What will our XI look like for the first test of the 2027 Ashes

[Jim Prideaux]

You're going too far with how many changes you think we will make.

Smith, Lyon and Starc all seem like they will need to be dragged out of the team kicking and screaming and it will take a year of poor performances for the selectors to pull the trigger on them. They will still be getting selected for a period even after they are cooked.

Lyon could succumb to age and injuries, but he also has a lot of distance on his competitors. Even at 40 I can see him still in the team.

Carey is a professional and will likely still be around too.

I’d disagree with Starc. He seems to be a different kind of bloke from most of the other Stalwarts. It wouldn’t surprise me if he just up and retired without any fuss in the near future.

The other thing with bowlers is that under the current regime they seem more expendable.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Yeah but they will probably still be there and the rest of the side should still be there too, and in English conditions too.

I wouldn’t put it beyond us to be competitive but I just see a perfect storm for us of guys either having just retired, playing past their best and newer guys not having fully established themselves as yet.

The rest of their side won’t be there. Pope, Duckett, Crawley, Carse, Archer (injuries), Jacks (as a bowler, might be there as a bat), Smith (as a keeper) are all a reasonable chance of not being there - they wo t all be gone, but at least a few will.

On top of that a 36 year old Stokes is unlikely to be much more than a cameo bowler.

At a guess, gently massaging my crystal ball, I’d say they’ll have 2 new openers, a new keeper and at least 2 new bowlers.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

View attachment 2512562

with 11 centuries... Peake hasn't made any in any format

I reckon the 4 ish years older Clarke was helps one get to 11 centuries. Let’s revisit this time next year.

 

[katana]

The rest of their side won’t be there. Pope, Duckett, Crawley, Carse, Archer (injuries), Jacks (as a bowler, might be there as a bat), Smith (as a keeper) are all a reasonable chance of not being there - they wo t all be gone, but at least a few will.

On top of that a 36 year old Stokes is unlikely to be much more than a cameo bowler.

At a guess, gently massaging my crystal ball, I’d say they’ll have 2 new openers, a new keeper and at least 2 new bowlers.

bethell you'd imagine is still there, root, brook, smith likely to all be there. the bowlers who knows. personally, i don't see the batting end of the order changing at all. there's zero chance it's two new openers. bowlers I guess is who's fit and conditions.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

bethell you'd imagine is still there, root, brook, smith likely to all be there. the bowlers who knows. personally, i don't see the batting end of the order changing at all. there's zero chance it's two new openers. bowlers I guess is who's fit and conditions.

Brook, Bethell and most likely Root, but how long will they persist with Crawley? Duckett might survive, but I wouldn’t worry about him. Bowlers will change for sure, well, I hope they dont

 

[katana]

Brook, Bethell and most likely Root, but how long will they persist with Crawley? Duckett might survive, but I wouldn’t worry about him. Bowlers will change for sure, well, I hope they dont

duckett of course will be there, he's averaging 40 as an opener. not many in the world who are doing that. crawley well i figure they've stuck with him this long... they probably keep going.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

duckett of course will be there, he's averaging 40 as an opener. not many in the world who are doing that. crawley well i figure they've stuck with him this long... they probably keep going.

To be clear, Ducket, who to put it modestly had a terrible series, is untouchable?

And Crawley, who had a mediocre series, to go with his thoroughly mediocre career will ams be safe?

I’ll put it out there for all to see. I’ll guarantee at least one of them will be gone (by the next ashes) and I’ll bet that both will be gone. Feel free to PM me or at me

 

[Jim Prideaux]

duckett of course will be there, he's averaging 40 as an opener. not many in the world who are doing that. crawley well i figure they've stuck with him this long... they probably keep going.

Also, you were one of those folks wetting themselves pre series right, like how good England were, how Scott Boland could t handle bazball, mark wood and joffra archer were too quick.

I guess if you say it enough times you might eventually be right

 

[katana]

Also, you were one of those folks wetting themselves pre series right, like how good England were, how Scott Boland could t handle bazball, mark wood and joffra archer were too quick.

I guess if you say it enough times you might eventually be right

you havin a few beers last night mate?

 

[madjoe]

Anyhoo back on Topic.

We have 14 tests till this tour with a blood bath In coming in SA and India early 2027. My 15


Head
Jack Clayton
Mcsweeney
Smith
Cooper Connolly
Carey
Renshaw
Cummings
strac
Buckingham
Murphy

that's my 11 with Green, Inglis rocky, I'd have o'neill over richo as I can't see him lasting that long with bad shoulders.


Few things Boalnd will drop off fast imo, Gaz will see out India and pull the pin

 

[Jim Prideaux]

you havin a few beers last night mate?

No

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Anyhoo back on Topic.

We have 14 tests till this tour with a blood bath In coming in SA and India early 2027. My 15


Head
Jack Clayton
Mcsweeney
Smith
Cooper Connolly
Carey
Renshaw
Cummings
strac
Buckingham
Murphy

that's my 11 with Green, Inglis rocky, I'd have o'neill over richo as I can't see him lasting that long with bad shoulders.


Few things Boalnd will drop off fast imo, Gaz will see out India and pull the pin

That is certainly a unique line up. Not saying it’s incorrect per se, but a few of those players would need to have some strong red ball form over the next 12 months.

Of the players you mentioned;

Head - yup, obviously
Clayton - potentially, 39 Ave this season is decent
McSweeney - certainly a decent chance, although will likely ride on Labs form. Could potentially come in further down though
Smith - if he wants too, probs does
Connolly - good returns in the shield, albeit off not many games. Probably needs a few more ‘big’ scores
Carey - yup
Renshaw - at 7? I’m not sure on this one. Reckon he’s top 3 or not all in the test side.
Cummins - yup
Starc - yup, assuming he doesn’t retire
Palace - behind a few I’d reckon, would need a big 12 months, still stranger things have happened
The Todd - him or Kuhnemann you’d think

Green - probably gets the nod over McSweeney or Renshaw in the 11
Inglis - naaaahhh
Rocky - maybe, but reckon if they take a spare spinner it’ll be out of Murphy and Kuhnemann
O’Neil - for England I absolutely would, but would also consider Bartlett.

 

[katana]

No

well i said absolutely nothing of the sort...

 

[Jim Prideaux]

well i said absolutely nothing of the sort...

Fair enough. My apologies for that slight.

There were just so many in this board pre series that came out and said their bats would flog our bowlers and their bowlers were too quick.

The rest of our convo will be an interesting revisit in a couple of years, as a lot could change for both sides.

P.S I won’t actually bother revisiting it.

 

[Run n Spread]

Gabe Bell 6 wickets today bowling Tassie to victory. Get him in the side