Ashes Series 2021-22

Seems Patto can't sort a troublesome knee.

Had almost forgotten about J-Patz/Little Roofer among the Aussies’ battery of pacemen. Another of those potentially great fast bowlers limited to 20 or so Tests by injury, we’ll never really know how good he could have been.

guess we're stuck with Starc then...

Aye Nath. [sigh]

Most teams wouldn’t see him as a bad bowler to be “stuck with”, certainly in Aussie conditions… perhaps has underachieved in Tests a bit.

Still, let’s hope the Barmy Army are recycling the song of his namesake again as Root smashes him to all parts of the ground, left and right, this winter…

Perhaps Steketee is the bolter for this summer. Neser and Bird are still about and good enough to fill a spot if there is an injury or need for 'rotation'. Worrall and Meredith are others that might get a look in.

Pattinson never quite fulfilled his early promise. Unfortunately Jhye Richardson seems to be cut from the same injury-prone cloth.

lardbucket wrote:Perhaps Steketee is the bolter for this summer. Neser and Bird are still about and good enough to fill a spot if there is an injury or need for 'rotation'.  Worrall and Meredith are others that might get a look in.

Pattinson never quite fulfilled his early promise.  Unfortunately Jhye Richardson seems to be cut from the same injury-prone cloth.

I thought Worrall was moving to England after this season? Might be stuck with that plank Abbott. NSW coach already talking him up.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/ashes-bolter-sean-abbott-totally-ready-for-test-debut/news-story/55923deba20e04e39cc7d5d0de24fe3a

So, Sibley pulls out of the Lions/backup squad to work on his game at home. Perhaps sensibly realised that being out there as next cab off the rank wasn’t the best thing for him, the selectors should have made that call before.

Replaced in said squad by Harry Brook, who isn’t an opener, has an FC average below 30 and has impressed mainly in T20/Hundred cricket recently. Maybe they mistakenly thought they were calling a backup for the WT20.

Nathan Lyon was on the teev tonight saying he expected Ben Stokes to be a late addition to the England squad.

Beams?

Well, nothing definitive from this end other than he’s seemingly holding a bat again…

If he decides he wants to go then I’m sure they’ll take him, and will have left the door open to make that call at any point in time. I’d imagine Lyon is just playing a few mind games with both sides by commenting. Unless they’re on the same WhatsApp group for some random franchise circus team they’ve both represented

beamer wrote:So, Sibley pulls out of the Lions/backup squad to work on his game at home. Perhaps sensibly realised that being out there as next cab off the rank wasn’t the best thing for him, the selectors should have made that call before.

Replaced in said squad by Harry Brook, who isn’t an opener, has an FC average below 30 and has impressed mainly in T20/Hundred cricket recently. Maybe they mistakenly thought they were calling a backup for the WT20.

Brook was signed by the Hobart Hurricanes & will miss at least three games.

Cheers beams.

Stokes added to Ashes squad.

No surprises there.

Let’s hope it doesn’t turn out to be a Trescothick situation.

Given his proclivity for violence, I expect The Pig will be granted a Visa.

I just hope he doesn't take it out on the Aus bowlers.

skully wrote:I just hope he doesn't take it out on the Aus bowlers.

He will be coming in at 30-3 in every innings, so with plenty of work to do… might need to pull his weight with the ball as well.

i hope he makes it to oz this time as long as his body or mind doesnt come unscrewed. it will at least make it easier for england to pick 1 of our 2nd rate spinners.

Or it might mean we pick our better spinner in Leach, rather than picking Bess to bolster the batting (even though he’s never made 90 as a nightwatchman-opener or shared in a last wicket partnership of 76 to win a Test, as far as I’m aware…)

beamer wrote:

skully wrote:I just hope he doesn't take it out on the Aus bowlers.

He will be coming in at 30-3 in every innings, so with plenty of work to do… might need to pull his weight with the ball as well.

Aye, at least we can field five bowlers now to spread the workload.

Puk out of Shield side & therefore out of first Ashes test side.

Story

Big Dog wrote:Puk out of Shield side & therefore out of first Ashes test side.

Story

so who should we pick to open now?

I'd reckon Harris is a near cert.

skully wrote:I'd reckon Harris is a near cert.

With GCS/Broad’s Bunny I presume? Is Sandpaper Boy off the scene now?