Re: Ashes 2017-2018 countdown

by horace Thu 15 Dec 2016, 06:34

Take care Zimmy.

by lardbucket Tue 20 Dec 2016, 04:03

Sounds like at least 4* of us will be in Adelaide next year: I've got a leave pass provided that the Barossa and McLaren Vales are included for my infinitely better half. So they are.

(* based on earlier comments from JGK, skully, and Fred)

by embee Wed 10 May 2017, 04:58

Just got an email from the WACA

Perth Ashes Test will be at the WACA this year

by lardbucket Wed 10 May 2017, 07:00

excellent ...

by skully Wed 10 May 2017, 08:02

SO is the Forum 4 for Adelaide still a goer? How are we gonna organise tickets?

by lardbucket Tue 16 May 2017, 21:07

Tickets sorted for Brisbane on days 1 (swanning about in a box) and 2 (with fellow plebs). I wonder if there will be a game to watch!

Adelaide still looks more likely than not, assuming it goes ahead, and Perth is a possibility.

by lardbucket Sat 26 Aug 2017, 02:13

No comments on this thread for a while, so my update:

Brisbane days 1 and 2

Adelaide "highly likely" days 1-3 (still have work to do on this)

Perth doubtful
Melbourne, Sydney - no chance (will likely be be in FNQ)

skully, JGK, Fred re Adelaide?

by horace Sat 26 Aug 2017, 06:59

Health permitting I hope to be able to go to some of the Spiv Central Test

by skully Sun 27 Aug 2017, 03:15

lardbucket wrote:No comments on this thread for a while, so my update:

Brisbane days 1 and 2

Adelaide "highly likely" days 1-3 (still have work to do on this)

Perth doubtful
Melbourne, Sydney - no chance (will likely be be in FNQ)

skully, JGK, Fred re Adelaide?

I'm in if we can get at least one other starter.

by embee Sun 27 Aug 2017, 13:55

If Magowan holds his nerve the Jan 28 Jamodi will open the new Perth Stadium

Decision deadline is 6 weeks (as told by Christina Matthews)

Good week to be in Perth if it is

by horace Sun 27 Aug 2017, 20:15

Nice idea Embee.

Even if it is a Jamodi it would be cool to attend the christening of the new stadium..

by lardbucket Tue 29 Aug 2017, 15:48

The Ashes - 135 years old today, apparently.

by skully Tue 29 Aug 2017, 22:42

skully wrote:
lardbucket wrote:No comments on this thread for a while, so my update:

Brisbane days 1 and 2

Adelaide "highly likely" days 1-3 (still have work to do on this)

Perth doubtful
Melbourne, Sydney - no chance (will likely be be in FNQ)

skully, JGK, Fred re Adelaide?

I'm in if we can get at least one other starter.

There are no weekend tickets left for the Adelaide Test. Day 1 & 2 are sell outs.

by Lindsay no.2 Sat 09 Sep 2017, 20:44

Early, early days I know but what are we thinking in terms of outcome then?

I think you win 3-1.

3 of our 5 top order guys are potentially dead men walking and I think our bowling attack is too popgun to routinely do a number on your batting line up.

by lardbucket Sat 09 Sep 2017, 23:58

I'd take that right now, having being fortunate to halve a series with Bangladesh.

by beamer Sun 10 Sep 2017, 00:03

I'd take us winning one match, having struggled to win a home series against the West Indies...

by lardbucket Sun 10 Sep 2017, 00:05

I'd take one all ...

Much will depend on the fitness of Starc, IMHO. If he's fit, we have a world class bowling attack. Without him, we might struggle; Hazlewood can't do it on his own.

by beamer Sun 10 Sep 2017, 00:09

lardbucket wrote:I'd take one all ...

Much will depend on the fitness of Starc, IMHO. If he's fit, we have a world class bowling attack. Without him, we might struggle; Hazlewood can't do it on his own.

If Starc plays, "winter is coming" for England...

(GoT joke, for the uninitiated...)

by lardbucket Sun 10 Sep 2017, 00:20

Have I gloated yet that I'll be in the stands on days 1 and 2 of the series? Very much looking forward to it.

by skully Sun 10 Sep 2017, 01:28

lardbucket wrote:I'd take one all ...

Much will depend on the fitness of Starc, IMHO. If he's fit, we have a world class bowling attack. Without him, we might struggle; Hazlewood can't do it on his own.

Aye, if we can get 3 of Koo, Purple, 2nd and Patto on the park along with the GOAT, our bowling will be a handful for England.

Though fragile, I think England's top 7 look more solid than ours, although we might FTB it against the Poms.

Given the brittleness of both top 7s, I wouldn't be surprised to see a result in all 5 Tests.

by lardbucket Sun 10 Sep 2017, 02:10

It makes more sense for this to be on this thread:

some silly old blurter that put this on the WI - England thread wrote:

Re Growls' and Beamer's comments about the forthcoming Ashes tour, I think it will be close.

Our attack is a bit stronger but your mob bat deeper with the all rounders you will select.

Re Jimmeh, aside from the jokes about the menu demands and his hubris, he struggled for penetration on our flat decks last time. His decline in pace was no doubt a factor and I doubt that has improved in the intervening years.

Last time here Piggsy Stokes announced himself as a serious competitive player. I have no doubt he will have a great tour. Malfoy was serviceable last time and I expect he will be competitive again. Root will have a grand tour.

