Ashes 2019: Australia will surprise everyone

[Tridibans_16]

If media columns by various English pundits are anything to go by, it seems its all but declared that England are winning this years Ashes. Only thing to be seen is whether it will be 5-0 or 4-0 (English weather I tell you). Australia lost to India for the first time ever in its history. England whitewashed Srilanka 3-0 in Srilanka. The result is a forgone conclusion.

Or is it? I believe this Aussie team will surprise everyone. Their bowling is world class. Cummins is in red hot form, Richardson is fast and bowled brilliantly this summer and Hazelwood will extract swing in England. Lyon is 100 times better than part timer Ali or "Hit me outta" here Rashid. With Warner and Smith back, I can foresee Australia winning atleast 2 matches.

English batting is dismal. India was worse last summer and lost 1-4 what should have been 2-3 at best thanks to a pathetic batting display by Rahul, Vijay, Rahane and co. With bits and pieces players, England has hardly done justice to the no.6/7/8/9 spots. Curran will only be effective if it swings prodigiously. His batting is nothing special.

Warner
Harris
Smith
Labuschagne/ Khawaja
Head
Patterson
Paine
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood
Richardon/ Pattinson

This team will be strong enough against an English side with out of form batsmen and all bits and pieces all rounders. If Australia manages to play Anderson's swing well enough, I predict a 2-2 or even better, an outside chance of Australia winning.

 

[Ab Fan]

Australia will win this series. Mark my word, they are the only team going ahead who will challenge India in next couple of years.

They are undermined a bit too much.

 

[Convict]

Warner has never been good in England.
Harris is the same player he has always been. Lovely stats but never produces anything of value.
Labuschagne lacks the ability, Head the technique.

Pattinson will never play for Australia again but Cummins, Hazlewood, Richardson is a good attack.

 

[AMSS]

These 'gut feel' OPs are generally such a waste of time. This one is no exception.

No regard to form, history, player pedigree. Just random use of worn out words like 'world class' and what have you.

I mean Australia may very well win 5 zip for all we know. It's sport after all. But my word this is a poorly thought out, ill conceived OP.

 

[Robert]

I haven’t heard anyone saying England will win by four or five tests.

Their top order is awful with no real spin options but they are hard to beat at home when the ball swings. For some reason Moeen is excellent in the last innings. Anderson has hopefully got one last Ashes series in him, and some combination of him and Stokes, Broad, Woakes and Curran will be tough for the Aussies who no longer play the swinging ball well.

But the Aussie quicks and Lyon could win a match or two.

 

[Hasan123]

I would love Australia to win but at the moment I only see an England victory.

 

[jnaveen1980]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06z6x5p

Cricket Social listeners were asked to suggest lyrics for a song on Australia's recent woes.

And this is the result.....

To the tune of American Pie, singer-songwriter Joel Hughes performs The Australian Lie.

...


Trolling already started.

 

[Tridibans_16]

Warner has never been good in England.
Harris is the same player he has always been. Lovely stats but never produces anything of value.
Labuschagne lacks the ability, Head the technique.

Pattinson will never play for Australia again but Cummins, Hazlewood, Richardson is a good attack.

Yes apologies, it should be Pat cummins and not Pattinson.

An attack of Starc, Richardson/ Hazelwood, Cummins, Lyon will be lethal even if the pitch is little seaming with bounce (along with traditional English swing).

English batting lineup is glorified hacks in Buttler, Moeen, Bairstow, Curran. Even their openers have suspect techniques. England will be badly brusied if they lose this series to WI.

 

[Tridibans_16]

I would love Australia to win but at the moment I only see an England victory.

I don't think it will be that straightforward. English batting is not to rosy as it stands. Also, with Warner/ Smith back and a great find for Aussies in Head and Patterson, I really thing Aussies can win atleast a couple of tests this Ashes.

 

[Tridibans_16]

I haven’t heard anyone saying England will win by four or five tests.

Their top order is awful with no real spin options but they are hard to beat at home when the ball swings. For some reason Moeen is excellent in the last innings. Anderson has hopefully got one last Ashes series in him, and some combination of him and Stokes, Broad, Woakes and Curran will be tough for the Aussies who no longer play the swinging ball well.

But the Aussie quicks and Lyon could win a match or two.

I really want England to prosper in cricket. I actually do with the great culture and tradition English cricket brings to the game. But when you pack your side with back to back 'allrounders' who happen to be bowling allrounders someday and batting allrounders on other, your flawed strategy has to come back and bite you.

