Addick Addict has pretty much nailed the explanation. I was lucky enough to commentate on last years event and the standard is very high. MCC region teams can include players who play in the minor counties leagues and players who still have ambitions to make it to the main county circuit. Whether that makes them ‘Amateurs’ or Professional’ I’m not entirely sure.
Thanks to you and Addick Addict and Chizz for this.
I see Lords have unreserved seating for this on Aug 4th for a fiver - as I will be in London that weekend I'll go and have a look, I think.
No Wood ? .. a missed chance to shake up the Aussie battererers at the start of the series perhaps .. also, not too sure about Moeen's recall, i m o not now a proper test spinner
No Wood ? .. a missed chance to shake up the Aussie battererers at the start of the series perhaps .. also, not too sure about Moeen's recall, i m o not now a proper test spinner
May well be proven wrong but I'm happy Broad is playing - Anderson will probably only play 3 Tests and Wood is fragile so can see him playing just the other two.
Broad has a good record v Australia in England, and I'm also hoping it points towards the 'flat bouncy wickets stuff being a bit of a bluff - would suit the Aussie quicks not Anderson and Broad, and as someone else (sorry, forget who!) mentioned further up the thread, yes it helps 'Bazball', but a flat pitch will likely just means we see hour upon hour of Smith, Labuschagne batting through the series.
I've a horrible feeling England are getting destroyed this series
I'm getting more and more pessimistic rhe closer we get!
Concerned we're going in with Stokes carrying an injury, Moeen being old and rusty, Crawley looking poor, Bairstow also coming back from injury (an nor being as good as Foakes) and trying to keep across 5 Tests, and underprepared after such a lack of 5 day cricket.
I've a horrible feeling England are getting destroyed this series
I'm getting more and more pessimistic rhe closer we get!
Concerned we're going in with Stokes carrying an injury, Moeen being old and rusty, Crawley looking poor, Bairstow also coming back from injury (an nor being as good as Foakes) and trying to keep for 25 days, and underprepared after such a lack of 5 day cricket.
If Bairstow keeps for twenty five days, no-one needs to worry about England losing the series. It would be the most spectacularly dull, high-scoring, 0-0 series draw.
I've a horrible feeling England are getting destroyed this series
I'm getting more and more pessimistic rhe closer we get!
Concerned we're going in with Stokes carrying an injury, Moeen being old and rusty, Crawley looking poor, Bairstow also coming back from injury (an nor being as good as Foakes) and trying to keep for 25 days, and underprepared after such a lack of 5 day cricket.
If Bairstow keeps for twenty five days, no-one needs to worry about England losing the series. It would be the most spectacularly dull, high-scoring, 0-0 series draw.
I've a horrible feeling England are getting destroyed this series
I'm getting more and more pessimistic rhe closer we get!
Concerned we're going in with Stokes carrying an injury, Moeen being old and rusty, Crawley looking poor, Bairstow also coming back from injury (an nor being as good as Foakes) and trying to keep for 25 days, and underprepared after such a lack of 5 day cricket.
If Bairstow keeps for twenty five days, no-one needs to worry about England losing the series. It would be the most spectacularly dull, high-scoring, 0-0 series draw.
I know Broad has got a brilliant record against the Aussies but I cant shake the feeling you need the extra pace of Wood on what could be a flat deck in what looks like its going to be blazing sun.
Assuming no cloud cover tomorrow morning and the forecast, I'm assuming if we win the toss, we'll have a bat. Everyone agree?
I think the series will be tightish but I don't think any of the tests will be.
I think there will be a couple of hammerings for both sides.
There will be a glorious session or three when Broad gets those knees pumping or two of YJB, Brooke and Stokes go chicken oriental.
A day when Cummings, Boland et al make the pitch look like a mine field before our seamers look very military medium in comparison and Smith and co bat on, and on and on.
My predicton 1 weather enforced draw. 3 absolute tonkings split 2-1 and a thriller. 3-1 to someone, or 2-2. Basically I haven't a clue.
I know Broad has got a brilliant record against the Aussies but I cant shake the feeling you need the extra pace of Wood on what could be a flat deck in what looks like its going to be blazing sun.
Assuming no cloud cover tomorrow morning and the forecast, I'm assuming if we win the toss, we'll have a bat. Everyone agree?
If we win the toss, we'll bat. If we lose the toss, expect Broad to refer it.
I know Broad has got a brilliant record against the Aussies but I cant shake the feeling you need the extra pace of Wood on what could be a flat deck in what looks like its going to be blazing sun.
Assuming no cloud cover tomorrow morning and the forecast, I'm assuming if we win the toss, we'll have a bat. Everyone agree?
Two days of sun forecast, then a damp Sunday when I'm there... Getting the runs on the board seems preferable
I know Broad has got a brilliant record against the Aussies but I cant shake the feeling you need the extra pace of Wood on what could be a flat deck in what looks like its going to be blazing sun.
Assuming no cloud cover tomorrow morning and the forecast, I'm assuming if we win the toss, we'll have a bat. Everyone agree?
If we win the toss, we'll bat. If we lose the toss, expect Broad to refer it.
Or will.we take the mindset of you set what ever you like over the first 3 innings and we will chase it down in the 4th, what ever it is?
Feels like it's got 2-2 all over it. One game will be rain affected and the other 4 should be cracking contests. Will be interesting to see if the Aussies do go with Scott Boland over Hazelwood.
