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ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

• ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

• ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  StrumSolo > 23/09/2013, 14:12

  It seems like only last month England and the Aussie's were slugging it out for the famous little urn. And that is probably because it was. It's time to go again though with the first test down under taking place in Brisbane on November 21st.
  
  The squad has just been announced with call-ups for the uncapped trio of Ben Stokes, Boyd Rankin and Gary Ballance providing the biggest surprise. Monty Panesar's back in too, which takes the piss if you ask me.
  
  England squad in full: Alastair Cook (Essex, captain), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex, vice-captain), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Monty Panesar (Sussex, on loan at Essex), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Chris Tremlett (Surrey).
  
  Thoughts and opinions please. Briss and Russy in particular.

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  rustee1 > 23/09/2013, 16:18

  i'm not huge on cricket, but i saw rankin bowling recently and i don't think australia will look forward to facing him if he's on form or actually gets to play.

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  RussyRover > 23/09/2013, 16:51

  There'll be no more piss taking about Monty, or should that be piss giving!!!
  
  Gary Ballance, where did they drag him from? unless they want a new face to carry the drinks on... Stokes and Rankin deserve a chance and you're right rustee, Rankin may actually give the Aussies some hassle.. Pairing Rankin up with Tremlett at say Perth may be an interesting choice...
  
  Michael Carberry also makes the grade, he has long been touted for a go, and he's been bashing it about at home, but where would they play him, as an opener instead of Root perhaps? or is he there just as a back up in case Root or Cook has an injury? Of course he'll probably play the limited overs games if not the tests...
  
  I hope England are prepared to play some of these new guys and not stick with the usual team. Perhaps Perth will be the game to try them out after seeing how they get on after the first 2 tests, and of course who then wants to look Pretty In Pink at the MCG for the Boxing Day test.
  
  At least the picks have given them some options, with just under 2 months to go, there will certainly be lots of speculation now... and I'm calling a 3-1 England series win...

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  StrumSolo > 23/09/2013, 17:26

  (23/09/2013, 16:51)RussyRover Wrote: There'll be no more piss taking about Monty, or should that be piss giving!!!
  
  Gary Ballance, where did they drag him from? unless they want a new face to carry the drinks on... Stokes and Rankin deserve a chance and you're right rustee, Rankin may actually give the Aussies some hassle.. Pairing Rankin up with Tremlett at say Perth may be an interesting choice...
  
  Michael Carberry also makes the grade, he has long been touted for a go, and he's been bashing it about at home, but where would they play him, as an opener instead of Root perhaps? or is he there just as a back up in case Root or Cook has an injury? Of course he'll probably play the limited overs games if not the tests...
  
  I hope England are prepared to play some of these new guys and not stick with the usual team. Perhaps Perth will be the game to try them out after seeing how they get on after the first 2 tests, and of course who then wants to look Pretty In Pink at the MCG for the Boxing Day test.
  
  At least the picks have given them some options, with just under 2 months to go, there will certainly be lots of speculation now... and I'm calling a 3-1 England series win...

  
  With Yorkshire and Hampshire being my 'home' counties, I'm happy with it. Especially seeing as it's a winter tour that won't fuck them in the county championships. England first of course though, can't be sentimental when it comes to beating the crims.
  
  And 3-1, i'll take that.

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  Arjan21 > 23/09/2013, 18:16

  I guess the squad is alright. They will need to be on top of Australia if they what to win it again. Not seen much of the the three new cappers but they will have to be on form.

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  carl1984 > 24/09/2013, 19:49

  I think all in all it's the right squad, leaving Bresnan out was a big call but if he was going to struggle to be fit then it could have been a wasted pick. I am a big Gary Ballance fan and it's great to see him get his chance and it provide competition to Bairstow at number five.
  
  I am confident we can win down under, in the past series we had one bastmen who played well consistently, the rest struggled in the main and still won the series. It is likely to be KP's last Ashes series if not his last test series so I think (hope) he will go out with a flourish. Cook loves Australian conditions as well so should play better than he did this summer, what I want is England to get in front and then stamp their authority on the Aussies, who as a test side are not that strong in my opinion

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  StrumSolo > 24/09/2013, 19:57

  Bresnan's going to travel with the squad and get treatment on his back injury apparently. So a call-up halfway through isn't out of the question provided he can get fit. That's allowed, right?

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  carl1984 > 24/09/2013, 20:34

  I wasn't aware of that, well it seems they might call him up part way through the series, the thing is though, if we are in a series lead and looking comfortable then there is no need to risk chucking him on hard pitches for the sake of it, keep him in the squad environment for sure as he is a bit part of the setup but I'd only look to use if really needed. Tremlett could be a big player this winter, he looked awesome over there in 2010.

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  rustee1 > 24/09/2013, 22:51

  from watchin the last series the aussies looked a very average side except for clarke and england won quite comfortably without cook or pietersen on top form. i think england look good for the win.

• RE: ASHES SQUAD ANNOUNCED

  carl1984 > 25/09/2013, 20:24

  Completely agree Rustee, Australia's batting lineup looks very average, the fact they got so excited about Warner coming into the side shows how weak their test batting is, the guy is never going to be anything other then a odi and t20 batsmen. Clarke is the only batsmen they have who'd walk into most over nations lineup. England have three or four batsmen who'd walk into any test side bar the South African team
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