boycott at his finest on 2 after the umpire has given a no ball for an Aussie wicket:

"Bad luck you Aussies. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people."



I agree, Geoffrey. Even if you are from Yorkshire.

[Ozcol]

I reckon cyrille is the pommy version of Bruce Bayliss , they both seem to know fukall about what they spruce.

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Harris has come back numerous times after a long way away and has found his line length and pace every time. He missed the West Indies tour due to the birth of his child and has been under taking the same kind of fitness program as AFL players - he has never been fitter and will play a big part for us. He is first pick of our bowlers over the Mitchells when fit - but I am really looking forward to see Starc and his quick inswinging yorkers in England.
Here's one for Bob & Cyrille - may be with the white ball but check out starc's first 2 balls ..... and then take note of who gets Joe Root - a Mitch Johnson clone waitng in the ranks in Cummins

[Bobcock]

He still thinks we gonna let him tickle our tummies.....

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Here's my XI for the first test:

Warner
Rogers
Smith
Voges/S.Marsh
Clarke
M.Marsh/Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Starc
Hazelwood
Lyon

Voges and S.Marsh is the most difficult choice but I think time has come to get rid of Watson. M.Marsh is the immediate replacement but I would like to see Faulkner there before too long

Harris can sit out the first test. It worked for him last time we were there ..

[cyrille]

Very thought provoking input, ozmong.
You sound every bit the Aussie in Isaan.
Attracted by the temples?
Cheers.

[cyrille]

Harris...has never been fitter.

Funny that, since Lehman said three days ago that unlike most of the bowlers Harris would play both warm up games as he 'still looks short of a gallop'.

Perhaps you should set the coach straight, wally?

[Bobcock]

hahahah... even Wally won't pick him....hahahahah too funny

[cyrille]

Oh well - he can speed the team bus up by pushing it to Wales instead.

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Harris...has never been fitter.

Funny that, since Lehman said three days ago that unlike most of the bowlers Harris would play both warm up games as he 'still looks short of a gallop'.

Perhaps you should set the coach straight, wally?

And you believe everything Leymann tells the pommy media ? ?

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Jokes aside, if Boof says he's not ready then he isn't ready ( but it may just be part of the tactics to leave him out in the first one & give Starc or Hazelwood a chance to prove themselves)Again - he is not injured. He missed last series due to the birth of his child. He gas never trained harder before a series. He has a very good history of coming back to the team after a break and performing very well. These are the facts . I typed that very slowly as I know Bob and Cyrille can't read very fast ...... Must be the dags of wool and shit covering their eyes...

[cyrille]

I get the 'good at coming back after a break' thing wally. Pretty simple. So is the 'won't be true forever' one. When a recently retired Aussie player nicknames the touring Australians 'Dad's Army' then there's some hope for England there.

It is just hope at the moment. That side you named is a formidable line up without a doubt. I have a feeling they will start the series with Watson and then because things are going either drastically wrong or very very right it will be time for the fresh blood.

After all, if Marsh misses out he knows his time will come. If Watson misses out he might be kicking his heels all summer.

[Bruce Bayliss]

I reckon cyrille is the pommy version of Bruce Bayliss

Cyrille is actually a Kiwi

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Having the luxury of even thinking of leaving out Harris because he is a little under cooked is a reflection of the depth we have in our bowling department. Yes - it is difficult to decide whether he should play or not given the fact that Starc & Hazelwood bowled so well in the West Indies . We are blessed to have to the luxury of testing out how the new young guns perform while we have arguably the best bowler in the world who has made guys like Cook his bunny through pace, aggression and nagging line and length - something NONE of your bowlers possess

[cyrille]

Looks like the first member of Dad's Army has fallen on his own bayonet...

Ryan Harris was due to play against Essex at Chelmsford, but pulled out with soreness related to a long-term knee problem

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

^ No surprise to see him left out of the first test. Cardiff is a road and the squad I picked is more suited. Whether he is injured or this is part of the mind games we will find out in the 2nd test.

I don't know what you put in Dizzy's drink but the dad's army tag is a joke considering most of the team are in their 20's - some early 20's

[baldrick]

all this sunshine on the pitches , what will the greenkeepers try to achieve

Veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has lauded Australia's pace attack ahead of next week's opening Ashes Test.

Australia arrived in England in fine fettle on the back of clean sweep wins over India and West Indies, and ready to defend the urn after beating England 5-0 on home soil in the 2013/14 summer season.
There are injury worries surrounding the excellent but fragile Ryan Harris, with the paceman ruled out of Australia's final hit-up against Essex with knee trouble.
But Haddin says Australian pace unit will be more than enough trouble for England to handle, even in Harris's absence.


"They're quick. We've got guys who can hit the radar at around 150 and that makes for an exciting brand of cricket, not only for us but also the guys writing on the game, commentating on the game and the public," Haddin told Grandstand.
"One thing this group of quicks do is they bowl really well together. They leave their ego at the gate and do the job that we require of them out there to win cricket games."


Haddin says veterans like Harris, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson have helped the up-and-comers in Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood slot seamlessly in to a potent attack.
"I think that's one thing the senior quicks can really tip their hat for getting that sort of culture so early with some of these young guys to making sure they're part of the team within the team," he said.
Hazlewood backed Haddin's assessment, saying the older heads and bowling coach Craig McDermott had helped him quickly get to grips with English conditions.
"Talking a lot to the older three bowlers about different things, the conditions, how to bowl over here," he told Grandstand.
"Craig McDermott's obviously been unbelievable for me and Starc. He's great to talk to about different things in England.


"Ryan [Harris is] probably one I go to, similar sort of bowler, hitting outside off, and I think Starc does the same with Johnson. It's great to have those older guys to learn off."
Haddin says England still dangerous under Bayliss



England comes into the Ashes on the back of drawn series against West Indies and New Zealand, having only recently appointed a new coach in Australian Trevor Bayliss.
But Haddin believes Bayliss is perfect for England, which remains a dangerous team on its own turf.
"I think England are a very good cricket team. They play their home conditions well. They understand how to win over here," Haddin said.
"I think Trevor Bayliss will be a great asset to the team, he's got a good understanding of the majority of the [Australian] team. He's had an influence on my career and a lot of the others.
"They're in a really good space.
"He takes a lot of the anxiety out of the room, he's a pretty even-tempo sort of guy. He gets the best out of his players."

Ashes 2015: Brad Haddin lauds Australia's pace attack ahead of series opener - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[Bruce Bayliss]

And you believe everything Leymann tells the pommy media ? ?

[cyrille]

I guess the term that poor Aussie was struggling with was 'even tempered'. Oh well, he did his best. It does contain a word of more than one syllable.

[Bettyboo]

Looking forward to the cricket, quite enjoyed watching us play those nice Kiwi chaps, now for the Convicts, not a very nice bunch of fellas, but decent at cricket. I'm thinking about making a prediction...

[Loy Toy]

I'm thinking about making a prediction...

Kindly do so Bettsy................PLEASE...................