Anyone listen to Tailenders? I've only ever heard a few episodes, but they picked their best Ashes team of the last 20 years (aka the timespan of James Anderson's career):
Hayden Cook Ponting Pietersen Stokes (c) Flintoff Gilchrist Warne Johnson Broad (Anderson basically vetoed putting himself in and championed Broad) McGrath.
Apart from them crowbarring Stokes in by putting him as a batsmen rather than choosing him or Flintoff, not far off for me.
Smith at 4, Pietersen at 5, Flintoff at 6 for me. Tempted by Stokes at 6, but Flintoff was the better bowling and the batting is incredibly strong anyway.
Probably Anderson over Broad too (though there is an argument that on a pure Ashes record, Broad's is better).
Anyone listen to Tailenders? I've only ever heard a few episodes, but they picked their best Ashes team of the last 20 years (aka the timespan of James Anderson's career):
Hayden Cook Ponting Pietersen Stokes (c) Flintoff Gilchrist Warne Johnson Broad (Anderson basically vetoed putting himself in and championed Broad) McGrath.
Apart from them crowbarring Stokes in by putting him as a batsmen rather than choosing him or Flintoff, not far off for me.
Smith at 4, Pietersen at 5, Flintoff at 6 for me. Tempted by Stokes at 6, but Flintoff was the better bowling and the batting is incredibly strong anyway.
Probably Anderson over Broad too (though there is an argument that on a pure Ashes record, Broad's is better).
Anyone else people would swap in?
Langer, Root, Cummins could all have shouts.
Interesting that they've ignored four Ashes captains in their XI and given the job to someone who hasn't (yet) captained in the Ashes.
Anyone listen to Tailenders? I've only ever heard a few episodes, but they picked their best Ashes team of the last 20 years (aka the timespan of James Anderson's career):
Hayden Cook Ponting Pietersen Stokes (c) Flintoff Gilchrist Warne Johnson Broad (Anderson basically vetoed putting himself in and championed Broad) McGrath.
Apart from them crowbarring Stokes in by putting him as a batsmen rather than choosing him or Flintoff, not far off for me.
Smith at 4, Pietersen at 5, Flintoff at 6 for me. Tempted by Stokes at 6, but Flintoff was the better bowling and the batting is incredibly strong anyway.
Probably Anderson over Broad too (though there is an argument that on a pure Ashes record, Broad's is better).
Anyone else people would swap in?
Langer, Root, Cummins could all have shouts.
I tend to agree with your side. That team hardly needs Stokes to bowl and in swapping Smith for Stokes we would be trading someone who averages 36 for someone who averages 60. And I would definitely have Anderson for Broad.
Johnson had one great series, but also a lot of dross. Has Stokes done much in the Ashes other than Headingley? I agree with Smith over Stokes at 5, so it's then a choice between Stokes and Flintoff.
And 20 years is a awkward timescale as many of that great Aussie team were near the end. Obviously Warne was a better player than Lyon for example, but Lyon will surely have contributed more over the last 20 years? Similarly Cummins or Starc to McGrath, or Strauss to Hayden.
Comments
I see Lords have unreserved seating for this on Aug 4th for a fiver - as I will be in London that weekend I'll go and have a look, I think.
Broad has a good record v Australia in England, and I'm also hoping it points towards the 'flat bouncy wickets stuff being a bit of a bluff - would suit the Aussie quicks not Anderson and Broad, and as someone else (sorry, forget who!) mentioned further up the thread, yes it helps 'Bazball', but a flat pitch will likely just means we see hour upon hour of Smith, Labuschagne batting through the series.
Concerned we're going in with Stokes carrying an injury, Moeen being old and rusty, Crawley looking poor, Bairstow also coming back from injury (an nor being as good as Foakes) and trying to keep across 5 Tests, and underprepared after such a lack of 5 day cricket.
Steve Smith 903*, 967*, 856*, 924*, 1003*
2 top sides. I think it'll be very close & I can't bloody wait
Assuming no cloud cover tomorrow morning and the forecast, I'm assuming if we win the toss, we'll have a bat. Everyone agree?
I think there will be a couple of hammerings for both sides.
There will be a glorious session or three when Broad gets those knees pumping or two of YJB, Brooke and Stokes go chicken oriental.
A day when Cummings, Boland et al make the pitch look like a mine field before our seamers look very military medium in comparison and Smith and co bat on, and on and on.
My predicton 1 weather enforced draw. 3 absolute tonkings split 2-1 and a thriller. 3-1 to someone, or 2-2. Basically I haven't a clue.
Hayden
Cook
Ponting
Pietersen
Stokes (c)
Flintoff
Gilchrist
Warne
Johnson
Broad (Anderson basically vetoed putting himself in and championed Broad)
McGrath.
Apart from them crowbarring Stokes in by putting him as a batsmen rather than choosing him or Flintoff, not far off for me.
Smith at 4, Pietersen at 5, Flintoff at 6 for me. Tempted by Stokes at 6, but Flintoff was the better bowling and the batting is incredibly strong anyway.
Probably Anderson over Broad too (though there is an argument that on a pure Ashes record, Broad's is better).
Anyone else people would swap in?
Langer, Root, Cummins could all have shouts.
And 20 years is a awkward timescale as many of that great Aussie team were near the end. Obviously Warne was a better player than Lyon for example, but Lyon will surely have contributed more over the last 20 years? Similarly Cummins or Starc to McGrath, or Strauss to Hayden.
Head says 1-3 Aus.