Changes for the 3rd Ashes Test

[Dan Cooper]

Probably going to go in unchanged according to Lehmann.

That is the recurring theme at the moment. Good thing too.

Funny, at a press conference Andrew Strauss said England would make 350 at Perth and win. To which Simon Katich replied England wouldn't make 350 in two innings.

 

[The_Reaper]

England have scored 2 centuries at the WACA since 1986

 

[Soul Love]

That is the recurring theme at the moment. Good thing too.

Funny, at a press conference Andrew Strauss said England would make 350 at Perth and win. To which Simon Katich replied England wouldn't make 350 in two innings.

I think in general England have a sense of hubris around their team - perhaps bought on by winning 3 ashes series in a row. I'd argue that the England team has always been over-rated, and that they simply took advantage of Australia going through a period of transition.

They are not a great team at all. Winning in India was a fluke, similar to Australia beating South Africa in early 2009.

Away from home this England team has an ordinary record. I think the end is nigh for England. They can bang on about stirring fightbacks, as if they can't possibly fathom Australia winning the Ashes.

The cycle of sport, and the Ashes is obviously a two horse race, means that you can't win all of the battles. England's days are numbered. Well and truly.

 

[Dan Cooper]

...The cycle of sport, and the Ashes is obviously a two horse race, means that you can't win all of the battles. England's days are numbered. Well and truly.

England are on the decline. There is little doubt about that.

 

[Black Diamond]

Krejza is a complete flog, and probably couldn't give two hoots that he isn't up to it. Hughes is a really nice fella who wants it like anything, and keeps working hard to get it.

Being a nice fella and working hard ultimately mean nothing if it doesn't translate to results. He also isn't the first player to be dropped unfairly, cop the future star tag from the media and all the rest of the excuses you have made. The guy is 25. The onus is on him.

 

[Aussie_boy]

No change, but if Johnson balls short at the WACA, balls will be flying over the keepers head all the time so he really needs to get his length right or sundries will get a working over. Lyon won't bowl a lot but still worth keeping him, mainly for overrate but if he does bowl he will do alright. Also agree Siddle and Harris are also due for great performances, want England to win the toss to see what Cook does.

 

[Black Diamond]

No change, but if Johnson balls short at the WACA, balls will be flying over the keepers head all the time so he really needs to get his length right or sundries will get a working over. Lyon won't bowl a lot but still worth keeping him, mainly for overrate but if he does bowl he will do alright. Also agree Siddle and Harris are also due for great performances, want England to win the toss to see what Cook does.

Good calls. I don't think McDermott will let them bowl short for too long.

 

[Whowants2know]

No change, but if Johnson balls short at the WACA, balls will be flying over the keepers head all the time so he really needs to get his length right or sundries will get a working over. Lyon won't bowl a lot but still worth keeping him, mainly for overrate but if he does bowl he will do alright. Also agree Siddle and Harris are also due for great performances, want England to win the toss to see what Cook does.

Seeing that Johnson plays for Western Australia I reckon he knows exactly what to bowl at the waca, sorry but disagree with you about Lyon, you cannot play a bowl just for the overrate.

 

[The_Reaper]

Johnson knows to pitch it up at the WACA. So does McDermott.

Lyon will do allright. I reckon he'll pick up a few because he likes the bounce and some players like KP will try and dominate him after sitting on Johnno and Harris

 

[Aussie_boy]

Seeing that Johnson plays for Western Australia I reckon he knows exactly what to bowl at the waca, sorry but disagree with you about Lyon, you cannot play a bowl just for the overrate.

Fair enough, it's not purely for the overrate either. Johnson, Siddle and Harris should be able to do the job, there is no point playing Faulkner or Coulter-Nile as well as those 3. The overrate is just a contributing factor as to why Lyon should play, not to mention he could also trouble the English batsmen at the WACA. I am sure he does know what to bowl, but I was just saying he will need to change his length from the previous two matches as otherwise many balls will be going over the batsmen and the keepers heads.

 

[Dan Cooper]

No change, but if Johnson balls short at the WACA, balls will be flying over the keepers head all the time so he really needs to get his length right or sundries will get a working over...

Long stop might be a valid fielding position for Johnson at the WACA. Might be a catching position too

 

[The_Reaper]

Long stop might be a valid fielding position for Johnson at the WACA. Might be a catching position too

Thomson hit the sight screen off one bounce once.

 

[Bucking Beads]

A 4th quick would be nice but I don't think any of our options are really worthy. I'd keep Lyon. How good would it be to let Cummins go at the WACA with Siddle, Harris and Johnson.

 

[Tyberious Funk]

Has anyone got any indications on what the WACA pitch will be like? It went through a period where it wasn't as hard and bouncy as it used to be... I really hope it is back to the more traditional WACA style.

 

[The_Reaper]

Has anyone got any indications on what the WACA pitch will be like? It went through a period where it wasn't as hard and bouncy as it used to be... I really hope it is back to the more traditional WACA style.

Hard and bouncy. They've been playing around for a few years with clay from around the Harvey area to bring back the bounce.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Has anyone got any indications on what the WACA pitch will be like? It went through a period where it wasn't as hard and bouncy as it used to be... I really hope it is back to the more traditional WACA style.

There is no doubt the pitch died when they changed the drainage to suit football. That took a number of years to rectify as well as finding the right soil to reinvigorate the turf.

However the WACA is back to what it was and has been for a while. People will go on that "oh gee it was quicker in the 80s" - but it is like the fish that started out 1 foot long and ended up being a 5m great white.

