: Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:54 pm  

england being the ashes masters might beat the aussies

: Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:32 pm  

Bell and Panesar to drop out of the 13-man squad.

: Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:59 pm  

~ No1 Saints Fan ~ wrote:

Bell and Onions to drop out of the 13-man squad.

: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:12 pm  

Loop wrote:

:P

Based on form it would have to be Onions to play for me.

: Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:04 pm  

I can't really see why Bell's in there. He was deservedly dropped a while back and hasn't done enough to get back in ahead of any of the incumbent top 5 IMO.

I thought Harmison might get in on the logic of picking someone the Aussies might not fancy facing. (He's clearly a different bowler in this country to overseas, notwithstanding his spectacular series in the West Indies in 2003/4.) I also thought Sidebottom as well as Harmison might have edged ahead of Onions in the selectors' thinking, athough I like his wholehearted and aggressive approach and on current form deserved to keep his place.

Giving a young spinner his debut in a series like this would have been an adventurous choice so I'm not surprised Rashid has lost out to Panesar, although as Swann is clearly first choice it would have been less of a gamble to go with Rashid in the event of playing two spinners. Rashid's far superior batting might also have been useful, and as he would only have played in the event of a fourth seamer (i.e. Onions) being omitted we wouldn't have had two bowlers with only a couple of Tests between them in the side.

It looks like Monty took a few wickets just in time in the warm up game at Edgbaston. (Although the same logic doesn't apply to Harmison?)

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:24 am  

Think the pitch might have gone against Harmo for the first Test, not expected to have too much bounce and also Onions did nothing wrong in his first two tests.

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:02 am  

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: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:49 pm  

Brett Lee is out of the first 2 tests with an injured rib, I think that just about swings it in our favour. http://www.cricinfo.com/engvaus2009/content/current/story/412965.html

Brett Lee is out of the first 2 tests with an injured rib, I think that just about swings it in our favour. http://www.cricinfo.com/engvaus2009/content/current/story/412965.html

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:45 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

Think the pitch might have gone against Harmo for the first Test, not expected to have too much bounce and also Onions did nothing wrong in his first two tests.

does this mean we will lose 5 nil

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:51 pm  

Prince of Denmark wrote:

I can't really see why Bell's in there. He was deservedly dropped a while back and hasn't done enough to get back in ahead of any of the incumbent top 5 IMO.

I thought Harmison might get in on the logic of picking someone the Aussies might not fancy facing. (He's clearly a different bowler in this country to overseas, notwithstanding his spectacular series in the West Indies in 2003/4.) I also thought Sidebottom as well as Harmison might have edged ahead of Onions in the selectors' thinking, athough I like his wholehearted and aggressive approach and on current form deserved to keep his place.

Giving a young spinner his debut in a series like this would have been an adventurous choice so I'm not surprised Rashid has lost out to Panesar, although as Swann is clearly first choice it would have been less of a gamble to go with Rashid in the event of playing two spinners. Rashid's far superior batting might also have been useful, and as he would only have played in the event of a fourth seamer (i.e. Onions) being omitted we wouldn't have had two bowlers with only a couple of Tests between them in the side.

It looks like Monty took a few wickets just in time in the warm up game at Edgbaston. (Although the same logic doesn't apply to Harmison?)

Bell is only in as back up for the batsmen, his inclusion shows how little depth there is in the batting department.

I think Harmison really peed off the England management with his physical condition in the caribbean, bowling at 80mph didnt help either.