The Ashes 25/26

[wenchbarwer]

Played more tests, also

I googled this during the Xmas break

[Jim05]

Starc POTS

Trav picked up his 11th POTM which moves him equal with McGrath and Border amongst others.
The remarkable thing is that most of those above him have played 80+ more tests than him.
He is going at about 1 POTM every 6 tests.
A couple more and he would be in the top 10 all time

[heater31]

Played more tests, also

I googled this during the Xmas break [emoji38]

This was because some times they were touring 2 different countries at once!

[dedja]

Anyone seen Nathan Lyon on any of the coverage at the ground?

Yep

[RB]

The Poms' approach to selection for a good chunk of the twentieth century was a bit strange. Picking captains first, picking players who were not stars at county level due to perceived leadership qualities or because they wanted gentlemen, not picking blokes who performed very strongly at county level for spurious reasons, etc. That may have led to greater churn.

Also, Australia have won a higher proportion of their tests. A winning team is less likely to be changed.

(A countervailing factor though may have been World Series Cricket - England's official side would have been less affected than ours I would think.)

[Lightning McQueen]

We only need a new opener, no.3, middle order batter, all-rounder, a spinner and a pace bowler younger than 35

Very lucky to win 4-1

The better you play, the luckier you get.

[Jim05]

We only need a new opener, no.3, middle order batter, all-rounder, a spinner and a pace bowler younger than 35

Very lucky to win 4-1

The better you play, the luckier you get.

It’s funny, I reckon if you are picking a combined XI from this series I reckon there is probably 5 Poms in it.
Very good to clean them up 4-1 and will be very interesting to see how both sides look in 16 months time when we head to England

[Brodlach]

5 Poms? Which 5?

[amber_fluid]

Stokes has been the biggest disappointment for mine
Gets talked up all the time but doesn’t deliver
And yes I do remember that one time many years ago

[Brodlach]

Head
Weatherald
Labba
Root
Smith
Brook
Carey
Neser
Starc
Lyon
Boland

I do concede on thought that maybe Crawley and Tongue could be inserted

[Jim05]

5 Poms? Which 5?

A combined XI is probably

Head
Crawley
Smith
Root
Brooks
Stokes
Carey
Starc
Neser
Tongue/Carse
Boland

[Brodlach]

I couldn’t have Carse or Stokes

No spinner? Game to be played at the SCG

[amber_fluid]

Head
Weatherald
Labba
Root
Smith
Brook
Carey
Neser
Starc
Lyon
Boland

I do concede on thought that maybe Crawley and Tongue could be inserted

Good team!

Lyon?
Labba?

I’d have Crawley before Labba(both were average though)
Tongue or Carse before Lyon

[Brodlach]

Tongue didn’t play until the Third Test, series was just about over

[gadj1976]

Tongue didn’t play until the Third Test, series was just about over

He was their best by far though. Carse and Atkinson never got their line right.

[Brodlach]

Tongue didn’t play until the Third Test, series was just about over

He was their best by far though. Carse and Atkinson never got their line right.

Agreed

[Trader]

Surprisingly if I do a team of the series, I finish with 6 poms in there.

I'd take the top 6 run scorers for the series as my top 6.

Head 629 @ 62.9
Crawley 273 @ 27.3
S.Smith 286 @ 57.2, 14 catches
Root 400 @ 44.4
Brook 358 @ 39.77
Carey 323 @ 46.1, 28 dismissals

Alrounders were a letdown. Starc the best performed but not a true all-rounder so I'll leave him in the bowlers.

Slug would have got it if he played more than once, but by default, it's going to be Stokes given Green and Jacks were both poo.

Onto the bowlers.
No spinner, as the series clearly didn't use spin, plus I've got Root and Head in there anyway.

Starc 31 @ 19.9, plus 156 runs @ 26.0
Carse 22 @ 30.3
Tongue 18 @ 20.1
Boland 20 @ 25

Neser my 12th, with 15 @ 19.9, although I'd like to squeeze Bethell in with 205 runs @ 51.3.


1) Head
2) Crawley
3) S Smith
4) Root
5) Brook
6) Carey
7) Stokes
Starc
9) Carse
10) Tongue
11) Boland

12) Neser
13) Bethell

Others to play but miss out:
Labuschange, J Smith, Duckett, Weatherald, Khawaja, Green, Jacks, Pope, Webster, Archer, Atkinson, Inglis, Doggett, Potts, Cummins, Lyon, Richardson, Wood

[RB]

Beau may have been one of the first picked in that team, had he been selected for more than one test...

I reckon I'd include Neser ahead of Carse.

[Lightning McQueen]

5 Poms? Which 5?

A combined XI is probably

Head
Crawley
Smith
Root
Brooks
Stokes
Carey
Starc
Neser
Tongue/Carse
Boland

Lucky you didn’t mis-spell Carse

[Password Please]

Only Root makes a combined side, our bowlers have been absolutly outstanding.
Non disciple from the Pom batters rules them all out.