Also, I really don't think Burns or Jennings are long term solutions for the opening slot.

P.S- I feel Rashid as a leg spinner will struggle to get into even Zimbabwe XI. The guy averages a mighty 38 in test cricket and he is supposed to be a lead spinner.

 

[ManFan]

Australia’s pace attack is more suited for England than their 2015 one.

I think Australia will compete more than anyone expects but England likely to come out on top.

 

[introvert]

3-2 or 4-1 to England. Cummins & Richardson are threat mostly. Starc & Hazelwood are predictable bowlers who will be bowling hot & cold throughout series

 

[BaankeJi]

Way England are performing against West Indies currently, I will be surprised to see them win the Ashes.

 

[Markhor]

England's batting is shaky but Australia collapse every time the ball swings in England.

They haven't won an Ashes series in ENG since 2001.

 

[Tridibans_16]

3-2 or 4-1 to England. Cummins & Richardson are threat mostly. Starc & Hazelwood are predictable bowlers who will be bowling hot & cold throughout series

Well Starc is lethal when the ball swings. Without peppermints, only English conditions will assist him.

 

[Mamoon]

It will be the usual 3-1 or 3-2 to England. Australia tend to compete well in England but there is always something missing that prevents them from winning the series. I don't expect anything different this time either.

 

[Hasan123]

I don't think it will be that straightforward. English batting is not to rosy as it stands. Also, with Warner/ Smith back and a great find for Aussies in Head and Patterson, I really thing Aussies can win atleast a couple of tests this Ashes.

I am not ruling Australia out but they seem to do well at home against Australia.

 

[Sin Nombre]

Root will win all 5 tosses again and things will be rosy for English cricket again.

 

[The Viper]

Australia should be competitive, but not sure that Patterson and Head will be good enough away from home.

 

[Buffet]

They can compete, but to win they have to bat well. Not too sure about Aus batting if ball moves sideways. I haven't seen too many runs from even Smith on those conditions, but Eng does produce some flat track as well.

 

[Ab Fan]

Aus will win this time IMO. The 19 years drought will end this time.

 

[Mueez]

I’m going to do a bold prediction...

3-2 Australia

They will surprise us all.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Beating England is a surprise? With a bit of luck winning aginst India make them invincible? Thankfully WI exposed them brutally. Lyon >> Moeen. Australia just has to kick this starc out. Hazlewood/Cummins/Richardson will be great.

 

[MMHS]

Aussies have absolutely no chance of beating Poms in English Ashes - I'll take a bet at any stake, if I were a punter. If all 5 Tests end in direct result, I am more inclined to 4-1 home win, or even a history making 5-0, rather than a 3-2 English win and probably 5-0 or 2-3 are at same stake. A mega series like 35 wickets from Josh or Cummins can make it 3-2 for hosts at most.

This English team is absolutely tailor made for their condition. Only weakness I see is their opening pair - one loose end for Jennings; either they'll have to find a new kid, or a make shift like Oli Pope to open. I probably will open with Bairstowe and keep with Foakes. England made a blunder of playing Adil in all 5 Tests against IND, but they won't make the same mistake again; rather they'll play one more pacer and play Moeen all 5 Tests, whose off-spin is going to trouble these lefti dominant Aussie line up few times. Test matches are won by bowers as one has to take 20 wickets to win a Test, and Pom attack is capable of doing that every Test.

This is my Ashes team for hosts:

1. Burns
2. Johnny
3. *Root
4. Butler
5. Stokes
6. Foakes+
7. Moeen
8. Woakes
9. Curren
10. Broad/Wood
11. Jimmy

May be they can twist it a bit like putting Moeen at 3 and shifting 3-6 one slot down, but this is a killer XII in English condition. That seem attack is going to trouble recent Aussies Big Bash products in English condition and that tail guided by Buttler, Stokes or Foakes is going to add vital runs every innings.

I always say that, in Test game, the MVPs are the bowling all-rounders, particularly fast bowling all-rounders and Woakes, Broad, Curren, Stokes are bowlers who can make in English Tests simply on bowling merit; add to that Moeen and the flexibility of 3 WKs in playing XI, this is almost unbeatable Ashes squad in UK.

 

[pratiktc]

I think it will be a good evenly fought series.
Both teams are flawed in batting and both have great bowling attacks and long tails.
Australia will need to rotate their quicks out to make up for their lack of an allrounder, so hoping Jhye and Pattinson support big 3 well.

