I’m at a loss to understand why the recently named Australian Ashes squad has been written off as the worst ever.
Don’t forget England’s not too crash hot either, with their one-eyed scribes already trumpeting retention of the Ashes.
Utter bollocks.
Last month England, minus offie Graeme Swann and medium pacer Tim Bresnan, both recovering from surgery, played a three-Test series against the Kiwis in New Zealand.
The vast majority of the England heavies were there – skipper Alastair Cook, in-form newcomer Nick Compton, grandson of the legendary Denis Compton, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn, and Monty Panesar.
It was to be a walk in the park for England, ranked two in the world, against the Kiwis ranked a lowly eighth, with only minnows Bangladesh below them.
Like hell it was a doddle, England was lucky not to be beaten 2-1, with New Zealand in command in both the first and third Tests at Dunedin and Eden Park.
The series was squared away with three draws, but look at these stats:
England lost 45 wickets for 1572 – average per wicket – 34.93
New Zealand lost 37 wickets for 1560 – average per wicket – 42.16.
You could have named your own odds pre-series that New Zealand bats would average higher than England.
Even the individual averages among the top six England batsmen saw some of the tall poppies chopped:
Cook and Bell both averaged just 38, Pietersen 28.33 – all three vital to England’s chances of victory.
Having had trouble with an ordinary Kiwi attack, they’ll have their hands really full with James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, and Ryan Harris, with a bit of Shane Watson thrown in to earn his keep.
So don’t write off the baggy greens yet, not by a long shot.
There’s enormous potential in these Australian batsmen, once they get their heads down and bat for long periods. That’s why Ed Cowan is so invaluable: he values his wicket.
He will never have the crowd on their feet with scintillating strokeplay, but he will settle an innings and do the right thing by his team by holding up one end.
If David Warner, Chris Rogers, and Phil Hughes ever set the English fields alight together, Michael Clarke will be declaring in excess of 600. That will win more Test matches than it will lose.
And there’s no reason why that cannot be achieved.
I have one reservation, other than the obvious brittleness of the Australian batting in recent times.
There are far too many left-handers, and England bowlers love facing the ‘mollydookers’.
Warner, Cowan, Rogers, Hughes, Usman Khawaja, and Matt Wade are all recognised batsmen. And you can add Starc and Pattinson, two lower order lefties to the tally – both can bat.
That makes eight of the top 12 batsmen in the squad lefties, leaving only Watson, Clarke, Brad Haddin, and James Faulkner as right-handers.
Not a good mix.
Obviously all the lefties won’t be in the Australian side at the same time, but they are on tour, where anything can, and probably will, happen over five Tests.
So we are in for a fascinating Ashes series.
Shades of 1989 when “another” worst Australian team left our shores under Allan Border?
The baggy greens hammered England 4-zip in a six-Test series.
Khawarmy Khawarmy
Roar Pro
Bearfax & DJ Brand..... The Khawarmy believe the debate between Cowan and Warner for the Ashes in England is a very interesting one. You have Cowan who's proved himself in English conditions and overall shown that instinct to fight on wickets that aren't easy to score on..... Then you have Warner, who is very much a Flat Track Bully. Apart from his one couragous Innings against a pretty ordinary attack in Tassie a few years ago, has shown inability when the balls not coming on to him. I also believe Englands attack will sort him out. He does have a tendency to try and work balls through square leg when he should be trying to drive them through mid on. This is why the Khawarmy believe that for the series in England both Cowan and Rogers should be locks....And if it came down to a choice between Ed & David we would go with Ed. When we return to Australia however Ed would be the one to make way for David.
Stevo
Guest
Wow, there's a few mixed metaphors in there. Sounds like utter shite to me though. The kangaroo is about to become roadkill.
Bearfax
Guest
Bollucks Stevo. The Old Guard has had its day like the empire of yore. The colonialists are becoming the overlords, especially at Lords. The day when the parent becomes the child and the child the parent has arrived young whipper snapper. Long Live the kangaroo.
