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So, with the Ashes series on a mini sabbatical and the attention turning to warm-up games, I thought it would be a good time to do a quick run down on the first two Tests and come up with a combined XI.
Let’s start with the openers and number three position:
Joe Root – 221 runs at an average of 55.25 with highest score of 180
Shane Watson – 109 runs at an average of 27.25 with highest score of 46
Jonathan Trott – 106 runs at an average of 26.50 with highest score of 58
Chris Rogers – 89 runs at an average of 22.25 with highest score of 52
Alastair Cook – 83 runs at an average of 20.75 with highest score of 50
Usman Khawaja – 68 runs at an average of 34.00 with highest score of 54
Ed Cowan – 14 runs at an average of 7.00 with highest score of 14
I’ve gone with a top three of Root, Cook and Trott.
Clearly Root is standout, having scored 180 in the second Test even if being a little fortunate with Haddin’s non-ability to move his feet and take what would have been a regulation catch for most keepers.
Cook and Trott are joining him in the top order as both have made contributions at different times for their team.
Watson and Rogers have really let Australia down by not going on with starts. Khawaja showed promise in the second innings in difficult circumstances, but it’s still too early for me to include him in the combined XI.
Middle order:
Ian Bell – 317 runs at an average of 79.25 with twin highest scores of 109
Jonny Bairstow – 139 runs at an average of 34.75 with highest score of 67
Michael Clarke – 102 runs at an average of 25.50 with highest score of 51
Kevin Pietersen – 85 runs at an average of 21.25 with highest score of 64
Phillip Hughes – 83 runs at an average of 27.66 with highest score of 81*
Steven Smith – 73 runs at an average of 18.25 with highest score of 53
Here, I’ve gone with Bell, Bairstow and Hughes.
Clarke and Pietersen have been the real disappointments for me in the series. Both are experienced players who really were expected to make a large impact for their sides but have both been rather lazy. Clarke’s dismissal in the second innings at Lord’s was particularly weak considering Australia’s position and their need for some leadership.
Hughes gets the last spot purely on the back of his gutsy first innings at Trent Bridge, a contribution that helped Australia avoid another flogging.
Wicketkeepers:
Brad Haddin – 86 runs at an average of 21.50 with highest score 71. 12 catches
Matt Prior – 39 runs at an average of 13.00 with highest score 31. 8 catches
Haddin just gets the gig for me after the first two Tests.
The keeping position is an interesting one. Prior, much like Pietersen, has been a disappointment for me. It’s not just the fact he hasn’t really contributed with the bat but the way in which he’s got himself out playing very loose shots.
On the other hand, Haddin batted brilliantly in the second innings of the first Test in his failed attempt to get Australia home.
When it comes to glovework, even though Haddin has taken more chances, I think that Prior has been slightly more tidy.
However I’m going to go with Haddin, and my reasoning for this is that he’s played pretty well considering the expectations placed on him, compared to Prior who has been one of England best over the last 12 months yet is performing well below expectations, especially when it comes to batting.
Spinner:
Graem Swann – 38 runs at an average of 19.00, with highest score 28*| 13 wickets average 22.10 Best Figures 5/44
Ashton Agar – 130 runs at an average of 32.50, with highest score 98 | 2 wickets average 124 Best Figures 2/82
Clearly, Swann wins this spot hands down.
Swann came into his own at Lords with nine wickets for the match.
Despite Agar’s outstanding debut innings of 98, he’s certainly lacked any effective penetration with the ball and appeared mostly unlikely to cause England any real problems which is his main role within the team.
Seamers:
James Anderson – 13 wickets 238 runs average 18.30 Best Figures 5/73
Peter Siddle – 11 wickets 276 runs average 25.10 Best Figures 5/50
Ryan Harris – 7 wickets 103 runs average 14.71 Best Figures 5/72
James Pattinson – 7 wickets 307 runs average 43.85 Best Figures 3/69
Mitchell Starc – 5 wickets 138 runs average 27.60 Best Figures 3/81
Tim Bresnan – 4 wickets 58 runs average 14.50 Best Figures 2/28
Stuart Broad – 4 wickets 174 runs average 43.50 Best Figures 2/54
Steven Finn – 2 wickets 117 runs average 58.50 Best Figures 2/80
Anderson, Harris and Siddle are the seamers I’m going with after the first two Tests.
Anderson has been the leader of the attack for England. He carried his team on his back at Trent Bridge when Swann was clearly not at his best.
The inclusion of Harris in the Australian side provided the consistency that had been lacking with the new ball. His immediate impact in the first innings was not given the recognition it deserved thanks to the debacle of his team mate’s batting efforts. This in no way should’ve taken away from his efforts to really put Australia in the game on day one.
Siddle, well he’s just Siddle. The Lion Heart! He always busts his guts for Australia. His spell in the second innings when Australia was at its lowest point really sums up the man. Certainly a man to go to war with.
As things stand, Australia really has a lot of work to do to get themselves back into this series.
With a few sleeping giants yet to really produce for England in Cook, Pietersen and Prior, I do feel that Australia is really in for a tough time.
However, all that Australian public wants to see, is some renewed fight from our players.
Our top six really need to start showing some pride in the Baggy Green and produce the fight that has been missing in the first two Tests.
Really looking forward to see how they respond.
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