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4th Ashes Test (Headingley)


Appy
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surely Harmison is next in the ECB's pecking order of bowlers, i know the Aussies would prefer not to be facing him. As for Trott, can only be for Bopara if they were thinking of changing it.

 

But Headingley generally favours swing bowling so Sidebottom would be more likely to play I think though I expect an unchanged team. I think the weather might be Ok for Friday but not looking good after that though England of course don't need to win anyway.

Surprised in many ways Trott chosen ahead of Hildreth.

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Pretty good selection there from the ECB i have to say, Sidebottom i've never been a huge fan of...but Swann and Anderson in particular didn't inspire much confidence on 5th day at Edgbaston.

 

Glad Freddy seems to be fit enough for the 4th test aswell, i really didn't think he was going to make it to be honest...let's just hope he does what he did at Lord/Edgbaston and not repeat the Cardiff fiasco.

 

Personally think the 4th test will be a draw again(loads of rain expected) and it'll all be down to the Oval once again to seal the series win which i expect us to do in style!

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Pretty good selection there from the ECB i have to say, Sidebottom i've never been a huge fan of...but Swann and Anderson in particular didn't inspire much confidence on 5th day at Edgbaston.

 

Glad Freddy seems to be fit enough for the 4th test aswell, i really didn't think he was going to make it to be honest...let's just hope he does what he did at Lord/Edgbaston and not repeat the Cardiff fiasco.

 

Personally think the 4th test will be a draw again(loads of rain expected) and it'll all be down to the Oval once again to seal the series win which i expect us to do in style!

 

 

Cannot agree at all about Anderson. Was our best bowler in the 1st innings and the most economical in the 2nd. Maybe a tad disappointed he did not take more wickets but it certainly was not through lack of effort. He'd be one of the 1st names on my team sheet in fact. However, I do think the Leeds test is likely to be drawn if the weather forecast is correct and the Oval test then of course becomes the crucial one, just hope it is not as nail biting as 2005 but the same outcome would be most welcome!

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Where is everyone getting their info about all this expected rain?

 

The met check website has no rain at all in Leeds Fri-Tue and even the ever pessimistic BBC weather has it as being sunny or sunny intervals for Fri-Sun (it doesn't go any further than that). Or are we just winding the Aussie supporters up and I've just ruined the joke?

 

As for the comment about Anderson, how bizarre. He's been our most improved bowler by far over the last 12 months and took 5 wickets in the first innings of the last test - suggesting his place is even remotely in doubt is taking having a short memory to the extreme. Luckily the selectors don't share the views of a lot of posters on here otherwise I dread to think what the team would look like.

 

Surely the Aussies have to play Clark this time although I've already thought that three times so far and thankfully been wrong every time. It will be a gamble if they risk Lee, would have thought he might have to wait until the Oval.

 

If Flintoff is fit, I think England might bring Sidebottom in for Broad. If he's not, I think Trott will come in for him and Harmison for Broad.

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I hope you are correct NI76 - Two games to go - Hopefully two crackers.

 

M Clarke is currently sidelined with a stomach strain from the Aussies side of things and is expected to play. I'd guess at maybe both Clarke and Lee coming in for Siddle and Hauritz. Depedning on how the pitch is looking.

 

That period in the 3rd test where you guys took 8 for bugger all was amazing. The ball was hooping all over the place... find the key to that again and we are no chance. Weird how the Duke ball didnt resond the same way on the last day.

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It was humid and cloudy on the third day, pretty damp too whereas it was a lot cooler and clearer on the final day.

 

Anderson leads the attack, is a world class fielder and holds the record for most innings without a duck so how anyone could suggest he is left out at the moment I cannot understand. For me we are not going to bowl them out twice with only four frontline bowlers so if Flintoff can't play then its got to be Harmison. I would keep Broad in under those circumstances for his batting which along with Swann means that lower middle order has some chance of scoring more than a few handy runs. Broad needs to perhaps spend some time in county cricket to work on his bowling, but if Freddy is not fit we need him to add balance to the side.

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I'd play Fred as a batsman, number 6, drop Broad. Broad is a great prospect but leave him out for a few games wont hurt him. reminds me of the way Anderson started his international career, good start, but tailed off. bring in harmison too

 

Strauss

Cook

Bopara

Bell

Collingwood

Flintoff

Prior

Harmison

Swann

Onions

Anderson

 

to win a game, you gotta take 20. If Fred is 85% fit, you might get a ten over burst from him which might be enough to swing the game in our favour

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I'd play Fred as a batsman, number 6, drop Broad. Broad is a great prospect but leave him out for a few games wont hurt him. reminds me of the way Anderson started his international career, good start, but tailed off. bring in harmison too

 

Strauss

Cook

Bopara

Bell

Collingwood

Flintoff

Prior

Harmison

Swann

Onions

Anderson

 

to win a game, you gotta take 20. If Fred is 85% fit, you might get a ten over burst from him which might be enough to swing the game in our favour

 

I'd pick Harmison as well, I reckon him and Onions will work well together.

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Looking less and less likely that Flintoff will play...

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/aug/06/andrew-flintoff-fitness-ashes-test-headingley

 

... which I suppose means it'll be Harmison. Got to say that sits uncomfortably with me. I'd be more inclined to pick Sidey-B or even [whisper]Hoggard[/whisper] at Headingley. Not only because their better suited to that wicket, but also because when they're good they're just as good as Harmy. But when they're bad they're not the very worst bowler you've ever seen.

 

If I was an Aussie batsman, I'd be hoping for Harmison because, unless he's on it from the first ball there's every chance of destroying him as a bowler and as a human being before the end of the first over.

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Trott rumoured to be coming in.. and with Broad retaining his place, we're going into the game with effectively 3 bowlers :-o

 

Well it will be Anderson, Onions, Broad and Swann which is 4 so unless you're saying one of these is so bad as not be considered a bowler then I'm not sure how you arrive at 3. At a guess judging by the comment it seems you might want Broad to be omitted but he actually bowled well in the 2nd innings at Edgbaston so I'm not too unhappy if he is going to play. Harmison might just be the player we need to replace Flintoff, in which case we could leave out Broad and go with:

Strauss, Cook, Bopara, Bell, Trott, Collingwood, Prior, Swann, Anderson, Harmison, Onions.

 

As I see it and we'll know soon enough the other option is to play Broad or Sidebottom in place of Trott which will give us a long tail especially if we opt for Sidebottom. Anyway, I have more important things to do, ie sort out my own Fantasy team and replace at least Flintoff !!

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Stuart Clark's in for the Aussies. Grim news :(

 

And England have asked for the toss to be put back, presumably to give them a fighting chance of cobbling together an XI. It's anyone's guess who'll play now.

 

I predict England to win at a canter with eleven players the Aussies have never even heard of, let alone seen play.

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Indeed, it's pretty dumb !

 

I can think of Bell and Vaughan recently, but Im sure there have been others as well. Maybe time to stop professional sportsmen ****ing about with a football before a match? I cant see many football managers allowing the players to have a little game of rugby as a warm up to 90 mins at SMS.

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No, I'm waiting to see if I should drop him from my fantasy league team and if still injured bring in Prior but if he is not fit either It will surely have to be Manou !

 

Same, looks like it will be transfer time at 10.59am for everyone.

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