As the countdown to the Ashes begins I’ve spent a bit of time preparing by ‘out of 10’ for each team, plus of course the obligatory report card on each player. Take a read.
===========
Australia
Simon Katich
Will be desperate to play well after playing badly in 2005 which cost him his place in the team. Has had an excellent 18 months as opener, a position he has made his own. Now the senior opener and will revel in that role. Could be a real thorn in England’s side, handy leg spin too. Class act. 8/10
Phillip Hughes
What a start to Test Cricket he’s had. Taken to it like a duck to water. Unorthodox style will surprise many in England, scores quickly too. Level headed and has all the talent to be a real star. 7/10
Ricky Ponting
The best batsmen in the world, despite what the ICC rankings say. England will want to get him early like they did in 2005 as he has a tendency to lean across his stumps. Other than that, he’s got the lot and will be so determined to win after 2005. Captaincy often too negative, will be interesting to see how he fares. Oozes class. 9/10
Michael Clarke
‘Pup’ has been in excellent form in the last 12 months, beautiful to watch when on song. England will be hoping they can get at him as before, but he’s grown up a lot since then and has slowed right down so it won’t be easy. Spin bowling very useful option for the skipper too. 8/10
Michael Hussey
Missed out in 2005 and it probably cost Australia the series. ‘Mr Cricket’ has hit a bad patch after 4 years making test cricket look easy. Average is back in the mid 50’s now and is desperate to re find his form. Knows English pitches inside out and remains a wonderfully resilient player. 8/10
Marcus North
Came from nowhere to get in to the test team, the Victorian is a real competitor and a classic Australian late arrival to test cricket (he’s 30). Averages 43 in first class cricket including a few spells in England. Scored 100 on debut so has the talent. Spin bowling handy rather than threatening. 7/10
Brad Haddin
Waited so long for his chance and has taken it with both gloves. Easily good enough to bat at 7 in Test Cricket, scores quickly and a bit of a livewire too. Glovework looked shaky in the Sub Continent but he’s not alone there. He looked very tidy v SA home and away so don’t expect any sitters here. 7/10
Mitchell Johnson
Wow. Johnson has been the star of world cricket in the last 12 months, his bowling has got better, can now swing them back in to the right hander as well as away, and at 93mph that makes him a real threat. Really could become an all-rounder – averaging over 30 in test cricket with one hundred to his name. Could be the star of the series. 9/10
Nathan Hauritz
With little to choose from in the spin department, Hauritz was the inevitable choice – quite the come down since Hollywood taunting England all those years. He’s innocuous at best and can do little more than tie up an end. Will\ play in Cardiff and The Oval but may make way for 4 quicks elsewhere. Weak link and England will undoubtedly try to get after him early. 5/10
Peter Siddle
Australia’s answer to Matthew Hoggard in such that he’ll bowl all day if you ask him. Tough Victorian who has made a great impact since making his debut v SA in the Summer, not a big swinger of the ball but seams it around and bowls wicket to wicket. Regularly exceeds the 90mph mark and may keep Lee out if he impresses in Cardiff. Can hang around with the bat too. 7/10
Ben Hilfenhaus
Tasmanian so close to my heart. He’s a very canny bowler and if it swings (which it will) he’ll trouble anyone in the England side as he’s accurate and bowls around the 90mph mark. I think he’s done enough to retain his place for the first test and could be this series Terry Alderman – which will trouble many an England fan as they recall that demolition job. Strong. 7/10
TOTAL: 82/110
England
Andrew Strauss
Looks back to his best with the bat, and some promising signs with the captaincy (despite the hiccup in the Caribbean). We can only hope the players are behind him, and he’ll need to play well if England are to win. Got found out down under in the last series (averaged 24) and that’ll spur him on no end. Safe hands. 8/10
Alistair Cook
Clearly has all the talent in the world but question marks remain. Why? Mainly because he keeps getting out when he’s set – oddly often in the 60’s, and the Australians will be all over him from ball one. Not really fixed that hover outside off stump. Needs a good start. 7/10
Ravi Bopara
Has put to bed any questions about a Michael Vaughan or Ian Bell return – at 3 at least. Was given the chance and took it spectacularly well with 3 hundreds in a row. He’s a class strokemaker and hopefully has a new found grit for a long Ashes series. Australia are a different proposition completely to the Windies and we shouldn’t forget his awful start to Test Cricket. Doubt he’ll get much of a chance to show off his bowling. 7/10.
Kevin Pietersen
The Enigma? KP hasn’t quite had the same strut since the captaincy debacle and that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Still finding his feet as a foot soldier in the new regime as it’ll hurt that he won’t be skipper for the biggest series there is. Have no doubts that he’ll raise his game come Cardiff, and is one player the Australians really fear. World Class. 9/10.
Paul Collingwood
Let’s not forget he scored a double hundred against the Aussies last time out so they’ll respect him, and rightly. He’s tough and gritty which is just what you need in a long series like this. I expect him to step up as he always does when he’s under pressure. If he doesn’t we might see Ian Bell again. Bowling might break the odd partnership, oh, and he’s the best fielder in the world right now. 7/10
Matthew Prior
Has made the position is own but question marks remain over his glove work, but it is improving. He’s easily good enough to bat at 6 for England (averaging 50), and he should come in ahead of Fred. Let’s hope we don’t have another Geraint Jones series where the batting is phenomenal and the keeping woeful. 7/10
Andrew “Freddie’ Flintoff
Has to play if England are to win back the Ashes, fact. Could bat at 11 and still be worth his place in the side. Australia will fear his bowling after his exploits in 2005. Loves playing for England and will bowl all day long, so let’s hope the body holds up. His batting has gone backwards so England fans will just have to hope it comes good on the day. 9/10
Stuart Broad
Clearly a real talent, with both bat and ball. May well become England’s partnership breaker a la Simon Jones 2005. Can be expensive with the ball but getting better all the time, and England fans will be very excited at him clocking 93mph + v the Windies. Batting a real bonus, not quite Mitchell Johnson yet but getting there – got his Dad to thank for that. 7/10
Graeme Swann
He’s loving it isn’t he. Delighted for Graeme as I remember him wheeling away for Northants years ago. Not a prolific spinner of the ball but great variation (take note Monty), and is taller than you think so gets some good bounce. His batting is excellent, especially for a no. 9, and may surprise the Australians – he bats ahead of Broad for Notts incidentally. A real livewire around the camp which will be a plus. Good hands too. 7/10
Ryan Sidebottom
England fans will be desperate for him to be fit and back in 2008 vintage. Being a lefty, he really balances the England attack and brings some real aggression to the party. He’ll run in all day, is brutally accurate and will be all over the Australian right-handers in particular. Handy with the bat too. 7/10
James Anderson
Rightly established as England’s no.1 bowler after some wonderful performances in the last 12 months. Those wonderful wicket taking balls from a few years ago are still there but they are now joined by far greater control which builds so much more pressure. Can swing the ball both ways, old and new and I expect him to be a real handful this Summer. Decent nightwatchman. 7/10.
Amazingly, 82/110. That wasn’t planned.
Game on.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)