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The Ashes 2017-18

With the selectors set to announce the squad on Wednesday, it's got to be the right time to start a thread for the greatest contest known to cricket.

Injuries permitting, 11 of the squad are certainties in my opinion (Root, Cook, Stoneman, Stokes, Bairstow, Anderson, Broad, Ali, Woakes, Roland-Jones and Wood).

Do you agree with that and who would you like to see making up the rest of the squad?
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Comments

  • No room for freddie then? ;)
  • I'd love to see hales in the squad, can play anywhere in the top 5 (5 my preference). Maybe Jennings as cover for the openers, though I'm not convinced.

    Don't think Westley or Malan enough, but one at least will probably go.

    Crane? Been mooted but id be surprised, unless they include him in the Lions squad that is touring at the same time
  • am I right in thinking that BT sport has the rights to these this year?
  • No room for freddie then? ;)

    Sadly Trueman died in 2006
  • I see Hameed is definitely out - was an outside bet anyway.
  • I know it isn't very patriotic, but Oz are 2.08 to win at the Gabbatoire, printing...........
  • am I right in thinking that BT sport has the rights to these this year?

    You most definitely are

  • Oh yeah, predictions, 5-0 Aussies. Unless weather intervenes. And that's with them being a bit shit. We are great in English conditions, but you need a bit more oomph in straya
  • McBobbin said:

    Oh yeah, predictions, 5-0 Aussies. Unless weather intervenes. And that's with them being a bit shit. We are great in English conditions, but you need a bit more oomph in straya

    Im afraid I agree with this, we will really struggle down there, especially as we are carrying 3 players. Hopefully not 5-0, but we will be well beaten.

  • I mean, our current team looks like this:

    1.
    2. Cook
    3.
    4. Root
    5.
    6. Stokes
    7. Bairstow
    8. Moeen
    9. Woakes
    10. Broad
    11. Anderson

    So we're basically screwed. Stoneman probably deserves a crack; not sure on Westley or Malan. Ideally I'd push Stokes-Woakes up a place, with TRJ in (five front-line seamers!).

    My mate goes further and suggests pushing them up TWO places each and including Rashid. That's way too bowler heavy - but he quite rightly suggests that our part time bats are about as good as those who profess to be specialist batsmen.

    I'd like to see Rory Burns given a go, but that won't happen.
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  • Buttler is fantastic, but in no way should he be playing in the Ashes. Unless it is a reserve wicket keeper (straight choice between him and Foakes for that role)

    Hales is the one who should be given a shot (either at 3 or 5) in conditions that should favour him. Bouncy tracks and little/no swing. I thought he was hard done by to be dropped last year.

    I fully expect the selectors to pick the same side that finished the summer, with Westley and Malan given another go.

    England A are touring at the same time, so we should have plenty of options in case.

    The warm up games will be massively important.
  • Buttler isn't even first choice for Lancashire in the CC and will pursue every T20 opportunity open to him.

    Foakes is recognised as a very good glove man and is useful with the bat too so, if anything, I could see him coming in as keeper (and batting at 7) with Bairstow batting at 5 and Stokes at 6. I would also love it (from both the perspective of form and allegiance) Notheast given a chance with Root batting at 3.

    1. Stoneman
    2. Cook
    3. Root
    4. Northeast
    5. Bairstow
    6. Stokes
    7. Foakes
    8. Moeen
    9. Woakes
    10. Broad
    11. Anderson
  • they wont chuck anyone into an Ashes series nowadays. Northeast has got no chance.
    I would suggest Root will be asked/forced to go to 3, Foakes will come in (thus defeating my comment above !), and the lineup will be like...
    Cook
    Stoneman
    Root
    Bairstow
    Malan
    Stokes
    Ali
    Foakes
    Woakes
    Broad
    Jimmy
  • Read today that the party will be selected from players who have all played in the last 18 months.
  • With the selectors set to announce the squad on Wednesday, it's got to be the right time to start a thread for the greatest contest known to cricket.

    Injuries permitting, 11 of the squad are certainties in my opinion (Root, Cook, Stoneman, Stokes, Bairstow, Anderson, Broad, Ali, Woakes, Roland-Jones and Wood).

    Do you agree with that and who would you like to see making up the rest of the squad?

    plus .. Rashid, Malan, Westley, Foakes, Finn .. the team will still be light on batting .. we will need lot of pace bowling as too many of the 'first choices' could be injury prone, and/or are getting long in the tooth and will need careful managing especially as a few will be needed for the one day series ..

    Bayliss has said that there will be no 'new names' in the squad .. pity as it would have been good to blood a new fast bowler or spinner, just don't ask me who

    It's a pity that there is only 1 game against a state side and too many against 'select teams'
  • With the selectors set to announce the squad on Wednesday, it's got to be the right time to start a thread for the greatest contest known to cricket.

    Injuries permitting, 11 of the squad are certainties in my opinion (Root, Cook, Stoneman, Stokes, Bairstow, Anderson, Broad, Ali, Woakes, Roland-Jones and Wood).

    Do you agree with that and who would you like to see making up the rest of the squad?

    plus .. Rashid, Malan, Westley, Foakes, Finn .. the team will still be light on batting .. we will need lot of pace bowling as too many of the 'first choices' could be injury prone, and/or are getting long in the tooth and will need careful managing especially as a few will be needed for the one day series ..

