Ashes Squad

lardbucket wrote:Thankfully the tail (apart from Bird) really can bat. If only our 'batsmen' could bowl.

Bird has no ability with the bat but has shown preparedness to stick around....bit like Siddle a few years ago

the guts and application shown by the tail puts the top order to shame

Milf can be feel very stiff not to be included, likewise Moises who I thought had a reasonable enough tour of India unlike some others.
Oh well at least it is only a short turn around between Ashes series, so maybe a outside shot of reclaiming them at Home.

There's bound to be at least three injuries between now and July with Qunturis in charge.

Strongest batting team available from the squad

Rogers
Haddin
Koaja
Clarke
Starc
Faulkner
Siddle
Pattinson
Bird
Lyon
Harris

weakest squad since 1985

and may be weaker than that one, which would take us back to the 1979 WC squad

lardbucket wrote:and may be weaker than that one, which would take us back to the 1979 WC squad

At least 1985 had The Little Champ which alone almost gazumps the current lot incl Clarke.

McDermott was as promising as Patto; Henry still didn't totally suck; Boonie had more promise than any of the 2013ers; Kepler was better than any of the openers in 2013, and so on.

A pretty close thing I reckon.

Failing that, you probably need to go back to 1912 for a worse touring side (after the "Big Six" in Trumper, Hill, Armstrong etc boycotted the tour).

skully wrote:

Michael Clarke (C), Brad Haddin (VC), Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson

F*cking Aussies, ruining it for everybody: I was looking forward to seeing Steve Smith "bat" and Metthew Wade try and get a glove on some deliveries behind the stumps, but no. You can't even get that right.

Nothing quite says "we have no idea what we're doing" as dropping a player who did well in the last series (Smith) yet retaining a player who he was picked ahead of in that series (Khawaja) and not considered good enough for a game on a disastrous tour where everyone and the tea lady got a game.

Uzi must mix a motherf*cker of a good drink.

Still, looks a better squad to me than the one that went to India. I'd reckon Bird is tailor made to bowl in english conditions. Don't know much about Faulkner, but the seam attack is strong, IMHO. And the batting is improved by the presence of a genuinely decent bat (Rogers) and the gritty dicksplash Haddin (who has been promised a starting slot and the gloves).

Best/likely XI?

Rogers
Cowan
Warner
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Faulkner
Starc
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon

S'all right.

Rogers makes a big, big difference IMO. Instead of having two loose qunts in the top three, it's down to one.

Not that it'll matter with our three dobbers dobbing

JGK wrote:

Big Dog wrote:No Milf? What was the point in keeping him on contract if they are not going to use him for the Ashes tour?

That's a very good point BD.

Milf will take Harris spot when Harris breaks down on the A tour.

This.

Brass Monkey wrote:Rogers makes a big, big difference IMO. Instead of having two loose qunts in the top three, it's down to one.

Perzackerly, Dan. I have been yelling for some technical correctness at the top of the order since last summer.

I'm still amazed, when i look at other forums, how many people think Usman will be the saviour of Australian cricket. Personally and at the risk of Trev calling me a rascist, i think he will be just as big a dud as he was the first time. I guess time will tell.

I think he's good little cricketer. Not sure he's had the chances of, say, Phil Hughes to really bed in and show what he can do.

Probably not the saviour of Australian cricket, but if he just turns out to be a competent batsman, he'll automatically become your second best player.

He's barely had a chance. What about the excellent 65 he made v Stain, Ork and co on the last Saffie tour?

Why are we stacking the batting order with so many bloody openers?!?!

Isn't Hilfy injured again (from IPL)?

Dello wrote: Not sure he's had the chances of, say, Phil Hughes to really bed in and show what he can do.

Absolutely. Con has had more than enough time to demonstrate his complete ineptness. At least UK can play a straight bat and doesn't try to hit everything through backward point.

Brad Haddin doesn't seem too thrilled at his recall.

skully wrote:He's barely had a chance. What about the excellent 65 he made v Stain, Ork and co on the last Saffie tour?

Doolan did better & where is he?

Nath wrote:Why are we stacking the batting order with so many bloody openers?!?!

Isn't Hilfy injured again (from IPL)?

Is he? I don't follow IPL so i hav'nt heard anything.

Aust A squad:
The Australia A squad is:

Name
State
Age

Brad Haddin (C)
NSW
35

Steve Smith (VC)
NSW
23

Ashton Agar
WA
19

Jackson Bird
TAS
26

Alex Doolan
TAS
27

Ryan Harris
QLD
33

Moises Henriques
NSW
26

Usman Khawaja
QLD
26

Nathan Lyon
SA
25

Nic Maddinson
NSW
21

James Pattinson
VIC
22

Chadd Sayers
SA
25

Peter Siddle
VIC
28

Jordan Silk
TAS
21

Good to see some of the Ashes squad will get some match practice. Silk is an interesting selection seeing he has only played three first class games. I just hope they don't fark him up by pushing him too soon.

Rogers is very good insurance for the shaky top order. The Barmy Army will miss Mitch. With Harris there the great rotation policy will be out in force.

embee wrote:Strongest batting team available from the squad

Rogers
Haddin
Koaja
Clarke
Starc
Faulkner
Siddle
Pattinson
Bird
Lyon
Harris

Geez, that might be an Ashes winning XI!!

Have you been drinking heavily?

How does that compare with Cook, Trott, Prior, Swann et al?

Oi, let a man dream.

Remember what happened the last time "the weakest ever" team toured England. That was 1989.

England = ADHD + anachronistic geriatrics.