The old Chef will have nightmares about coming back here. I hope for his sake and that of his great record that he is not embarrassed.

The last Ashes tour here saw the retirements (forced or otherwise) of KP, the admirable Trott, the odious Prior and the even more odious Chinhead (forced to retire because he refused to carry the drinks out for Monty).

Pomgolian tours here generally unearth one or two players who rise to the occasion. Last time it was Piggsy Stokes. This time it could be Woakes, Hameed and (yes) Ballance. They are tough and skilled and should prosper here.

Oz have plenty of problems to resolve.

Warner, the gcspoc, remains a big headed ftb. The odd synapse he gets in his noggin tells him he will dominate on our characterless tracks. He usually does but no-one will be surprised if he bombs out.

Renshaw, the kid from Qld is a gutsy promising opener. He should do well but a couple of failures will see him under pressure from Ch Nein, the NSW commentariat, the bnlg and Koala Jnr for him to be replaced by some random Spiv or WA player.

We have no number 3. Smith should probably play there. Uber Koala may be given a Test or two, provided he scores some runs in the Shield.

Smith. Great bat/vin ordinaire captain.

Handscomb. Sneaky Pete averages over 50 but will remain under pressure.

We have no number 6. The NSP are desperate for an all rounder. We have none. Maxwell is the incumbent and did ok in India but the Skipper won't bowl him. WA will scream for Donkey Cartwight or even worse M Marsh. Kjnr and NSW will argue for some ransom Spiv. The position should go to Head.

Keeper/number 7. Wade will be sacked. Did not score enough runs v the Bangles. There are a number of good young keepers playing in the Shield. They will be by-passed for Neville who is an ok keeper but a crap bat.

Cummins/Pattinson, Starc, Lyon and Hazlewood will comprise the attack.

Usually you can tell who will be in the Oz team by watching out for players appearing in early season KFC ads. The upshot of the contract dispute is that the KFC cast may no longer be the best guide.

It is all very confusing.

I don't think Nevill is anywhere near as crappy as you have suggested; IMHO, he's a far better Test bat than Wade. The inexperienced but very promising Alex Carey may yet be promoted but I suspect Nevill, Wade, or (yes it's a long shot, but even the Cricinfo pollsters think it's not ridiculous) Tim Paine could be chosen above him for the first Test. I'd be happy with either Nevill or Paine, or even Carey, but FFS not Wade. Whiteman is of course recovering from injury and out of the picture. Runs in the first 3 rounds of the Shield will probably decide the keeping position.

by Growler Sun 10 Sep 2017, 03:05

JA will still be the key IMHO. As I said elsewhere, his 2013/14 return of 14 wickets @ 43 was indeed very poor. On the other hand, his previous tour in 2010/11 he was leading bowler by a distance with 24 @ 26 whilst making Ponting, Clarke and Hussey (all world-class batsmen) look like leaden-footed tailenders more than once.

True, with different conditions and ball, he clearly won't average 14, as he has this summer for his 39 wickets - but if he carries on the form he's in (and doesn't have so many regulation nicks fumbled in the slips) - he'll be a handful for sure.

by horace Sun 10 Sep 2017, 03:14

Now now pedantic young Lardy.

I was simply chatting with Growls and Beams. Thanks anyway for moving the post.

PS Even if Paine is restored to KFC ads, there is no chance he will get a game.

by Lindsay no.2 Sun 10 Sep 2017, 17:12

lardbucket wrote:I'd take that right now, having being fortunate to halve a series with Bangladesh.

Bangladesh in Bangladesh on presumably raging turners, and not hugely pacey tracks, is one thing. Playing in your own back yard on fast, bouncy tracks with a 4 pronged pace attack to pick from is quite another.

by Lindsay no.2 Sun 10 Sep 2017, 17:20

skully wrote:
lardbucket wrote:I'd take one all ...

Much will depend on the fitness of Starc, IMHO. If he's fit, we have a world class bowling attack. Without him, we might struggle; Hazlewood can't do it on his own.

Aye, if we can get 3 of Koo, Purple, 2nd and Patto on the park along with the GOAT, our bowling will be a handful for England.

Though fragile, I think England's top 7 look more solid than ours, although we might FTB it against the Poms.

Given the brittleness of both top 7s, I wouldn't be surprised to see a result in all 5 Tests.

Interesting you see it that way. When I look at yours I certainly don't see a set of world class playters - but they look better than ours.

Warner will have at least 3/4 innings where he tears into us - and that can be match defining stuff if it goes on for 3 hours or so.

Renshaw looks decent too. He should go relatively well and I'd expcet a couple of big knocks from him.

Khawaja - might go big two or three times but I'd like to think we can keep him under control (if ever there were a comment that leads to a guy being player of the series I've just done it).

Smith - will score heavily and often.

Handscomb - looks good to me. Strikes me as the kind of guy that if we get early inroads has the grit to dig in and get the team out of the doo-doo.

Maxwell - who knows. Could be a bust or could be the guy who does the equivalent of Gilchrist.

Wade - you guys hate him, and I can get on-board with that. However, he has a habit of taking to our bowlers. He's played loads of rally annoying innings against us. Again, digging you out of deep holes and giving you a fighting chance.

I'd take your top 7 to outperform ours.

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