After seeing Steve Harmison firing on all cylinders on a fast and bouncy OT pitch surely Eng fans must see their teams potential for this winter Down Under on similar pitches.

I have felt for a long time that an attack consisting of Harmison, Flintoff and S Jones will put the Aus batting line-up under severe pressure in the forthcoming Ashes. It will be their bowling and their ability to dismiss Aus for cheap scores that will render every other facet of the series irrelevent.

I therefore maintain my prediction of an Eng series victory by at least a margin of 2 clear tests.

Apologies to all those hoping to escape discussion on the Ashes.

I've said all along that if GBH fires then we have a chance. He bowled very very well today, but he's not going to get a pitch like this down Aus. He needs to continue to improve and he can be devastating.

But Flintoff and Jones will be rusty as hell. That's if they even make it.

It's a big statement to dismiss Warne as an 'irrelevant facet'. Time will tell.

I suggest marking all Ashes Related Threads with the acronym ART in the title. It'll help the consumers make an informed choice, to use that hated tongue, 'marketing speak'.

I'm reserving judgement until I actually see what XI England field. If the injuries are anything like last time we went down under then Australia would be heavy favourites. However if England had the side that won at Edgbaston & Trent Bridge (very unlikely I know!) and any changes in personnel were due to new players forcing their way in, e.g. Cook for Bell, Panesar for Giles, then I would back England.

Basically, i'm gonna wait and see...

If Flintoff and S.Jones are back (as well as Harmy and Hoggy retaining their fitness) I think it will be a very close series...without at least 3 of these player's I think the Aussies will be favourites - although who knows, Plunkett/Tremlett or more like Anderson may suprise us.

Basically - I think Australia have a stronger squad than us, but if we can get our first 11/12/13 on the pitch we can compete.

Like Gary says though he have to wait to see what team we field, and how rusty the likes of Freddy, SiJo and Giles may be.

I'd like to see Harmie repeating the dose in the next 5 innings - not necessarily bagging 6 wickets each time - but to continue bowling a good consistent line with venom, steepling bounce and variation.

One swallow don't make a summer, innit!

As far as Freddie and Jones 'the Ball' are concerned, let's see them off the operating table and onto their feet first before making predictions!

If GBH (rather than Harmlessone) shows up, he will make some Aussies hop about. If Fred gets fit he will too. If Jones gets there he will mess up their footwork.

There's three IFs straight off.

quote:

Originally posted by Mister Robby:
If GBH (rather than Harmlessone) shows up, he will make some Aussies hop about. If Fred gets fit he will too. If Jones gets there he will mess up their footwork.

There's three IFs straight off.

Perhaps.

But all 3 of those "Ifs" have a greater than average likelihood of coming off from what we have seen of Harmison and the medical reports on Flintoff and S Jones.

I do think some Eng fans on this forum have been amazingly conservative/despondent in recent times with no real evidence - other than to confirm Eng are currently a poorer JAMODI side than they are test side.

Aussie batsmen can play bounce better than pretty much anyone and far better than your average Pakistani opener. It was reverse swing and complacency that mainly did for the Aussies last year. A bowling attack of Flintoff, Jones, Harmison and Hoggard will keep them honest but unless they really start showing their collective age all of a sudden, England will struggle to win a 'live' test.

Don't rate this Pakistani xi much- only three and half genuine test batsmen and a bowling attack shorn of three first choice pace bowlers.

On his day Harmison is as good as anyone and has great heart but he does not have many of those days probably once every series he is not consistant enough and get's unsettled easily that's why he only averages 29 in test cricket and i doubt he will get a pitch like todays in Aus.

The Ashes last year showed us that Australian batsmen struggle against the moving ball at pace.

I agree with Toga the Aus batsmen will play much better against bounce than the Pak batsmen who don't have the technique for it.

quote:

Originally posted by Go-Go:
Basically - I think Australia have a stronger squad than us, but if we can get our first 11/12/13 on the pitch we can compete.

If Australia let England play 13 then yes, it'll be all over.

then again, the substitutions laws might be a little more firmly policed this time around!

The only really bouncy pitch in Aus is the WACA, all of the others seem flat?

quote:

Originally posted by Chris J.:
The only really bouncy pitch in Aus is the WACA, all of the others seem flat?

Wozzies clearly aren't as dumb as they're made out to be.

Nope.