[Archived] The Ashes

[Flopsy]

So, here it is after the West Indies, the T20 Hit and giggle (and oh how we giggled when Australia got kicked out in the first round [Netherlands? I dont know what you're talking about ]) and endless taunts about something about paint to turn our houses white after some unimportant series in 2006/2007 its here, yes the GREATEST TEST SERIES OF ALL TIME EVER BETWEEN THE TWO BESTEST TEAMS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD EVER EVER (i must stop listening to the Sky Hype) is about to start on Wednesday July the 8th. The Fixtures are shown below.

Wed Jul 8 - Sun Jul 12 11:00 local | 10:00 GMT 1st Test - England v Australia Sophia Gardens

Thu Jul 16 - Mon Jul 20 11:00 local 2nd Test - England v Australia Lord's,

Thu Jul 30 - Mon Aug 3 11:00 local 3rd Test - England v Australia Edgbaston,

Fri Aug 7 - Tue Aug 11 11:00 local 4th Test - England v Australia Headingley

Thu Aug 20 - Mon Aug 24 5th Test - England v Australia Kennington Oval

Sky is understandedly trying to hype this series as a rerun of 2005, ignoring 2006/2007 as it 1)Never Happened 2) Was on so late no one important (ie the Johny Come latelys) watched it and 3) Doesnt follow the Sky Hype Script that ENGLAND IS THE ACEST TEAM EVER and therefore doesnt help in flogging more boxes or subscriptions.

Anyway the England side is nothing like 2005, or indeed the 2006/2007 shambles that was poorly captained, unlucky and came up against one of the best teams, ever in cricketing history, with a massive cob on its shoulder about 2005.

This team is interesting, its somewhere inbetween the 2005 and 2006, led by the captain who should have been in charge in 2006, but because the ECB were scared that Fred would throw a strop (I mean what would he do? Go and play for another country?) and instead gave the captancy to him. And as history shows, it didnt go particularly well. But we have a decent top 6 (if Prior bats at 6) and an excellent tail starting with Fred at 7, Broad at 8, Swann 9, Anderson 10 and AN Other at 11. Our pace attack is nowhere near as good as 2005, but in Broad and Anderson we have two quicks who are playing well and who take wickets, and in Fred we have a bowler who can dominate games. I think that having two other wicket takers in Broad and Anderson, might mean that Fred might well have an excellent series, if, and its a massive if, he stays fit. In Swann we have a street smarts spinner thats head and shoulders better than anything the Aussies have got. May I direct you to youtube to see the wickets he took in India, especially Dravid's LBW because that ball moved three ways before it hit the pad. As for the 5th bowler, well horses for courses, I hope that Rashid plays because Monty has been dire this season so far, but if we go for pace, unless Sidebottom is fully fit, then it should be Onions. Harmison should never ever put an england shirt on, the big lanky streak of wussiness.

To the Aussies, They arent the team of 2006/2007, they arent the team of 2005, they're probably on paper slightly better than England, due to their excellent win in South Africa, but they have a green attack, no spinner, Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting as Captain, its fairly

even I think.

Anyway I asked some knowledgeable cricketing types including an Aussie cricket blogger, for their opinions on the upcoming series:

Anyway - In Black is Gary Naylor who can be found lurking on the Guardian Unlimited Website and their online coverage

In the brown is the Award Winning Jonathon Wilson (buy his book or a small pixie dies)

And in Green is JRod from the excellent http://www.cricketwithballs.com

Hopefully I'll get some more on as they come in

1) What is your one stand out great Ashes Memory?

Alas, waking up to find that we lost in Adelaide (and I was there to see Botham's 118 at OT in 1981 - that's how bad Adelaide was).

Ellison ripping them apart in the fifth Test in 1985

Headingley ’97. Dizzy Gillespie 7/37, Matty Elliott 199. Two of my favourite cricketers breaking through to big time in one game. The 199 said everything about Matty Elliott’s career in one inngings, pure class with the bat, but still insecure enough to go out on the verge of a 200. And Dizzy booked his place as Australia’s bag man for the next 7 years.

2) What is your stand out worse?

See 1.

Harmy's first ball in 2006, watched in a hotel room in LIverpool; nothing had really changed

Watching Jason Gillespie’s ghost play in the ’05 Ashes. The entire career of Ashley Giles. Ofcourse both of these will be trumped if Nathan Hauritz plays a test match.