    Bayliss has said that there will be no 'new names' in the squad .. pity as it would have been good to blood a new fast bowler or spinner, just don't ask me who

    It's a pity that there is only 1 game against a state side and too many against 'select teams'
    However, Crane has played for Englnad this season, so he wont be classed as 'new' blood.
  • Its 2 months tomorrow that England play the first Test at The Gabba.
  • My team:
    Cook
    Stoneman
    Root
    Bairstow
    Hales
    Stokes
    Ali
    Woakes
    TRJ
    Broad
    Anderson

    Back up wicket keeper should probably be Foakes, who could come in at 8 in place of a seamer. Wood and Rashid in the squad, not sure who else. Finn, Westley, Jennings and Crane are possibilities too.
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  • With the selectors set to announce the squad on Wednesday, it's got to be the right time to start a thread for the greatest contest known to cricket.

    Injuries permitting, 11 of the squad are certainties in my opinion (Root, Cook, Stoneman, Stokes, Bairstow, Anderson, Broad, Ali, Woakes, Roland-Jones and Wood).

    Do you agree with that and who would you like to see making up the rest of the squad?

    plus .. Rashid, Malan, Westley, Foakes, Finn .. the team will still be light on batting .. we will need lot of pace bowling as too many of the 'first choices' could be injury prone, and/or are getting long in the tooth and will need careful managing especially as a few will be needed for the one day series ..

    Bayliss has said that there will be no 'new names' in the squad .. pity as it would have been good to blood a new fast bowler or spinner, just don't ask me who

    It's a pity that there is only 1 game against a state side and too many against 'select teams'
    Let's face - our counties play weakened teams against the tourists so why should the Aussies give us a chance to get serious practice in ?

  • Buttler isn't even first choice for Lancashire in the CC and will pursue every T20 opportunity open to him.

    Foakes is recognised as a very good glove man and is useful with the bat too so, if anything, I could see him coming in as keeper (and batting at 7) with Bairstow batting at 5 and Stokes at 6. I would also love it (from both the perspective of form and allegiance) Notheast given a chance with Root batting at 3.

    1. Stoneman
    2. Cook
    3. Root
    4. Northeast
    5. Bairstow
    6. Stokes
    7. Foakes
    8. Moeen
    9. Woakes
    10. Broad
    11. Anderson

    He won't be chosen but it is rather unfair Sam hasn't been given a chance. There is no doubt had he played for Yorkshire or Surrey he would have a few caps by now
  • Great post Riv,
    My personal feel is that our bowling with Jimmy,Broad,Woakes,Stokes and TRJ is so samey, that we need to have a shock bowler like Wood (if his body can take it).
    I'm not a great fan of Rashid, but he seems to do well in Oz conditions, and they clearly have a lot of respect for him through his appearances in the Big Bash, so maybe he will go , hopefully along with Crane, but whether they'll take two leggies is another matter.
    I think Broad will be fine - he just had an incredibly unlucky season, and he always raises himself for The Ashes- it would certainly be a tough call to drop him.
    Cant see Billings getting picked - he's had a poor season.
    Would be good to see Hales back, but again, cant see it happening.

  • My mate's suggested side:

    1. Stoneman
    2. Cook
    3. Root
    4. Stokes
    5. Bairstow
    6. Moeen
    7. Rashid
    8. Woakes
    9. TRJ
    10. Broad
    11. Anderson

    On the logic that "our other batting choices are still shit so why not this".

    ... We're gonna get smashed, aren't we?
  • PaddyP17 said:

    My mate's suggested side:

    1. Stoneman
    2. Cook
    3. Root
    4. Stokes
    5. Bairstow
    6. Moeen
    7. Rashid
    8. Woakes
    9. TRJ
    10. Broad
    11. Anderson

    On the logic that "our other batting choices are still shit so why not this".

    ... We're gonna get smashed, aren't we?

    They wont play 7 bowlers !!
  • PaddyP17 said:

    My mate's suggested side:

    1. Stoneman
    2. Cook
    3. Root
    4. Stokes
    5. Bairstow
    6. Moeen
    7. Rashid
    8. Woakes
    9. TRJ
    10. Broad
    11. Anderson

    On the logic that "our other batting choices are still shit so why not this".

    ... We're gonna get smashed, aren't we?

    They wont play 7 bowlers !!
    Agreed. But Stokes and Mo are as good as our other batting options, he reasons, so why not bring in certainly a 5th seamer (TRJ) to balance the workload?

    And he put Rash in for the sake of it I think
  • Root has to play at 3. He just won't. I even heard someone saying Jennings will play there.

    It'll be the XI that played against the west Indies, plus some other people who aren't very good. Such as Ballance.
  • This is bad news

    Toby Roland-Jones will miss Middlesex's final game of the season with a stress fracture in his lower back and is a major doubt for the Ashes tour of Australia.
  • The 17 players I think the selectors will pick. Not my choice.

    Stoneman, Cook, Westley, Root, Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, TRJ, if fit, Crane, Foakes, Wood, Hales, Ball.
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