Overall England with the edge, but if Smith hits Kohli-esque beast mode and toss goes their way Aus can pull it off

 

[jnaveen1980]

Expect bouncer barrage. Remember the famous Johnson series. It could repeat if these bowlers combine. Last thing England needs is Starc finding rythm. He lacks accuracy now. But his average speed is out fo the world. At one point against SL his average speed was 150 k. He had bowled quiet a few overs at that time.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Aussies have absolutely no chance of beating Poms in English Ashes - I'll take a bet at any stake, if I were a punter. If all 5 Tests end in direct result, I am more inclined to 4-1 home win, or even a history making 5-0, rather than a 3-2 English win and probably 5-0 or 2-3 are at same stake. A mega series like 35 wickets from Josh or Cummins can make it 3-2 for hosts at most.

This English team is absolutely tailor made for their condition. Only weakness I see is their opening pair - one loose end for Jennings; either they'll have to find a new kid, or a make shift like Oli Pope to open. I probably will open with Bairstowe and keep with Foakes. England made a blunder of playing Adil in all 5 Tests against IND, but they won't make the same mistake again; rather they'll play one more pacer and play Moeen all 5 Tests, whose off-spin is going to trouble these lefti dominant Aussie line up few times. Test matches are won by bowers as one has to take 20 wickets to win a Test, and Pom attack is capable of doing that every Test.

This is my Ashes team for hosts:

1. Burns
2. Johnny
3. *Root
4. Butler
5. Stokes
6. Foakes+
7. Moeen
8. Woakes
9. Curren
10. Broad/Wood
11. Jimmy

May be they can twist it a bit like putting Moeen at 3 and shifting 3-6 one slot down, but this is a killer XII in English condition. That seem attack is going to trouble recent Aussies Big Bash products in English condition and that tail guided by Buttler, Stokes or Foakes is going to add vital runs every innings.

I always say that, in Test game, the MVPs are the bowling all-rounders, particularly fast bowling all-rounders and Woakes, Broad, Curren, Stokes are bowlers who can make in English Tests simply on bowling merit; add to that Moeen and the flexibility of 3 WKs in playing XI, this is almost unbeatable Ashes squad in UK.

Lets bet on this one, shall we.

I call out an Australian win.

 

[Hasan123]

Aussies have absolutely no chance of beating Poms in English Ashes - I'll take a bet at any stake, if I were a punter. If all 5 Tests end in direct result, I am more inclined to 4-1 home win, or even a history making 5-0, rather than a 3-2 English win and probably 5-0 or 2-3 are at same stake. A mega series like 35 wickets from Josh or Cummins can make it 3-2 for hosts at most.

This English team is absolutely tailor made for their condition. Only weakness I see is their opening pair - one loose end for Jennings; either they'll have to find a new kid, or a make shift like Oli Pope to open. I probably will open with Bairstowe and keep with Foakes. England made a blunder of playing Adil in all 5 Tests against IND, but they won't make the same mistake again; rather they'll play one more pacer and play Moeen all 5 Tests, whose off-spin is going to trouble these lefti dominant Aussie line up few times. Test matches are won by bowers as one has to take 20 wickets to win a Test, and Pom attack is capable of doing that every Test.

This is my Ashes team for hosts:

1. Burns
2. Johnny
3. *Root
4. Butler
5. Stokes
6. Foakes+
7. Moeen
8. Woakes
9. Curren
10. Broad/Wood
11. Jimmy

May be they can twist it a bit like putting Moeen at 3 and shifting 3-6 one slot down, but this is a killer XII in English condition. That seem attack is going to trouble recent Aussies Big Bash products in English condition and that tail guided by Buttler, Stokes or Foakes is going to add vital runs every innings.

I always say that, in Test game, the MVPs are the bowling all-rounders, particularly fast bowling all-rounders and Woakes, Broad, Curren, Stokes are bowlers who can make in English Tests simply on bowling merit; add to that Moeen and the flexibility of 3 WKs in playing XI, this is almost unbeatable Ashes squad in UK.

Australia have no chance? Aboslultey disagree. Smith and Warner will be back. Don't forget Starc is brilliant at cleaning the tail up. England are the favourites and may win but it will be close.

 

[MMHS]

^^ Both of you, just 7 months wait - we'll see. If AUS wins the Ashes, I would be definitely surprised, but not unhappy - absolutely no reason why someone should be unhappy to Pom's loss

 

[Kashmirilion]

The way England have played recently no result is a surprise.