3) I know a victory over a 5 test match series can never be boiled down to one factor, as umpiring decisions, batting, fielding, bowling, tactics, weather and of course luck all play massive parts, but what one factor do you think led to England (and Wales) winning in 2005?

McGrath standing on the ball.

McGrath standing on the ball.

Hard call between Australia’s problem with the swinging ball and McGrath’s ankle. Probably McGrath’s ankle because Australia did pretty well when he was up and firing.

4) And what one factor led to Australia getting their revenge in 2006/2007?

Punter's burning desire.

That arse Flintoff being named captain.

Australian’s don’t like to lose.

5) What do you think will be the deciding factor in this years Ashes?

Australia's inexperienced bowling.

Simon Jones's knee

Mitchell Johnson.

6) Who will be the main players for England and Australia?

Strauss Ravi Jimmy Swanny / Hughes Katich Haddin MJ

Ravi, KP, Jimmy, Prior / Hughes, Ponting, Johnson, Siddle (in the sense of they have to play well for their respective sides to win)

Swann & Anderson, Siddle & Johnson. Who ever gets the most wickets out of these pairs should be on the winning side.

7) Who do you think will surprise us, as Pietersen did in 2005?

Ravi

Siddle

Siddle or Swann. The two best entertainers in either side, and both boys are in top form in ’09.

8) Who do you think will score the most runs?

Strauss

Ponting

Simon ‘the krab’ Katich, so they won’t be pretty runs.

9) Who do you think will take the most wickets?

MJ

Johnson

Mitchell Johnson, by a distance.

and finally

10) What is your prediction for the final score?

2-2

2-1 Australia

2-1 Australia. Draw in Cardiff after 15 minutes of rain wipes out all 5 days of cricket. Lord’s for Australia. And then they each grab a win out of the last three tests.

---------------------------------

So thanks to those for helping me out and I hope its a damn good series, hard fought and a 5-0 thumping win for England, however Im going for 2-1 to either side, Johnson getting most wickets and KP getting most runs.

And i'll be at Edgbaston on the 1st August, liberally leaving cricket balls on the outfield near Johnson.

[Rover down South]

Great preview Flopsy. Can't wait for it to start. Hope Matt Prior has a good series, we (Sussex) don't get many representing England at test level.

[AussieinUk]

Nice post flopy

The series will be close.

Got my tixs for Lords & the oval.. Can't bloody wait.

[Flopsy]

Some More -

Richard O'Hagan who currently blogs for the Daily Mail on legal issues

and Mac Millings, a Brit stuck in the Good ol' US of A

1) What is your one stand out great Ashes Memory?

Edgbaston 1985, Gower 215, Robinson 150+, Gatting 100, Botham hitting 16 in four balls then being caught by Thomson on the boundary off the fith - and then Australia being 37-5 in their second innings at the close of play. Then fretting as rain threatened to gift them an undeserved draw.

2) What is your stand out worse?

Hard to choose between the utterly spineless English performances in 1989 and 1993

3) I know a victory over a 5 test match series can never be boiled down to one factor, as umpiring decisions, batting, fielding, bowling, tactics, weather and of course luck all play massive parts, but what one factor do you think led to England (and Wales) winning in 2005?

Warne dropping KP at the Oval. Australia, despite Pigeon stepping on the ball, were in with a chance until then.

4) And what one factor led to Australia getting their revenge in 2006/2007?

Vaughan's knee. With him, there would have been a decent captain and a better attitude.

5) What do you think will be the deciding factor in this years Ashes?

Whoever gets the better start. I don't think that either side will be able to fight back once they are behind

6) Who will be the main players for England and Australia?

Ponting for Australia, Swann for England

7) Who do you think will surprise us, as Pietersen did in 2005?

Swann, because I think his talent will finally win out over his personality

8) Who do you think will score the most runs?

Ponting, by some distance. He doesn't want a repeat of 2005 and is going to take it upon himself to make sure it doesn't happen

9) Who do you think will take the most wickets?

Siddle, who could be the next McGrath in English conditions

and finally

10) What is your prediction for the final score?

2-0 to Australia

1) Stand-out memory: Botham's Ashes in general - the first Test series of which I have decent recall. In particular, Botham taking his eye off the ball and hooking Lillee for 6.

