30 years of Ashes cricket: my teams

Roar Rookie

6th September, 2013

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James Butcher new author

Roar Rookie

6th September, 2013

Due to the delayed start of the first ODI, Sky are taking us down memory lane with an ODI from 2005, which got me thinking nostalgically myself.

So I decided to pick an Australia XI and an England XI from the 30-odd years that I’ve been watching Test cricket.

I haven’t used any science or stats (although most will be backed by very good ones), but instead have used gut feelings on the basis of who I’ve enjoyed watching play; and in the case of many of the Aussies, who I’ve dreaded but steadfastly admired anyway.

There are plenty of players I have left out who probably deserve to be included, such as Craig McDermott and Jimmy Anderson.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I could only squeeze 11 players into each team.

I have a couple of sentimental picks in ahead of the aforementioned players; hopefully you might understand why later.

My Australia XI:

M.Slater
D.Boon
R.Ponting
M.Hussey
A.Border
S.Waugh
A.Gilchrist
S.Warne (c)
T.Alderman
G.McGrath
B.Reid

My England XI:

M.Vaughan (c)
A.Cook
D.Gower
R.Smith
G.Thorpe
K.Pietersen
I.Botham
M.Prior
A.Flintoff
G.Swann
S.Jones

I imagine a 5-match test series between these teams; let’s call it The Ashes.

This series would be played in England, so it did affect a couple of my picks.

I also assume that all the players are fully fit, on top of their games and that none of the matches are affected by interruptions for rain or bad light etc.

This 5 match series would be as follows:

The Rose Bowl (1st ever test match)
Edgbaston
Trent Bridge
Headingley
The Oval

Unfortunately for the Aussies, Lords is being redeveloped and the Old Trafford pitch is taking far too much spin, so the ECB decided not to play into Warnie’s hands.

Well, it wouldn’t be the Ashes without a bit of controversy would it?

I would personally pay good money to watch these two teams go at each other and I reckon it would be one hell of a series, although in the end I reckon a certain S.K.Warne may end up having the final word. Maybe, who knows?

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