Ashes 2013 - Australia tour of England June/August 2013

[aussie1st]

Australia VB Tour of England
26-29 June: Tour match v Somerset
2-5 July: Tour match v Worcestershire
10-14 July: 1st Test, Trent Bridge
18-22 July: 2nd Test, Lord?s
26-28 July: Tour match v Sussex
1-5 August: 3rd Test, Old Trafford
9-13 August: 4th Test, Durham
16-17 August: Tour match v Northamptonshire or England Lions (TBC)
21-25 August: 5th Test, The Oval

Squad
Australia: Michael Clarke (c), Brad Haddin (vc), Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson.

 

[Aalay]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/content/current/story/631951.html

I liked the inclusion of Chris Rogers. However, again there are 4 openers in that squad. Warner, Cowan, Watson and Rogers. So, I think we are not going to see Watson opening the batting. I also don't know if Chris Rogers will feature in the final 11 and if he will, will he bat at no 6? Because I am not sure if there is any other spot available for him. This is the lineup I can make out by looking at the squad.

Warner
Cowan
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Rogers
Haddin
Siddle
Pattinson
Harris
Lyon

 

[War]

The Ashes 2013 : Chris Rogers and James Faulkner in Ashes squad | Cricket News | Australia in England - The Ashes | ESPN Cricinfo

Geez that was nerve wrecking. At the end except for Cowan's inclusion for reasons already stated, this is really the perfect squad really. Inverarity & the panel deserve credit for returning to the train of sanity after picking some poor squads in the last 12 months across all formats.

Will continue to maintain Bailey should have selected instead of Cowan & if Bailey scores heavily in the ongoing county season, this might come back to haunt the selectors. The team still has too much blokes who are better @ batting in the top 3 (cowan, watson, warner, hughes, khawaja) than in the middle-order, which is slightly concerning & another area where picking Bailey may have been useful.

Watson, Warner, Rogers, Hughes, Clarke, Haddin, Faulkner, Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Lyon would be best XI for the selected squad IMO.

 

[alexczarn]

The Ashes 2013 : Chris Rogers and James Faulkner in Ashes squad | Cricket News | Australia in England - The Ashes | ESPN Cricinfo

Geez that was nerve wrecking. At the end except for Cowan's inclusion for reasons already stated, this is really the perfect squad really. Inverarity & the panel deserve credit for returning to the train of sanity after picking some poor squads in the last 12 months across all formats.

Will continue to maintain Bailey should have selected instead of Cowan & if Bailey scores heavily in the ongoing county season, this might come back to haunt the selectors. The team still has too much blokes who are better @ batting in the top 3 (cowan, watson, warner, hughes, khawaja) than in the middle-order, which is slightly concerning & another area where picking Bailey may have been useful.

Watson, Warner, Rogers, Hughes, Clarke, Haddin, Faulkner, Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Lyon would be best XI for the selected squad IMO.

Finally sanity prevails.

 

[Aalay]

Watson, Warner, Rogers, Hughes, Clarke, Haddin, Faulkner, Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Lyon would be best XI for the selected squad IMO.

I have absolutely no idea how they will drop Cowan after him being the 2nd highest scorer from Australia on India tour. Yes, Cowan is a limited player and all that crap but I am pretty sure he will be there in the final 11 of the first test and Faulkner will miss out. That is the only change in the team I have posted in the other thread.

 

[aussie1st]

The Ashes 2013 : Chris Rogers and James Faulkner in Ashes squad | Cricket News | Australia in England - The Ashes | ESPN Cricinfo

I liked the inclusion of Chris Rogers. However, again there are 4 openers in that squad. Warner, Cowan, Watson and Rogers. So, I think we are not going to see Watson opening the batting. I also don't know if Chris Rogers will feature in the final 11 and if he will, will he bat at no 6? Because I am not sure if there is any other spot available for him. This is the lineup I can make out by looking at the squad.