2) Worst memory: So many lows to choose from, but probably Adelaide. Not being able to get Steve Waugh out for what seemed like years (and maybe it was) wasn't fun, either.

3) One factor in '05 win: Does 'our pace attack' count as one factor?

4) One factor in '06/'07 loss Our pace 'attack'.

5) Crucial this time: MJ vs. KP

6) Main players for Eng/Aus: KP, M Johnson

7) Surprising: Bopara, Swann

8) Most runs: KP

9) Most wickets: Johnson

10) Prediction: 2-1 England.

[dave birch]

My only regret is not taking my (mental) advice and flying to Adelaide on the 5th day. Business was flat, they were all watching the TV.

[Redrose49er]

Great intro to what most people regard as some proper cricket at last. As a Lancashire member and still smarting from the decision to award an Ashes Test to Cardiff (why not Durham????) I am secretly hoping for a rain ruined first test. After that, my concern is bowling out the Aussies twice. It seems highly likely they'll pick a solid top 6, followed by Haddin at 7, Johnson at 8, using Clarke and North as spinners. Do England possess the firepower and guile to take 20 wickets, I'm not too sure. I just can't see Broad and Anderson seriously troubling them like Harmison, Flintoff and Jones did in '05. I'm certain Flintoff will be over bowled at times and will probably miss the last 2 Tests. The ace (or just easily joker) in the pack could be Rashid. He is unknown enough to cause some problems and could make the difference, or he could be carted around the ground and never seen again, I just don't think the management are brave enough to pick him. My heart says 2-1 up, head says 2-1 defeat.

[Flopsy]

why thankyou kindly sir (flutters eyelashes)

Update from Edgbaston, Strauss out wafting outside off, cook and bopara batting sedately, i hope Cook goes soon as i want to See KP set up a declaration score asap and one boundary is titchy

[AussieinUk]

Aus 8-337 on day 1. Harmison sounded sharp by all accounts. Hussey, kato and Johnson putting in good knocks.

[Flopsy]

rusty shots from most top order batsmen yesterday at both games. Will probably find that the best tail will win it in Cardiff.

and Lords is when the batsmen come more into their own. Harmi was good yesterday, shame it wont last

[b12_simon]

GREATEST TEST SERIES OF ALL TIME EVER BETWEEN THE TWO BESTEST TEAMS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD EVER EVER

Brilliant Flopper!

And i'll be at Edgbaston on the 1st August, liberally leaving cricket balls on the outfield near Johnson.

After saying I'm there on Thursday/Friday/Monday I've since been told I'm there Saturday/Sunday/Monday so can meet up for a moan about the transfer window if you fancy. I'll drop you a PM nearer the time...

If we're in the right seats a tripwire is a possibility.

Interesting that nobody in your preview picked out Broad - my tip for the man of the series.

[AussieinUk]

Lee rips through the England Lions. 5/43 after 17 overs.

Clark should had at least one wicket, if Haddin was up to the task..

[Flopsy]

Lee rips through the England Lions. 5/43 after 17 overs.

Clark should had at least one wicket, if Haddin was up to the task..

He bowled well for 13 overs, but before that I would be VERY VERY VERY worried at how anodyne the attack looked (bar Lee who was clocking an average of 95) You have to hope Mitchell was playing in himself and that he's not carrying an injury.

If I was a selector, I'd go for Lee, Johnson, Clark, Siddle, North, Clarke and Katich for your bowlers because Hauritz is utter bilge at this level. I'm pretty certain I would get some runs against him, he's not even as good as Ashley Giles

[AussieinUk]

If I was a selector, I'd go for Lee, Johnson, Clark, Siddle, North, Clarke and Katich for your bowlers because Hauritz is utter bilge at this level. I'm pretty certain I would get some runs against him, he's not even as good as Ashley Giles

I will go along with your thoughts there flops, except the comments on Ritzy.

My XI for the first test..

Katich

Hughes

Ponting

Clarke

Hussey

North

Haddin

Johnson

Lee

Siddle

Clark

IMV, Hilfenhaus should never be picked.

[Ozz]

Early Ashes memories...

Was on holiday in 1981 at Filey Butlins, when the Headingly test was on. Read about it in the Hawaiian ballroom on the back of a discarded newspaper. I was 14.

