| With less than 50 days to go to the Ashes it's hard | | | | One more time . . . no ok I'll stop, you get my point. |
| to envisage an England XI any different to what I'm | | | | The form of Graeme Swann has been a huge bonus |
| gonna show you. Events have conspired so that all | | | | for England so far this year. He currently has a test |
| the ifs, buts, and maybes are seemingly set in stone. | | | | bowling average of 26 and has taken some prize |
| Prior to the series against the West Indies in our | | | | scalps in the subcontinent with wickets against India. |
| colder climates some dark grey clouds loomed over | | | | He loves bowling to left handers which will hold |
| our proud cricketing nation and echoes of a 5 0 | | | | England in good stead if the daunting partnership of |
| repeat whitewash were ringing around our shores. | | | | Hughes and Katich survive the England new ball |
| Hopefully the echoes have now died out. | | | | assault. He could be a good bet to stop a fluid |
| SO WHAT'S HAPPENED? | | | | Mitchell Johnson in his tracks. |
| 3 Consecutive tons from Ravi Bopara have put an | | | | I got asked the other day if I thought England could |
| end to the number 3 quandary . . . | | | | play 2 spinners. When was the last time England |
| After 3 ducks in his first 5 test innings in Sri Lanka | | | | went into a test match playing 2 spinners?? Answers |
| Ravi has really shown his metal in scoring 3 | | | | on a postcard. They certainly haven't played 2 good |
| consecutive tons in his last 3 innings (granted against | | | | spinners together in my lifetime. Lets not get ahead |
| weaker Windies opposition). He's shown he can cut it | | | | of ourselves, I'd bank on England going into the |
| with the big guns in the IPL and his strokeplay is | | | | opening test in Cardiff with Swann on his lonesome. |
| majestic. He's also a very confident young man who | | | | England can Take 20 Wickets in a Match . . . |
| can hopefully hold firm when the inevitable aussie | | | | Playing in our own back yard I think - for once - we |
| verbal barrage really heats up. | | | | are very capable of claiming 20 wickets in a match. It |
| Picking Michael Vaughan would be a gigantic backward | | | | was great to see Graham Onions come into the frey |
| step. There's a similar story for Ian Bell - against the | | | | and get Fivefor on debut. He bowls wicket to wicket |
| lesser nations he piles on the runs for fun with an | | | | at a good pace and in typical English conditions looks |
| elegance to his play, but facing the Aussies the | | | | a tasty bowler. He's surely guaranteed himself a |
| elegance remains and the runs dry up. And we don't | | | | starting spot. As for Jimmy Andersen, spearheading |
| even need to go into Rob Key who in times gone by | | | | an attack he looks right at home now and looks |
| has strongly warranted a place. | | | | destined to actually finally fulfill the nagging potential |
| The task facing Bopara is immense. His opposite | | | | he's shown over the last 5 or so years.With a fit |
| number is arguably one of the greatest batsman to | | | | Flintoff a given the final piece of the England bowling |
| ever play the game. Ponting plays in a very similar | | | | lineup jigsaw has to go to Stuart Broad - he's bowled |
| vein to Bopara - aggressive and elegant - but the | | | | with some real aggression in the recent Windies |
| difference is he has 11,000 test runs to his name at | | | | series and his batting in certainly going to be called |
| an average of over 56. If England go one wicket | | | | into action for the Ashes. Could Broad be our answer |
| down early on the sight of Mitchell Johnson, Brett | | | | to Mitchell Johnson? |
| Lee, Stuart Clark, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus or in | | | | Drumroll please . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .; The England Likely |
| fact any of the bowling options the Aussies decide | | | | Ashes Starting Lineup is |
| to pick are a much daunting prospect than the | | | | - Andrew Strauss (c) |
| Windies. | | | | - Alistair Cook |
| Can Andrew Strauss and Alistair Cook provide the | | | | - Ravi Bopara |
| solid platform again and again as they did against the | | | | - Kevin Pietersen |
| West Indies or will Mitchell Johnson be licking his lips | | | | - Paul Collingwood |
| at the prospect of the juicy scalp of Bopara come | | | | - Andrew Flintoff |
| the first wicket? | | | | - Matt Prior |
| England have the Leading Wicket Taker in Test | | | | - Stuart Broad |
| Cricket for 2009 and He is A Spinner . . . | | | | - Graeme Swann |
| For anybody who read that wrong or thought they | | | | - James Andersen |
| read it wrong I'd like to repeat it . . . | | | | - Graham Onions |
| England have the Leading Wicket Taker in Test | | | | What other options do England Have? |
| Cricket for 2009 and He is A Spinner! | | | | |