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.
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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.
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Great write up and agree on most of the marks.
ReplyDeleteMy only amends would be:
Haddin; 8 - agree had a wobbly start with the gloves but has come on a bundle, now looks solid. His batting temperament is a huge strength for the team; gritty, a fighter. Reminds me of Ian Healy - always contributing with a very useful score, and incredibly tough to get out - a good man to have shepherding the tail.
Prior: 8 - a fairly similar write up to Haddin. Technically looks very correct at the crease. Right to bat ahead of Fred, Test average of over 50 after 18 Tests is exceptional. Have finally found the man to fill the void left by Alec Stewart. Full of confidence through all formats of the game.
Broad: 8 - is gaining in strength, skill, confidence and cricket intelligence with every game. Fabulous to see him nudging the early 90s against the Windies - a very clever bowler, changes his length in particular to out-smart batsmen. Has the potential to be the team's No.1 all-rounder if his batting continues to improve. Again, strong ODI performances help to further build his confidence on the biggest stage.
Anderson: 8 - magnificent last 12 months. Has matured immensely from the 'Arsenal tw@t with red hair' who arrived on the scene 5 years ago now. His ability to move the ball both ways will make the Aussies wary of him. A good man to carry the mantle as main bowler should Fred breakdown.
Means my final scores are Aus 83, Eng 85.
With Aus still no.1 in the world and Eng no.5 they are rightly favourites, though not quite as strongly as you may have thought. I think the betting over here is about $1.80 England, $1.20 Aus - probably about right. Will be looking for the crowd to give that '12th man' support - something we can always rely on.
My prediction is 2:2. Australia retain the Ashes.
England to win in Cardiff and Oval. Australia to win at Lords, and one more, with one draw/rain affected etc.
England man of the series: Stuart Broad
Australia man of the series: Phil Hughes
Big up for Prior that, his glove work still needs some help for me so it's still a 7. He looked good in the one dayer yesterday again.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I know it is the Windies but that was one of the most complete one day performances with the bat I've seen from England. Bopara, Strauss (in his own scratchy one day way) and then shah and Prior were inventive and looked excellent.
One question to pose to the group - Bresnan is playing ahead of Sidebottom in the one dayers despite us not really needing the batting (swann came in at 10 yesterday), which leads me to believe that Fred is more injured than we are being told... if they are giving him a run then we may see him in the Ashes.
I do hope not, he's very county.
Nic
A good write up. Comprehensive. And, on the whole, probably reflects how I’d see the two teams shaping up. However, the question is: are you marking them on history, current form or general class. I’d guess it’s general class which is, essentially, based on historic form and likelihood to stand-up and be counted.
ReplyDeleteAssuming that’s the case, a few of the marks should be examined further. Ponting is, without doubt, your go to man so I’d agree with a rounded 9 (9.4). But if we’re looking at general class, can you honestly give Hussey only an 8? A man who, until recent form, was averaging over 70 in all forms of the game, cannot surely be placed in the same category as Brad Haddin. For general class, I’d rather have Hussey with the gloves on in my team than Haddin as an all-rounder.
And I’d say the same for Johnson. He’s had a wonderful year and (I actually hope) will exploit the English conditions. But he struggled at home to get through the South Africans on the fifth day and I don’t genuinely believe he is as raw a wicket-taker as Fred. Perhaps Fred is 9.2 and Johnson is 8.6 so perhaps he nudges a 9. But I’d rather have Fred in my team than Johnson any day. Even with Fred batting like a womble these days, he’s more valuable to the team overall. I also still believe that Johnson’s batting is hit-and-miss and I think will be found out in foreign conditions.
Onto Anderson. To have Johnson two whole points higher than England’s number one (fit) bowler, I think is misguided. If I was in the Lords car park picking my team and there was Anderson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus left, I know who’d I’d go for – by some way. Anderson an 8.4 for me at home. I reckon he’s bowling superbly at the moment.
Clarke has been Australia’s most consistent batsman for a while, it seems. He’s pure class. I’d have him in the same category as Punter and Huss.
At the other end of the spectrum – those players who you’ve over-rated – step-up Alistair Cook. I was amazed to hear he’s already opened with Strauss 50 times. And I was disappointed to hear that his recent ton against the Windies was only his fifth or sixth in total. Not good enough for an opener. He’s keeping his place because there’s no-one else to fill the spot and, with the new dodgy-cross-bat-nervous-technique that he’s recently introduced, I’d knock him down to a 6.
I think Hilfenhaus is a 6. I also think North is a 6. Hauritz will get one chance at Cardiff and, if he doesn’t do anything there, he might not play another. They may rely on Clarke for spin, with Katich putting in the odd over. Punter remains reluctant to use Katich for spin, despite him having the best average for all Aussie bowlers. People say it may have been his back but, if not, then he could feature quite a bit, leaving four pacemen.
Phil Hughes is an interesting one. He reminds me of Michael Clarke (technique aside) when he burst onto the scene before The Ashes 2005 - I felt he was going to be the real handf ul. Young, out to have fun, not phased by anything. Hughes is the same. I questioned whether his style might let him down with the late swinging ball but four tons in quick succession suggests not. Saying that, County Cricket ain’t Flintoff, Anderson and Sidebottom. The new ball against Hughes at Cardiff will set the scene for the rest of the tour. Let’s hope third slip is called into action for the right reasons this time.
I hope Sidebottom will play. Big heart, big swing, big hair, big scissors. At the end of the day, we need a leftie. So Onions misses out.
I notice Shane Watson came through a bowling stint without any trouble overnight. He would be another good addition to The Ashes. Their best all-rounder, a good entertainer, I hope he plays.
COMING UP
My round-up.
(Basically, I wrote too many words in this post so will need to post another)
MY ROUND UP.
ReplyDeleteWell worth the wait, huh?
Key battles? They’re all key, of course, but the three I’m most looking forward to are:
Anderson – Hughes
Flintoff – Ponting
Johnson – KP
So, from Nic's scores above and my assessment, where would we be? Well, I think I got to:
Hussey 9 (+1)
Anderson 8 (+1)
Johnson 8 (-1)
Hilfenhaus 6 (-1)
North 6 (-1)
Cook 6 (-1)
Clarke 9 (+1)
So that leaves it all square for England, leaving them on 82/110. Aussies lose one in total so go to 81/110. I reckon that sounds about right – on English soil, we have the nudge on the Aussies but they’re too classy overall to lose The Ashes. 2-2.
England Man of the Series – with Fred’s fitness in doubt and a lovely summer planned, I’m backing KP to step up again.
Australia Man of the Series – Possibly Johnson. Possibly Hughes. But I think Hussey will come good back on English soil so I'll plump for him.
A batsman’s series then. Doesn't sound right. Let's wait and see.
Oh, Overall Man of the Series – Simon Millard
Simon Millard or Nathan Hauritz?
ReplyDeleteTricky one.
I saw Hauritz turn one once so he'd probably just get the nod for me.
ReplyDeleteMcDonald or Mills in a 'Ginger Lanky' competition. Tough one.
Not meaning to blow ones own trumpet but I think I'd edge that one.
ReplyDeleteStraight to slip - tssch boom
ReplyDeleteOpposing captain would be annoyed having placed his nine fielders at mid-off.
ReplyDelete