2009 Ashes Series - England vs. Australia **Spoilers**

I wonder will Swann play? They probably like to have the option of a spinner available but if no fred, broad or swann then could bring in trott, siders and harmy.
 
oli collett said:
Agreed, but look at what the likes of McGrath can do when conditions favour them. If Broad improves his accuracy he'll be a serious force to be reckoned with.
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I agree with this totally, but also think that his accuracy is only half of his problem. He doesn't seem to know how to "outthink" a batsman; this is where the likes of McGrath excelled throughout his career. Broad seems to bowl individual deliveries, rather than spells. Yes, he has a lot of variations, but they don't apper to lead anywhere. He won't try to keep it tight for a couple of overs with quick, length deliveries, then throw in a slower half-volley, for example. He will try a few quick length balls, then get bored and try a few cutters. It is this, rather than accuracy, that is his main issue, and until he can correct it, he will never be a top bowler, no matter how accurate he is.
 
I'm not sure about Sidebottom and Broad, they're decent niggly bowlers but neither seems to offer the real threat that Flintoff does. The only bowler England have in that mould is really Harmison and he'd be a huge gamble at this stage.
 
ringo747 said:
I wonder will Swann play? They probably like to have the option of a spinner available but if no fred, broad or swann then could bring in trott, siders and harmy.
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Problem is, you would end up with a 4 man pace attack:
Anderson
Onions
Harmison
Sidebottom

It could be tough if, say, Australia bat first and get a big total without a spinner able to hold down an end, but that would be a nice balance to attack. Another problem is, the tail would really start at 8, but then with Prior batting at 7 that's not a bad lineup (even with our middle-order frailties)

manic111 said:
I agree with this totally, but also think that his accuracy is only half of his problem. He doesn't seem to know how to "outthink" a batsman; this is where the likes of McGrath excelled throughout his career. Broad seems to bowl individual deliveries, rather than spells. Yes, he has a lot of variations, but they don't apper to lead anywhere. He won't try to keep it tight for a couple of overs with quick, length deliveries, then throw in a slower half-volley, for example. He will try a few quick length balls, then get bored and try a few cutters. It is this, rather than accuracy, that is his main issue, and until he can correct it, he will never be a top bowler, no matter how accurate he is.
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I think if anything he just tries to think too much. It's like he sees something wrong and tries something, gets hit for some runs, then completely changes the plan and tries something else, that doesn't work, tries something else - all in the space of an over! I think if he didn't worry so much about specific plans and just focused on bowling in the channel, he'd be a much better bowler - and we'd have a better balance of attack if we had a control bowler who can bowl long spells. That's something we're really missing at the moment.
 
Getting woken up at 5am for a fire alarm this morning too. The omens are all piling up against England here.

EDIT: Prior has been passed fit apparently. Woo!
 
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I hope they got that one right on Prior. They need him to be at the top of his game. It would be a big blow is he missed out.

Now Trott? Broad still in.
 
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England won the toss, in to bat

Prior is fit to play. Harmison in for Flintoff. Pretty positive move!

Can we get 500-odd to start plzkthx

Aussies - Haddin back in for Manou, Clark in for Hauritz
 
Btw, read this interesting article about swing bowling yesterday:
http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/258645.html

Basically, the summary is, there are THREE types of swing bowling:
conventional, reverse, contrast

Cloud cover has nothing to do with the ball swinging and it's a myth, according to this chap. I don't know what his research is based on, but he does work for NASA, so he probably does know a bit more about this than the commentators!

Thing is, this article is 3 years old, yet the same myths are still being put around in cricket, and "contrast swing" is never spoken of?
 
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