Knees up Mother Brown Forum:

Thoughts? Whitewash or a tour to remember?

Still big concerns over our batting and lack of pace. It's looking like Overton may come in as Stokes is unlikely to fly out.

The Aussies are not as strong with the bat either. Get Warner and Smith early and you're in business.

Also apologies about the post during the silence.... I typed out most of it before and got distracted by the nipper and lost track of time. No offence meant.

I can see it being a very close (and good) series, both sides have flaws and both rely on a few world class players clicking. IF Cook and Root score or Broad/Anderson find pitch or conditions to their liking we can push them. They are like us in the batting two world class players and some others. Lyon is their wild card, massively underrated and had a field day in India earlier this year.

I can see this being a heavy defeat with their pace barrage just blowing us away.

Cook - not where he was last time we won there but the best we have
Stoneman - relatively unproven, hope he does well but I have my doubts. Too airy fairy outside 4th stump
Vince - not a number 3, Aussies will nick him off for fun after he creams a couple of glorious cover drives
Root - Up there with Smith, Kohli and Williamson as best in the world. Needs a massive series
Malan - Too loose, will nick off repeatedly
Bairstow - Could be a big series for him providing he has sorted out his shortball problem from earlier in his career
Ali - will struggle against the pace and bounce with his shortball deficiency in his game
Woakes - may well end up our leading wicket taker, very dangerous in Adelaide
Broad - may struggle due to the pitches and kookaburra ball not offering much assistance
Anderson - will be dangerous as long as it swings, which given the kookaburra only does for 20 overs means he may not be as effective as he is in England

Overall lot of questions over the batting, KP should still be in the side. Bowling isn't as good as theirs and I can see nothing but a heavy defeat looming.

Really hope I'm wrong but looking at the players available I don't think I am

Prediction 4 or 5-0 Australia

Also food for thought, Paul Colllingwood the England fielding coach averaged 49.41 this year in the CC

Vince averaged 32.95 and Malan 35.21

:arry:

Also Moeen is struggling with a side injury, Ball struggling and Finn has gone home.

4/5-0 looks even more possible now the more I think of it. The only one I can possibly give us a chance in is Adelaide and that is Toss dependent

Gonna be tough, but when isnt an Ashes tour tough?

I fancy us to win at least 1 test, but that wont be enough unfortunately. Lets hope a couple of "unknown" players can step up and have the surprise element the Aussies aren't prepared for.


*If slacking mentions KP he should be banned for the duration of the Ashes tour!!!

If it goes well I won't mention him...

Backed us to lose 5-0 a couple of months ago at 14/1

Pace blows us away

I don't think this will be a series for the purists

I can see a lot of bad cricket and tests not reaching the full 5 days once one team gets on top in the match

I think both teams can be so poor, unpredictable, spectacular at times that it will probably make for some exciting tests

you can get 7/2 on Eng;land retaining the ashes.

and no, I haven't had a bet.

westham,eggyandchips wrote: *If slacking mentions KP he should be banned for the duration of the Ashes tour!!!

Agreed. It is about as pointless as wishing we'd buy Payet back. Get over it.

The two big issues against us are their pace attack and no Stokes. For that they are definitely favourites to win the series.

One of Stoneman or Vince needs a big series as we have to put some scores on the board. Cook not firing yet and can't rely and him and Root all the time anyway.

I have a feeling Stokes will not be charged and fly out for the third test onwards.

Bend it like Repka wrote:Agreed. It is about as pointless as wishing we'd buy Payet back. Get over it.

Not even close, yep Payet has gone and didn't want to play for us.

KP on the other hand is still one of the best we have, certainly better than Vince and Malan, will be at the grounds for each test and actively wants to play for us. No one can say he wouldn't make the side better, it's just piss poor man management that is keeping the most talented batsman of his generation out of the side.

He should be batting at 4 with Root at 3

Compare these Lineups

Cook
Stoneman
Vince
Root

vs

Cook
Stoneman
Root
KP

It's a no brainer, the second one intimidates the opposition the first one we're 2/20 a lot.

^ Your just trolling now Slacking.......and "Foed".

With 9 days to go Jimmy has gone down with a stomach bug. The tour just keeps on getting better.

Are people still talking about KP? Jesus. People need to let it go. He's never coming back.

He hasn't played any red ball cricket for god knows how long anyway

Let him swan round the world as a T20 gun for hire

Slacking student wrote:KP on the other hand is still one of the best we have, certainly better than Vince and Malan, will be at the grounds for each test and actively wants to play for us.

You do realise he's retired from first-class cricket?

Tell Botham to chuck the foot massager in the bin,and get his pads on.

Ton for Stoneman.