Stevo
Guest
Yes Brendon, even when he was retired (when he was STILL trotting out the 5-0 line!)! I shall thoroughly enjoy wataching the convicts being soundly thrashed in the forthcoming series. Nothing like seeing them put back in their place. Toodle-pip.
James
Guest
problem with looking at the stats of the english against australians is that if you are bowling against the australian batsmen of 5-10 years ago or batting against the australian bowlers ofcourse you will for the most part have horrid stats in the same way that any group of players who were not west indian during the 70s and 80s will have horrid stats when playing against them. stats only tell part of the story.
Brendon
Guest
Fortress England? Is that the same fortress SA laid siege to and took? Or is it the fotress you let the aussies take year after year after year up until only a few years ago. I would say it's more of a brick veneer council house than a fortress.
Brendon
Guest
You should be scared, these lads are a whole different class
Brendon
Guest
stepped up, what he got a few wickets in two tests, Adelaide was a raging turner, any spinner worthy of a place on an international list would have got wickets on that one bowling last. So he had one decent test against us in how many? Hmmm, you're not convincing me
Bearfax
Guest
Hey Nick I'm far from being offended. Just getting in on the fun. And my 'smug' remark was made with a taunting gleam in my eye I assure you. I was merely giving a Pom what a Pom always needs....a good thrashing...and I think Australia has done that once or twice in the past. I mean its nature's way Nick. Australia and England love the game of cricket and we love playing each other. And we also love it that most of the time we win as it should be.
nickyc
Guest
Bearfax, Good to hear a bit of Aussie arrogance again, but then that's why everyone loves to beat you! As for smugness I haven't made a single prediction about the destination of the Ashes. I've put forward a few fact based comments to counter some of the wilder claims made by one individual on this thread. In any event, I apologise if this offends you.
Bearfax
Guest
Enjoy your smug mantra whilst you are able Nickyc. those burnt offerings could well be finding another home by years end.
nickyc
Guest
I guess you were dozing during The Oval test in 2009 when Swann picked up 8 wkts to help bowl the Poms to victory. You must also have been sleeping during the Adelaide test in 2010/11 when he took 7 wkts including a 5 for to secure another win. These were the only two pitches to offer a semblance of help to the spinners in the last two series and on both occasions he stepped up. Perhaps you need to pay more attention in class!
nickyc
Guest
If the Aussie bowlers are anything like the last two great hopes they sent to the UK, ie. Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson then the Poms will be spending most of their time smashing them all round England.
Bearfax
Guest
Strange it is that contributors on this forum consistently have had Khawaja in their test side for several series, yet the selectors seem to consistently leave him out. Are we mistaken or the selectors and will this continue through the ashes tour. Seems the public must be wrong and only those few with selection power are right....or at least thats how it seems. The media also seems to have its favourites...interesting that its usually the failures. Seems to me that we the public should be doing the selecting and I'd start by selecting Lehman as coach.
ANON69
Guest
By Australia " Huh"
Jack
Guest
So am I Davis but that's no claim to a test spot.
James
Guest
what evidence do you have for australia still being able to stand tall mentally? i cannot think of one instance in a very long time that australia has had any backbone. and i think cook kind of likes being captain if his scores are anything to go by.
Disco
Roar Guru
I take it you refer to Johnson's eight-for in Perth? The match where he bowled like rubbish in the second innings and Australia lost. He's always been a liability. Still, I see he's in the Champions Trophy squad.
Disco
Roar Guru
Erm, the same number that they lost. NZ would of course love to add a Test win in England to the victory in Hobart.
Brendon
Guest
Lol, then he went over there and demolished the whole team. I don't see a bowler in either side that could get a job tying the pigeons bootlaces, and that's the difference, we had Ponting Gilly, Warne and Mcgrath, England have Cook and ummmm, please don't say Anderson, he averages 10 less than Mcgrath, so that leaves us with Cook in the truly exceptional category. Prior, Anderson, Pietersen and Trott are very good players, but not in the caliber of the above mentioned lot, the rest of the bowling attack bar Swann wouldn't' even get in the Aussie A side at the moment.