The Quest - Ashes 2013/14

[The Sleeping Giant]

X2 scoob. He was a dead set pea heart last time.

[Jim05]

X2 scoob. He was a dead set pea heart last time.

He will miss his mummy again

[reppoh_eht]

Interesting debate about the extra batsman (or two?) to take to India/England...

If you take a look at the current highest run getters at Shield level:

Hughes 518 @ 52
Ferg 463 @ 42
Usman 438 @ 39
Doolan 409 @ 58
Cossie 373 @37
Ponting 355 @ 118
Cutting 348 @ 38
Rogers 340 @ 42
Haddin 337 @ 67
Henriques 314 @ 78
Hartley 312 @ 34
Burns 305 @ 30
Head 305 @30

So I agree with most people that the last 4 rounds will be crucial in deciding who goes on tour...

Hughes is in already...
Usman is in already...

Ponting will not get picked...
Cossie will not get picked...
Rogers will not get picked...

Cutting is a slapper not a batsman.

That leaves Ferg, Doolan, Haddin, Heinriques, Hartly, Burns and Head from the list above.

Realistically only Ferg, Doolan, Haddin and Heinriques are a chance IMO.

So all going to come down to the last few rounds, if Ferg hits another ton and Dools does not, he might jump in front? If Haddin keeps scoring you almost have to take him even just as a batsman...

[FlyingHigh]

The forgotten man in all our opening problems over the last few years is Phil Jacques.
Good start to his career and if he didn't get injured (in the WI IIRC), and then Katich, Hayden and Hughes played ahead of him, he probably would have been opening for us for the last five years. Just turned 33, so would still have had a couple of years left in him. Could easily have had 4-5000 test runs by now.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Sorry but what has that got to do with anything?

[Dogwatcher]

Really pie in the sky stuff...but could Head head across as a future player?
Probably unlikely, we're not currently in a position to take players across as a project. But would be interesting to know if he's on the selectors' radar at all.

[Jim05]

Really pie in the sky stuff...but could Head head across as a future player?
Probably unlikely, we're not currently in a position to take players across as a project. But would be interesting to know if he's on the selectors' radar at all.

I believe he is definately on the radar, this year may be too soon but with half a season to go all he can do is keep scoring runs

[heater31]

Really pie in the sky stuff...but could Head head across as a future player?
Probably unlikely, we're not currently in a position to take players across as a project. But would be interesting to know if he's on the selectors' radar at all.

Would rather him go to England to play club cricket if he was to go over. Needs solid results at first class level for the remainder of this season and next one as well. Then maybe ready for the 2014/15 summer.

[FlyingHigh]

Isn't there an Australia A side going to England preceding the Ashes? Obviously to develop some players, and maybe a dress-rehearsal for others.

[FlyingHigh]

Sorry but what has that got to do with anything?

Just saying that our opening problems could have been very different and not the issue they have been. Cowan, Warner and Watson have been our main openers over the last couple years, and there is still plenty of talk that they should either bat elsewhere or not be in the team.

[RustyCage]

Watto to take an indefinite break from bowling, could easily assume he won't be back in the baggy green again as his batting isn't what it has been recently

[stan]

Think Cowan might be a lock at the moment. But REB I would to see a rejig of the top order. I reckon at 6 we would be looking at Doolan and Khawaja at 4.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Watto to take an indefinite break from bowling, could easily assume he won't be back in the baggy green again as his batting isn't what it has been recently

You would think he wouldn't get picked on his batting alone, but he does seem to have one of those golden tickets.

[Jim05]

Watto to take an indefinite break from bowling, could easily assume he won't be back in the baggy green again as his batting isn't what it has been recently

You would think he wouldn't get picked on his batting alone, but he does seem to have one of those golden tickets.

Plenty of shield games to go.
Maybe a straight shootout between Watto and Ed, winner goes to England

[Media Park]

17 to the Ashes
MJ Clarke (capt)
SR Watson (vc)
PJ Hughes
DA Warner
UT Khawaja
EJM Cowan
GJ Maxwell
SPD Smith
MS Wade (wk)
TD Paine (wk)
NM Lyon
JM Bird
PJ Cummins
J Pattinson
PM Siddle
MJ Johnson
MA Starc

[Jim05]

17 to the Ashes
MJ Clarke (capt)
SR Watson (vc)
PJ Hughes
DA Warner
UT Khawaja
EJM Cowan
GJ Maxwell
SPD Smith
MS Wade (wk)
TD Paine (wk)
NM Lyon
JM Bird
PJ Cummins
J Pattinson
PM Siddle
MJ Johnson
MA Starc

The selectors minds are already made up.
Haddin will go on tour

[the joker]

Yeah they have already said if they take two keepers that hadds will go

[Dogwatcher]

Do they take 17 for a Test series any more?
I don't think so - less warm up games, defined ODI/Test squads and easier transport arrangements, plus the number of Aussies playing over there would be reasons they don't.

[The Cadet]

Warner
Quinney
Hughes
Clarke
D.Hussey
Wade
Henriques
Johnson
Siddle
Lyon
Bird

[The Dark Knight]

My side would be-

Warner
Watson
Hughes
Khawaja
Clarke
Doolan
Wade
Siddle
Pattinson
Starc/Bird (One in, one 12th man)
Lyon