David Edwards
NormNo Real Shock As Ashes Get Set
November 16th 2006 12:46
There is only one week left before one of the most anticipated Ashes series that most cricket fans have seen gets underway.
The first Test in the best of five Ashes series begins at the GABBA in Brisbane next Thursday. After a year of talk, rumour and gossiping, the Australian squad was selected today at the MCG
And shock horror, they went for pace.
Of course it was the side they were going to select. Brisbane is known as a fast ground. Its pitch is pretty much tailored made for the red leather to be hurled down at great speed.
So as the 13 man squad was named today, there would not have been that much surprise as six pacemen were announced.
Australia of course have stuck with the best of the best in pace bowling, meaning McGrath and Lee. Watson, after weeks of ‘will he, won’t he’ saga playing in the background, was able to establish himself back in the Test squad after almost a year.
The other three relative ‘rookies’ for the squad is Stuart Clarke, Mitchell Johnson (who will no doubt be named 12th man), and Shaun Tait, who made his Test debut during the last Ashes series but has suffered a shocking injury run since.
Whilst other people are talking about the shocks of some exclusions, it is my opinion that they have selected the best side around.
Phil Jaques, who has been on fire in batting, was never going to take Langer’s place in the first Test as opening batsman. Langer has been solid, not great, but solid enough not to lose his place from the start. If his form is not great in the first two Tests, then this argument could be valid.
MacGill never had a look in, and personally I don’t think he will for the entire Ashes. Which could be a good thing if we plan to win. Same manner for Gillespe, who has never looked the same for over a year.
Personally there has been almost a week of talk about who was going to be named, and I believe that most of the side was able to be named in the first five minutes by any real smart fan. It’s the best side we have, the most-rounded side, and a side that can take it to the English squad.
As we countdown the next week until the first ball in Brisbane, it’s still hard to really determine how this tour will go. England with their line-up crisis, seem to thrive under pressure at the moment, and Australia do indeed have the option to fall into their trap of being too cocky before the game is played. This Ashes is still up for grabs.
It has been nearly eighteen months since the English have taken was most Australians consider what is rightfully theirs, and after the last time they met in a Test series, which is going down in the annuals as one of the biggest in history, all eyes are on our shores as they begin to pad up once more for the little urn.
Australian Squad (12 players to be selected from): Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (C), Damien Martyn, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait.
The first Test in the best of five Ashes series begins at the GABBA in Brisbane next Thursday. After a year of talk, rumour and gossiping, the Australian squad was selected today at the MCG
And shock horror, they went for pace.
Of course it was the side they were going to select. Brisbane is known as a fast ground. Its pitch is pretty much tailored made for the red leather to be hurled down at great speed.
So as the 13 man squad was named today, there would not have been that much surprise as six pacemen were announced.
Australia of course have stuck with the best of the best in pace bowling, meaning McGrath and Lee. Watson, after weeks of ‘will he, won’t he’ saga playing in the background, was able to establish himself back in the Test squad after almost a year.
The other three relative ‘rookies’ for the squad is Stuart Clarke, Mitchell Johnson (who will no doubt be named 12th man), and Shaun Tait, who made his Test debut during the last Ashes series but has suffered a shocking injury run since.
Whilst other people are talking about the shocks of some exclusions, it is my opinion that they have selected the best side around.
Phil Jaques, who has been on fire in batting, was never going to take Langer’s place in the first Test as opening batsman. Langer has been solid, not great, but solid enough not to lose his place from the start. If his form is not great in the first two Tests, then this argument could be valid.
MacGill never had a look in, and personally I don’t think he will for the entire Ashes. Which could be a good thing if we plan to win. Same manner for Gillespe, who has never looked the same for over a year.
Personally there has been almost a week of talk about who was going to be named, and I believe that most of the side was able to be named in the first five minutes by any real smart fan. It’s the best side we have, the most-rounded side, and a side that can take it to the English squad.
As we countdown the next week until the first ball in Brisbane, it’s still hard to really determine how this tour will go. England with their line-up crisis, seem to thrive under pressure at the moment, and Australia do indeed have the option to fall into their trap of being too cocky before the game is played. This Ashes is still up for grabs.
It has been nearly eighteen months since the English have taken was most Australians consider what is rightfully theirs, and after the last time they met in a Test series, which is going down in the annuals as one of the biggest in history, all eyes are on our shores as they begin to pad up once more for the little urn.
Australian Squad (12 players to be selected from): Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (C), Damien Martyn, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait.
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