Warner
Cowan
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Rogers
Haddin
Siddle
Pattinson
Harris
Lyon

I'd expect Khawaja at 6. I don't think our selectors have lost faith in our top 4 yet so Rogers has been picked over others for his experience to jump in should one of the top 4 need replacing asap.

 

[Aalay]

I'd expect Khawaja at 6. I don't think our selectors have lost faith in our top 4 yet so Rogers has been picked over others for his experience to jump in should one of the top 4 need replacing asap.

True and Rogers is also probably not a number 6 batsman but if you have him in the squad and looking at the record he has in England, it would be silly not to include him I think.

 

[aussie1st]

Well if the selectors continue leaving Khawaja on the fringe then Rogers at 4 and Watson at 6 would be the other way to get him in.

 

[War]

I have absolutely no idea how they will drop Cowan after him being the 2nd highest scorer from Australia on India tour. Yes, Cowan is a limited player and all that crap but I am pretty sure he will be there in the final 11 of the first test and Faulkner will miss out. That is the only change in the team I have posted in the other thread.

I'm not judging Cowan on what he did in India (which wasn't really impressive & he was the 4th highest scored by the way in India. Clarke 1st, Smith 2nd, Starc 3rd then him), but his entire career to date.

I don't know how attentively you have followed AUS team in recent years, but lets not forget the only reason Cowan ever got picked vs India 2011/12 is because of top order struggles of young players like Hughes, S Marsh & Warner. So he was a stop gap older player choice.

After 17 tests, he barely averages 32 and its been dropping every series & barely 1 century.When older players like Hayden, Hodge, Katich, Hussey, Clark, got recalls for AUS in their late 20/early 30 like Cowan, after 17 tests they were dominating, that's what you have to do as a older player because the selectors have taken the punt on you instead of investing in the young player.

Watson averaged 44 with both his centuries opening, compared to Cowan's record. Any AUS team in which you are not opening with Watson in the future in tests is wrong, because that is Watson's best position.

Rogers is another stop gap even though he is in form because the youngsters still have not stepped up. And IMO is the direct "stop gap" replacement for Cowan who has not taken his opportunities.


Faulkner no doubt is a touch & go choice. But events in India where Lyon took 7 wickets in the final test almost assured him of a starting place, before that innings i was of the view AUS should play 4 quicks in the Ashes. Watson also one he opens IMO should not bowl in tests. So i am viewing Faulkner's probable starting place to do the all-rounder work for Watson, because despite how good AUS quicks can be in English conditions, i still have the suspicion they will need 5 bowlers to consistently take 20 English wickets.

 

[War]

Australian Ashes team 'weakest in decades': video

Haha BBC on fire early.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

Watson, Warner, Rogers, Hughes, Clarke, Haddin, Faulkner, Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Lyon would be best XI for the selected squad IMO.

Not sure why would the Aussies do the same mistake by playing 4 openers again.
IMO, if Watson doesn't open, he should only go down at no. 6 or no. 7.
I would go in with Warner and Rogers/Cowan. Khwaja at no.3, Clarke and then the rest. Or infact Khwaja and Hughes sawpping postions at no.4.

Just don't know if Pat Cummins is still injured?

 

[sifter132]

I'm not judging Cowan on what he did in India (which wasn't really impressive & he was the 4th highest scored by the way in India. Clarke 1st, Smith 2nd, Starc 3rd then him), but his entire career to date.

I don't know how attentively you have followed AUS team in recent years, but lets not forget the only reason Cowan ever got picked vs India 2011/12 is because of top order struggles of young players like Hughes, S Marsh & Warner. So he was a stop gap older player choice.

I'm not a Cowan fan, but I think the main thing from India was that he improved through the series. First Test he played that silly shot and was stumped, from there he went back to his game and it worked reasonably well. Plus he had a good tour with Aus A over in England last year. Cowan's not a guy I'd like to see in the Aussie side in 2-3 years time, but for this tour he'd have been very unlucky to be dropped.

