Ashes 2015 - Australia tour of England July/September 2015

[bigred]

They technically could but it's very rare that England play two spinners. Occasionally did it with Swann and Monty, both of whom were more established but it didn't always work so well.

Yeah, the last time we tried it in Cardiff, it didn't exactly work out well other than the fact that Monty blocked a few out at the end.

I'd just drop Ballance down the order a bit, where I think he'll score loads of runs. Bell needs to step up to bat at 3. If it doesn't work out for either Bell or Ballance, then you bring Hales in.

 

[IceAgeComing]

England last played two spinners in the Adelaide Test in the 2013/14 Ashes where Monty and Swann both played, neither of which really did anything during Australia's innings (570/9d and 132/3d); and the time before that was the Oval in 2013 when they gave Kerrigan his only test cap.

The only way I see them doing it would be to play Moeen at 6 as an all-rounder and Rashid at 8 because that allows them to play three dedicated seamers but that would require dropping Stokes temporarily and I can't see them doing that. Going into a game with an attack of Anderson/Broad/Stokes/Rashid/Ali would be incredibly stupid, you'd struggle to bowl a team out once never mind twice...

 

[aussie1st]

You definitely can't drop Stokes, he's got that big match temperament about him and he's already performed against Aus before. If Aus are to fall against spin then you just need the spinner capable of running through their lineup, in the past it usually been the one spinner that ones through the batting.

Tour match wise, surely Mitch Marsh has done enough to win him a spot plus Watson didn't even bowl yesterday. Voges would have liked a good knock that second innings especially given how everyone else bar Clarke and partly Marsh went.

 

[themusketeer]

 

[themusketeer]

Ashes 2015: Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell bagged me about my technique, says Steve Smith | Newcastle Herald

 

[bigred]

Sad news about Ryan Harris, but that does increase England's chances of winning though. He was a great bowler.

 

[IanG]

Yeah the scans on his knee have shown the injury is worse than first though so he's decided to retire. A real shame. Always a sad way for a player's career to end. Have just He will be replaced in Australia's squad by Pat Cummins

 

[aussie1st]

Wow did not see that coming, like Shane Bond he could have had a great career if not for injury.

 

[Deleted member 149013]

What is with all this peace and hoping for a no sledging Ashes? You can’t tell a team how to go about their business on the field. The New Zealand series was great with the spirit shown but every team has its challenges, it was a bad call by England and chances are will make sledging worse.

 

[blockerdave]

Very sad news about Ryan Harris - guy had everything except a body that could take it! Talented enough to have been in the Aussie attack in any era, and but for injuries would have had the stats to confer greatness.

 

[Deleted member 149013]

Very sad news about Ryan Harris - guy had everything except a body that could take it! Talented enough to have been in the Aussie attack in any era, and but for injuries would have had the stats to confer greatness.

Harris to be fair was retirement age as it was, still not good to see a cricketer retire by injury.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

He must have planned this thing after the series but too bad he won't even start now.

 

[Excommunicado]

Aussies going to rule, even in England.

Aussies ain't be like Kiwi's. They have one motive, which is to destroy and that's what they did to the whole English Cricket last time around [HASHTAG]#theURN[/HASHTAG]!

 

[AliB]

Aussies going to rule, even in England.

Aussies ain't be like Kiwi's. They have one motive, which is to destroy and that's what they did to the whole English Cricket last time around [HASHTAG]#theURN[/HASHTAG]!

I don't support either one of these but I believe the English are better at their home.

 

[IceAgeComing]

England are very good at home (Anderson especially) so while Australia would definitely win in Australia, they might struggle in England. Harris was very good in the 2013 Ashes (one of the few good things that Australia had in that series) and would have been very good in this series had he been fit.

Lets remember Harris by looking at one of the best first balls of an innings ever. Pretty good for a guy bowling with an injury that could be a form of arthritis!