Ashes 2021-22
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@barbarian listening to Dodemaide on Saturday, Usman will be in the squad for Pakistan but it didn’t sound like he would be a dead certainty for the starting XI. And I think that’s understandable given his age, where he bats best in the current squad etc. But along with Steve Smith probably their best playing the spin.
Dream return to the team though.
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@act-crusader said in Ashes 2021-22:
@barbarian listening to Dodemaide on Saturday, Usman will be in the squad for Pakistan but it didn’t sound like he would be a dead certainty for the starting XI. And I think that’s understandable given his age, where he bats best in the current squad etc. But along with Steve Smith probably their best playing the spin.
Dream return to the team though.
I thought Khawaja had a reputation of not being good v spin over in sub continent? And that's why he got dropped his first time.
I've never seen him play there, so I don't know myself.
Thought that was a main factor in his bad away record.
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None of our openers have really been consistent, but Harris' lone 70 doesn't really make up for a career of ordinary.
Put Khawaja in. Maybe Warner comes good for the last Test. Rest Starc for Richardson, I guess. Really depends on the pitch in Hobart.
England's selection far more straightforward: whoever can hold a bat.
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@kiwimurph said in Ashes 2021-22:
Also Billings should come in to keep with Buttler going home injured.
After that drive from QLD to Sydney, he deserves it
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@nta said in Ashes 2021-22:
England's selection far more straightforward: whoever can hold a bat.
Burns
Crawley
Malan
Root
Pope
Bairstow
Billings
Wood
Leach
Broad
AndersonHameed is done. Stokes and Buttler are injured. While Bairstow's thumb might not be 100%, he can bat well enough so stick with him.
Might as well stick with Leach as he started to get it right, even if he scored a couple of freebies.
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A post-match comment from Root::
[Crawley] He's got a very good game, a simple technique that should stand up well. He's got the qualities to survive at this level.
Survive?! Mate that was the best innings for an English open on Aussie soil this season - excluding the BBL! Maybe I'm reading this wrong but not the sort of language I'd be using. He looked great.
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@nta said in Ashes 2021-22:
@nta said in Ashes 2021-22:
England's selection far more straightforward: whoever can hold a bat.
Burns
Crawley
Malan
Root
Pope
Bairstow
Billings
Wood
Leach
Broad
AndersonHameed is done. Stokes and Buttler are injured. While Bairstow's thumb might not be 100%, he can bat well enough so stick with him.
Might as well stick with Leach as he started to get it right, even if he scored a couple of freebies.
Stokes could still play as a specialist batsman. His bowling hasn’t been up to much so not much of a stretch for him to do this.
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@duluth said in Ashes 2021-22:
@chris-b said in Ashes 2021-22:
I reckon you only do that if you think Khawaja is your opener going forward - and I'm pretty doubtful that he is. That opening spot is Australia's only significant problem - if Harris is the guy they're backing as the long run option then dropping him isn't going to be productive.
The long term option is Pucovski.
Harris only made the team last year when he got injured. Harris was already a stop gap, replacing him with a better stop gap (Khawaja) makes sense
Seriously long odds of that happening unfortunately.
It is a tough call, Khawaja is obviously the easier selection but it's very challenging to drop Harris and then take him to Pakistan.
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@rotated said in Ashes 2021-22:
Seriously long odds of that happening unfortunately.
The concussions are a huge concern. I wouldn't assume his career is over though
I wouldn't pick him until the start of the 22/23 season and only if there are no more problems.
The selectors are still very keen to get him back in the side. He claims he's a chance for the Pakistan tour. I don't see the point in rushing him back
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@chris-b I see your point but come on, you're not leaving out Khawaja or Head for Harris on current form. Harris hasn't been completely terrible, but Head and Khawaja should both be included.
Khawaja can bat anywhere as well, which is a benefit for him and the Aussies when need be.
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@african-monkey The thing is - they did for the first three tests (leave out Khawaja for Harris).
It's brutally harsh, but I reckon tinkering with your line-up based on form is a very bad thing if you are a selector. You can easily create a bunch of Skippy Sinclairs (Sir Paddles did in the 1990s).
And the bad thing for UK is that he's 35 years old, so he's not the long term future.
Key questions are, what were you planning for Harris at the end of the series and what would you do with either UK or MH if they open in the next test and make a pair?
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An interesting article for the stats nerds.
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Harris out, Head returns and Khawaja opens. Boland is probably fit to play
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@duluth said in Ashes 2021-22:
Harris out, Head returns and Khawaja opens. Boland is probably fit to play
Dopey question but is this another Pink Ball test? So two pink Ball tests in this series?
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That pitch is bloody green!
