The Ashes 2017/18

[lemmon]

I'm pumped.

After the overload of Ashes we had a few years back, it's been nice to see the two sides go away and be completely overhauled.

England's best player Ben Stokes has gone and broken his hand in a bar fight but I can't imagine he won't tour.

Here's the squad they've named:

England's Ashes squad: Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes

Australia should start favourites.

The batting is weak and they'll be coming here with Cook's opening partner, a number 3 and a number 5 all under serious pressure.

Ali will be their number 1 spinner and he's been pretty solid overseas but I think he'll be targetted on our flat decks.

Woakes probably starts as the third seamer but I think they'll be tempted by Ball's height and pace. Otherwise, Overton is a young, hit the deck type pretty similiar to Tim Bresnan.

Despite our form overseas, we're a settled lineup at home.

Obviously the question mark is who bats 6 and who keeps.

We're really thin for keepers at the minute, Wade can't buy a run, Nevill's been tried, Hartley retired, Whiteman will miss the summer with a badly broken thumb and I'm not sure Carey has the pedigree.

Our quicks should mostly be healthy come the first test, it feels like we've been stabling them recently.

My side would be:
Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Head
Nevill
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon

[ledge]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

I would have Maxwell before Khawaja.
Australia have a very good home team but away can't adjust .
If the wickets in Australia swing it's all England but I imagine they will all be flat batting wickets to help out Warner , Renshaw and others , but the flatter the wickets the better Root and Cook will be.
Should be an interesting series both sides have one test in 4 they collapse in, but I do think England plays test cricket better as in straighter bat and grinding out an innings.
Warner played an excellent test innings recently maybe he has finally adjusted to valueing his wicket on a balance with pitch condition.
Let's see 5 day tests and not 3 day ones.

[hujsh]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

I would have Maxwell before Khawaja.
Australia have a very good home team but away can't adjust .
If the wickets in Australia swing it's all England but I imagine they will all be flat batting wickets to help out Warner , Renshaw and others , but the flatter the wickets the better Root and Cook will be.
Should be an interesting series both sides have one test in 4 they collapse in, but I do think England plays test cricket better as in straighter bat and grinding out an innings.
Warner played an excellent test innings recently maybe he has finally adjusted to valueing his wicket on a balance with pitch condition.
Let's see 5 day tests and not 3 day ones.

We know you're English but you can't deliberately pick a bad side so you have a better chance of winning.

[ledge]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

We know you're English but you can't deliberately pick a bad side so you have a better chance of winning.

Hey Maxwell at least can field and bowl, (well if Smith didn't hate him.)
Khawaja gives England an extra 30 in the field maxwell saves 30 that's 60 in front for a start :-)

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Lemmon,

In the batting order numbers 3, 6 and 7 concern me.

Khawaja probably deserves number 3 spot because he bats well at home so as much as we want to win the Ashes, I'd be very tempted to look at any top order batsman who is in form early.

Number 6 is a raffle with Maxwell, Cartwright and Head all in contention. I'm not a fan of Maxwell but he probably deserves his chance
but like you I'd probably pick Travis Head. Would Marcus Stoinis be a chance?

I guess Nevill has to take over from Wade

[Twodogs]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Hey Maxwell at least can field and bowl, (well if Smith didn't hate him.)
Khawaja gives England an extra 30 in the field maxwell saves 30 that's 60 in front for a start :-)

Yep. You have to weigh up how many runs Khawaja costs us in the field (I think ledge is about right, 30 or so in a typical innings of 350 would be about it when you take in the dropped catches, the balls he doesn't run after, the ones that go between his legs and his stock standard normal misfields to account) to how many he actually makes with the bat (and he's a very good batsman, his footwork is almost the best in the team) and make a decision.

I do like Maxwell though and I think he is getting closer and closer to possessing the mental as well as technical qualities to be a test match batsman. He has a ton of ability but his brain farts cost him. He seems to be limiting those though.

[Topdog]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Stokes threw 15+ punches in said bar fight, he probably wont tour

[ledge]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Stokes threw 15+ punches in said bar fight, he probably wont tour

You know how it works , the better the player the more leniency.
I was watching the coverage last night and Woakes had had an amazing year coming back from injury, replacement found.
Stokes is an idiot to himself multiple trip ups, could be anything.
Reminds me of Stringer.
just pull your finger out for ten years, stay on the straight and narrow,smile at the journos no matter what and you have the world at your feet when you retire.

[Bornadog]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Stokes threw 15+ punches in said bar fight, he probably wont tour

There should be criminal charges for that, bloody disgraceful act

[ledge]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

There should be criminal charges for that, bloody disgraceful act

He was arrested, no doubt they will come.
In saying that do we know the facts ?

[Bornadog]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

He was arrested, no doubt they will come.
In saying that do we know the facts ?

There is a video and it is not pretty, one guy gets decked.

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

Stokes threw 15+ punches in said bar fight, he probably wont tour

Most of them didn't go close. He couldn't have been seeing straight.
Seriously though it's a poor act but he will slide through OK unless the UCB are for real.

[ledge]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

I believe he already has a record so it's not looking good.

[Topdog]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

There is a video and it is not pretty, one guy gets decked.

Yeah he fully connects with one and I expect charges to be laid

[Topdog]

Re: The Ashes 2017/18

video in here.

That last punch was against a person trying to break it up and backing away from him. Can't go unpunished. Guys head slams on the road

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/ben-stokes-gives-candid-thoughts-on-fighting-drinking-and-dealing-with-aggression-ahead-of-wild-street-fight/news-story/daf053b7a7adaecbd783ab3bb23fe933