I remember listening to the test match on my pocket transisitor, when the Aussie tale nearly won a game on their own, only for Miller to drop a catch, which Knott scooped up, or vice versa to win it for England.

1985 was the best series though, I was playing at a good standard that year, it was a long hot summer and had just finished college, wondering what to do with my life. I decided to play cricket all summer long, and watch the tests-tune in at 10.50am to BBC1.

Richard Ellison bowling banana balls, Tim Robinson getting a ton every test, Gower land Gatting likewise-they were superb.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

I will go along with your thoughts there flops, except the comments on Ritzy.

My XI for the first test..

Katich

Hughes

Ponting

Clarke

Hussey

North

Haddin

Johnson

Lee

Siddle

Clark

IMV, Hilfenhaus should never be picked.

What no spinner on a wicket that will turn square on days 4 & 5?

[AussieinUk]

What no spinner on a wicket that will turn square on days 4 & 5?

Honestly bazza, spin is not our forte atm, as you and most cricket fans know. I would go with four quicks and a few part time spinners. Kato, Clarke and North can fill the gap. Johnson, Lee, Siddle and Clark (in form) can tear any team apart. Not saying they will, but we all live in hope.

I totally understand your point, but the old saying of 'play to your strengths' come to mind.

England is looking good on the spinners front, but on a choice between the two it has to be Swann.

EDIT: It also very much depends on the toss.. you get a team out (both inns) early on and the spinner won't play much of a part.. Risky, but can pay dividends..

[Flopsy]

What no spinner on a wicket that will turn square on days 4 & 5?

Clarke and Katich (And North?) are all as good as Hauritz and Clark is good enough to be a decent controlling bowler.

Also Cardiff will not be a bunsen, it will be a dead, lifeless, disgrace of a pitch

[dave birch]

What no spinner on a wicket that will turn square on days 4 & 5?

You should check out Michael Clarke's figures against the best players of spin........

[RibbleValleyRover]

I think it will be an australian win, the team spirit and determination to win drilled into the australians will see them take the series 2-1.

I see there's a lot of talk about the harmlessone being picked (Harmison) a bad move IMO if it happens especially on this pitch.

Getting the beers in today ready for wednesday, also i have to say i'm really looking forward to seeing/hearing Warne's thoughts during the series i've always been a huge fan of his.

[AussieinUk]

I see there's a lot of talk about the harmlessone being picked (Harmison) a bad move IMO if it happens especially on this pitch.

I am sure Harmison (if picked) will cause some damage to the Aussie line-up. He seems to have worked out Hughes' weaknesses..

Punter and pup both worry me atm..

As I said earlier this week, this will be a close series

[dave birch]

How about the opening partners in the Lions 11.

Denley/Moore, where have I heard that before

[AussieinUk]

England 13 man squad for Wednesday named;

Strauss

Cook

Pietersen

Bell

Collingwood

Prior

Bopara

Flintoff

Anderson

Swann

Onions

Panesar

Broad

Harmison out and Bell in?

[ffan]

England 13 man squad for Wednesday named;

Strauss

Cook

Pietersen

Bell

Collingwood

Prior

Bopara

Flintoff

Anderson

Swann

Onions

Panesar

Broad

Harmison out and Bell in?

How has that numpty Bell got in? You can't rally complain with the rest of the squad though.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

Clarke and Katich (And North?) are all as good as Hauritz and Clark is good enough to be a decent controlling bowler.

Also Cardiff will not be a bunsen, it will be a dead, lifeless, disgrace of a pitch

Cardiff will turn from the second day onwards. A specialist spinner is an essential on this particular wicket.

Whilst I have no doubt Clarke is a pretty decent off-spinner- he is not going to rip through an international test team. I will be very happy if Australia go into the test without a specialist spinner- as poor as Hauritz has been ( he is on par with Giles was IMO)

[AussieinUk]

Cardiff will turn from the second day onwards. A specialist spinner is an essential on this particular wicket.

Whilst I have no doubt Clarke is a pretty decent off-spinner- he is not going to rip through an international test team. I will be very happy if Australia go into the test without a specialist spinner- as poor as Hauritz has been ( he is on par with Giles was IMO)

I seriously doubt the pitch will begin to 'turn' on day 2.

Btw - As dave birch mentioned previously, you really should look at Clarke's BBI... 6/9 against India in Nov 04'. Completely 'bamboozled' them..