As it is, I think Steve Smith and Moises Henriques can be classed as slightly unlucky too after both showed they could at least play a bit in India.

Geez that was nerve wrecking. At the end except for Cowan's inclusion for reasons already stated, this is really the perfect squad really. Inverarity & the panel deserve credit for returning to the train of sanity after picking some poor squads in the last 12 months across all formats.

It would be perfect if we could find some bloody middle order batsmen. Of the 7 batsmen in this squad, 6 are more comfortable opening than anywhere else (including Watson and Khawaja in that statement).

If England want to win this series easily, take the grass off the pitches and flatten them out. Flatten the pitches to prey on the inability of guys like Watson and Cowan to build big scores. Play both Swann and Monty and exploit the lack of batting ability vs spin bowling of all bar Clarke. Dig up some mental scars from the India tour. Flatter, grassless pitches would force Aussies to bowl Lyon more too, their weakest bowler.


I'm glad Haddin's back though. He had that summer a couple of years ago where his keeping was dodgy and everyone hated him. Since then though, his keeping is much better and he's been in good form with bat for NSW. Has a good record vs England too. Wade will be back.

 

[Sedition]

I just realised that I'll be in the Netherlands for the entire Ashes campaign, so it would be madness not to attend and abuse the poms in person.

Looks like Lords has sold out unfortunately. Trent Bridge only has Day 5 tickets available and we all know England won't survive that long, so that'd be a waste. Old Trafford looks good with Days 3 and 4 still available on the weekend, but doesn't look like much to see in that part of England to be honest. Maybe Durham hosting their first Ashes and being somewhat on the path to Scotland would be ideal.

Any random info a foreigner should know about purchasing tickets and where to be seated or whatever at those grounds?

 

[barmyarmy]

Head for the Western Terrace at Headingly (not that they've got a test).
It does worry me a bit being favourites for this especially with how we played against NZ.

 

[Umair7]

Complete Fixtures

26 Jun 2013 - 29 Jun 2013 | 4-day Tour Match

Somerset County Cricket Club vs Australia, Somerset County Ground

02 Jul 2013 - 05 Jul 2013 | 4-day Tour Match

Worcestershire County Cricket Club vs Australia, Worcestershire County Ground

10 Jul 2013 - 14 Jul 2013 | 1st Test

England vs Australia, Nottingham County Ground

18 Jul 2013 - 22 Jul 2013 | 2nd Test

England vs Australia, Lord's Cricket Ground

26 Jul 2013 - 28 Jul 2013 | 3-day Tour Match

Sussex County Cricket Club vs Australia, Sussex County Ground

01 Aug 2013 - 05 Aug 2013 | 3rd Test

England vs Australia, Old Trafford Lancashire County Cricket Club

09 Aug 2013 - 13 Aug 2013 | 4th Test

England vs Australia, Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground

16 Aug 2013 - 17 Aug 2013 | 2-day Tour Match

Northamptonshire County Cricket Club vs Australia, Northamptonshire County Ground

21 Aug 2013 - 25 Aug 2013 | 5th Test

England vs Australia, The Oval Surrey County Cricket Club

29 Aug 2013 | 1st T20

England vs Australia, Southampton

31 Aug 2013 | 2nd T20

England vs Australia, Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground

03 Sep 2013 | ODI

Scotland vs Australia, The Grange Cricket Club

06 Sep 2013 | 1st ODI

England vs Australia, Yorkshire County Cricket Ground

08 Sep 2013 | 2nd ODI

England vs Australia, Old Trafford Lancashire County Cricket Club

11 Sep 2013 | 3rd ODI

England vs Australia, Edgbaston Warwickshire County Cricket Ground

14 Sep 2013 | 4th ODI

England vs Australia, SWALEC Stadium

16 Sep 2013 | 5th ODI

England vs Australia, The Ageas Bowl​