In the 70s/80s the pitch saw the likes of Marshall, Ambrose, Lillee, Garner etc. That's why it looked super quick. Because it had genuine express bowlers on a bouncy track.

I saw Brett Lee bowl at the WACA in an ODI a number of years back - every ball around 155kmh. Let me assure you - that was lightning off the pitch. He had Dravid/Ganguly/Tendulkar with no bloody idea. I also saw Hayden take an absolute cracker of a catch where the ball went straight to him. However that ball was travelling so quickly he barely had time to get his hands up.

I also say Tait in a T20 against NZ bowling 150+km at the WACA - that was lightning quick as well.

Friday we will hopefully see MJ at 155Kmh and Harris at 145kmh. Haddin will be standing 30m behind the wicket and take balls at head high. Yet old timers will say it isn't as quick...

 

[davis_756]

Clarke got rolled for 1 in 1st innings in Brisbane and we still posted 295 which proved to be a very good score. In 2nd dig in Adelaide we also looked good despite Clarke scoring 22. So far this summer no proof that we are totally reliant on Clarke as we were last few years and hopefully we aren't, but it definitely has been a problem in the past.

Pressue is still definitely on a few of the batsmen, Smith, Bailey & Watson are all still in need of runs. Warner & Haddin are the two who have really stood up so far and shown they have what it takes.

We scored 295 thanks to a miracle partnership between a bowler & wicketkeeper, if your relying on that to win you tests good luck.

2nd dig at Adelaide was a nothing innings to give the bowlers a rest, we could have enforced the follow on and won by an innings. Our bowlers are the clear difference in this test series, being 2-0 up is squarely thanks to having 4 of the 5 leading wicket takers.

Our fast men are all averaging 20 or less, ironically one of them will be dropped/rested before any of the batsmen face the flick.

 

[Andronicus]

Both Johnson and Stokes are free to play. The charges have been dismissed.

CA Digital Media ‏@CricketAus

1m​

UPDATE: It's understood charges against Johnson and Stokes have been dismissed and both will be free to play in Perth http://cricketa.us/1giEXTr

England have come out and said they are disappointed with both players getting off.

Now they have to face Johnson at the WACA, and they also have to put up with potentially playing Stokes again.

 

[Andronicus]

England have scored 2 centuries at the WACA since 1986

While I am enjoying these woeful stats of the English, I can't help but remember they have been a terrible side in those periods, while we had a menacing team for a large chunk of those years.

Still, the signs from now are showing both of those statements to be fairly close to true again.

 

[the 5th wiggle]

No change, but if Johnson balls short at the WACA, balls will be flying over the keepers head all the time so he really needs to get his length right or sundries will get a working over. Lyon won't bowl a lot but still worth keeping him, mainly for overrate but if he does bowl he will do alright. Also agree Siddle and Harris are also due for great performances, want England to win the toss to see what Cook does.

Firstly I'm not a real good punter but with all the talk about Mitch running through them again I think backing siddle or Harris for the most wickets at good odds in 1st dig might be a good bet.pitching the ball up has always got the wickets at the Wacca.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Fair enough, it's not purely for the overrate either. Johnson, Siddle and Harris should be able to do the job, there is no point playing Faulkner or Coulter-Nile as well as those 3. The overrate is just a contributing factor as to why Lyon should play, not to mention he could also trouble the English batsmen at the WACA. I am sure he does know what to bowl, but I was just saying he will need to change his length from the previous two matches as otherwise many balls will be going over the batsmen and the keepers heads.

Just make Watson bowl more. He's done **** all this series so far. One fifty and sat in slips while the bowlers make England suffer.

He can't be tired from bowling he's only bowled about 15 overs in 2 matches.

 

[Dan Cooper]

...I also saw Tait in a T20 against NZ bowling 150+km at the WACA - that was lightning quick as well...

I remember watching Tait bowl at the WACA a few years back on the TV, in a 20/20 match. It is probably the match you are referring to, and it was absolutely HOSTILE!

One of the scariest spells of bowling I've ever seen.

 

[Dan Cooper]

England have scored 2 centuries at the WACA since 1986

England's record at the WACA is abysmal. They have only won once there in the 43 years it's been used as an Ashes venue.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

England's record at the WACA is abysmal. They have only won once there in the 43 years it's been used as an Ashes venue.

They didn't win for about 17 years at Lords against the Aussies, that's changed.

I'm glad that the members of the team have sounded so focused and grounded. Each match is a new start.

I reckon Johnson is probably knackered and not just physically. He hasn't bowled within himself once in these matches.

 

[Slax]

We scored 295 thanks to a miracle partnership between a bowler & wicketkeeper, if your relying on that to win you tests good luck.

2nd dig at Adelaide was a nothing innings to give the bowlers a rest, we could have enforced the follow on and won by an innings. Our bowlers are the clear difference in this test series, being 2-0 up is squarely thanks to having 4 of the 5 leading wicket takers.

I'd hardly call the partnership between Haddin & Johnson a miracle, both have a proven history that they can bat so the fact they put it together whilst a massive bonus was hardly the miracle Hughes & Agar were.

Will grant that the 2nd innings in Adelaide was only ever about scoring about 150-200 runs, but enforcing the follow-on was never an option because our bowlers would then be stuffed, better to give them a rest and come out fresh with England chasing 550.

Our fast men are all averaging 20 or less, ironically one of them will be dropped/rested before any of the batsmen face the flick.

You really should check the facts before you post next time and make a fool of yourself, 2 of the 4 bowlers have career test averages over 20 (Harris 20.83, Johnson 22.93).