Ashes Squad Selection

[Killa]

I'm pretty sure they are 18 man squads because it is a long tour

I think they pick them like the following
9 Batsman (including all rounders)
2 Keepers
7 Bowlers (5 fast bowler, 2 spinners)

[Media Park]

They picked 2 keepers in 2005 - Haddin was the back up.

This is hard because of Jacques' and McGain's injuries. Anyway my guess:

Batsman (8) - Hayden, Katich, Ponting, M Hussey, Clarke, Symonds, Rogers, D Hussey
Keepers (2) - Haddin, Manou
Spinners (2) - Krejza, Cullen
Fast bowlers (4) - Lee, Clark, Johnson, Siddle
Bowling all rounder (1) - Watson

The hardest to pick are the second keeper, second opener & second spinner (assuming Krejza wasn't a one test wonder). In fact, I would almost pick someone like Magoffin instead of Cullen and let Kat, Roy and Clarke be the second spinner. That puts a huge expectation on Krejza though.

Watson's a bowling allrounder???
Cullen can play?

Batsmen- Hayden (not my pick, but I reckon he'll unfortunately play on, Kat, Punter, Pup, M Huss, D Huss, Roy, Phil Hughes, Shaun Marsh
WK- Haddin
Spin- Krejza, White
Quicks- Lee, Johnson, Clark, Siddle, Tait

Unless Roy performs during the Series against the Saffies, then I'd back Shaun Marsh to bat at 6...

[Hondo]

Killa:
In 2005, the squad was only 16:

Batsman (7): Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Brad Hodge
WK (2): Adam Gilchrist, Brad Haddin
Fast bowlers (5): Jason Gillespie,Michael Kasprowicz, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait
Spinners (2): Stuart MacGill, Shane Warne

Before then it was usually 17 squad - certainly it was in 89, 93 and 97

If I only had 16 to play with I would drop Rogers out of the squad I posted earlier.

MarblePark:

So you diss my selection of Cullen and then replace him with Cam White?

Seeing this is a thread for fun, how about from here on people just put their team up without picking other people's teams to pieces

[Media Park]

sorry dude...
no matter which spinner anyone picks, it's comical to imagine them wearing the baggy green.

[rod_rooster]

sorry dude...
no matter which spinner anyone picks, it's comical to imagine them wearing the baggy green.

Which is why i didn't pick a second. If they aren't good enough they shouldn't play just for the sake of having a spinner.

[Adelaide Hawk]

sorry dude...
no matter which spinner anyone picks, it's comical to imagine them wearing the baggy green.

I was saying all the way through Shane Warne's career that I wouldn't want to be a next generation spinner as the cricket world will judge me harshly.

As someone who grew up watching cricket in the 60s, the current spinners are no worse than what we had back then, possibly better in some respects. We used to have spinners such as Tom Veivers (very ordinary) and David Sincock who could spin the ball square but bowled one hell of a lot of crap. Guys like Stackpole and Chappell also used to bowl leggies and very average at best.

The fact is, Australia is a tough place to learn how to bowl spin because as a kid all the medium quicks get all the wickets and spinners only get a bowl as a last resort. Look at the Sheffield Shield .. very few spinners picked, so how can they progress to Test level? This is why most spinners you know seem to have great senses of humour ... they need it.

People look back on Australian Test history and point out players such as Grimmett, O'Reilly, Benaud, Warne, MacGill and think Australia is a nursery for quality leggies, but apart from those there have been very few players over 130 years who have been Test class.

[PitBull]

sorry dude...
no matter which spinner anyone picks, it's comical to imagine them wearing the baggy green.

Which is why i didn't pick a second. If they aren't good enough they shouldn't play just for the sake of having a spinner.

Rodney Rooster - IMO Richie Benaud is the best spinner in the country at the moment.

[Hondo]

sorry dude...
no matter which spinner anyone picks, it's comical to imagine them wearing the baggy green.

Which is why i didn't pick a second. If they aren't good enough they shouldn't play just for the sake of having a spinner.

Team balance is what they look for. History shows unless it's a pitch like the WACA, or if you are the West Indies circa 1980s, you've got to play a specialist spinner. IMO if 3 quicks won't get the job done for you, a 4th won't make much difference. Neither will part-timers make up for it. Just like if 6 batsman can't get you a score, having a 7th won't make much difference. Team balance. Would you not pick a specialist keeper because you felt there were more deserving (better) "cricketers" who should be picked first?

Krezja took 8 wickets when we all thought Jason Who? Even Hauritz took 4 or so wickets in Adelaide.

So (most times) you pick the 3 best quicks and then you pick the best available spinner. That spinner will likely never be another Shane Warne but if they can make their State side in the best domestic comp in the world they obviously have some ability.

[rod_rooster]

Hauritz wasn't in NSW's best XI when he was picked for the last test.

[Hondo]

Hauritz wasn't in NSW's best XI when he was picked for the last test.

And yet he took 4 wickets for the match; 1 less than Johnson and 3 more than Stuart Clark

Team balance ...

[Drop Bear]

Hauritz wasn't in NSW's best XI when he was picked for the last test.

And yet he took 4 wickets for the match; 1 less than Johnson and 3 more than Stuart Clark

Team balance ...

They weren't good balls that got the bastmen out. He was very lucky.

Krejza is still the best spinning option IMO.

[blink]

Krejza is still the best spinning option IMO.

I disagree, I think Bryce McGain is the best spinning option we have for the Ashes - provided he is fit.

[brod]

Hauritz wasn't in NSW's best XI when he was picked for the last test.

And yet he took 4 wickets for the match; 1 less than Johnson and 3 more than Stuart Clark

Team balance ...

They were only Kiwis..they only count as halves

[Ned]

Heard today that it will be a 16 man party.

Ned's Squad

S.Katich
C.Rogers
R.Ponting
M.Hussey
M.Clarke
A.Symonds
S.Watson
B.Haddin
M.Johnson
J.Krezja
N.Hauritz
B.Hilfenhaus
S.Clark
D.Bollinger
P.Hughes
G.Swann

[wycbloods]

Heard today that it will be a 16 man party.

Ned's Squad

S.Katich
C.Rogers
R.Ponting
M.Hussey
M.Clarke
A.Symonds
S.Watson
B.Haddin
M.Johnson
J.Krezja
N.Hauritz
B.Hilfenhaus
S.Clark
D.Bollinger
P.Hughes
G.Swann

Excuse my ignorance but who the hell is that?

[CoverKing]

Heard today that it will be a 16 man party.

Ned's Squad

S.Katich
C.Rogers
R.Ponting
M.Hussey
M.Clarke
A.Symonds
S.Watson
B.Haddin
M.Johnson
J.Krezja
N.Hauritz
B.Hilfenhaus
S.Clark
D.Bollinger
P.Hughes
G.Swann

Excuse my ignorance but who the hell is that?

well obviously NED u dont have much clue about the australian or england side at the moment or what it will be in the future, G.Swann has just debuted for the England side, yet he will be in the Australian Squad for the ashes series

[am Bays]

He doesn't mean C Swan from Qld??

[RoosterMarty]

I thought his name was "G. Swann" for a moment there.

[LaughingKookaburra]

How about the smokeys?? I am really looking forward to this tour,there will be alot of fresh faces .

D.Hussey?
R.Harris?

Throw some names around.....

[Gozu]

Shaun Tait.