The Ashes thread

[anfieldanfield]

Wow! Amazing last wicket stand.

[dww]

Wow! Amazing last wicket stand.

[Shaggy]

That was ****ing amazing. Feels like a win.

If the others in the top order had a fraction of Collingwood's lionheart, guts and courage we might be able to beat these. Colly's knock was totally heroic.

Anderson and Monty ...I think that's the longest I've ever seen Monty bat for.

[-V-]

I heard Collingwood battled for over 5 hours

I caught the end of it, credit to Monty and Anderson as that was a massive burden placed on them. The pressure on them must have been bloody tough to deal with

[Neil Young]

It's Dunkirk all over again!

[dww]

So what would people do for the Lord's test? I think I would be tempted to select Onions ahead of Broad and Harmison instead of Panesar assuming Flintoff is fit (If he isn't I'd let Broad keep his place). I have reservations about bringing Harmison back but in the first test we had no bowlers working as pairs and with country experience together he might work well with Onions who by all accounts is the man in form.

I'd also be sorely tempted to issue an ultimatum to Pieterson to play for the team or he won't play at all.

I think in general we have been too loyal to batsmen but Key is out of form and Bell is one who has had the loyalty in the past. So to a degree I'm not sure what we can do.

[Shaggy]

Agree with all of that.

Bell had enough chances.

Harmison has to play. Our 'pace' attack, Flintoff aside, lacks pace and aggression and Harmison bounced the Aussies all over the place recently. Broad was woeful and should pay with the axe, replaced by Onions' line and length bowling.

[Neil Young]

Swann and Onions, mmm.

[wiw]

Harmison added as Flintoff cover

Steve Harmison has been named in a 14-man England squad for the second Test against Australia at Lord's as cover for injury concern Andrew Flintoff.

All-rounder Flintoff has been sent for a scan on the same knee that he had surgery on earlier this year.

That has prompted a recall for seamer Harmison, with Graham Onions and Ian Bell retained from the original squad that drew the first Test in Cardiff.

Many expect changes to that side, with the Lord's pitch likely to favour seam.

However, England will be desperate for Flintoff to prove his fitness in time for the start on Thursday.

National selector Geoff Miller explained: "Andrew is experiencing soreness and swelling in the knee which he twisted while in the field and he will be reassessed by the medical staff over the next 48 hours leading up to the Test on Thursday.

We will need to consider all our options carefully when we come to determine the make-up of our bowling attack at Lord's

National selector Geoff Miller

"In the event of Andrew being unfit, we see Stephen as a like-for-like replacement in terms of the type of bowler he is and his ability to unsettle the opposition batsmen with pace and bounce.

"But we will need to consider all our options carefully when we come to determine the make-up of our bowling attack at Lord's and the final decision will depend on our assessment of the pitch and the likely overhead conditions."

Regardless of whether Flintoff can prove his fitness, England are only expected to select one spinner at Lord's, with Monty Panesar the most likely man to be dropped from the XI that started at Lord's, despite the fact fellow spinner Graeme Swann failed to take a wicket in Cardiff.

Stuart Broad, meanwhile, is also under pressure after taking just 1-129 as Australia's batsmen ran riot, with the Nottinghamshire seamer also reportedly suffering from a calf problem.

That could mean a recall for Onions, who took 10 wickets on debut against West Indies earlier this year, while Harmison, who has enjoyed an impressive start to the county campaign with Durham after last pulling on an England shirt against the Windies in February, will also be hopeful of a place.

And as a timely reminder to the selectors, Harmison took 5-60 against Yorkshire over the weekend in their county championship match.

However, batsman Bell is likely to miss out again as England keep faith with their batsmen, meaning a top order that accumulated just 99 runs between them in two innings is expected to remain intact.

Andrew Strauss (30 and 17), Alastair Cook (10 and six) and Ravi Bopara (35 and one) disappointed in Cardiff, but are likely to lead the innings again at Lord's - where England have not beaten Australia since 1934.

Kevin Pietersen, despite being criticised for the manner of his dismissal in both innings, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior are certainties to be named in the starting XI again, meaning any changes to the side are most likely to be in the bowling department.

Australia's only selection issue ahead of the Lord's Test, meanwhile, surrounds Brett Lee, who was ruled out of the first match because of a rib injury.

At the time, the 31-year-old ranked his chances of starting the second Test as "slim" and therefore it is expected that the tourists will remain unchanged after falling just one wicket short of victory on Sunday.

England squad: AJ Strauss (capt), AN Cook (Essex), RS Bopara (Essex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), MJ Prior (Sussex, wkt), A Flintoff (Lancashire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), G Onions (Durham), SJ Harmison (Durham)

[wiw]

Given Broad's **** form and what's at steak, I'd play Onions. He's in sizzling form and would relish the chance

[Neil Young]

England team:

Cook
Onions
Swann
Lamb
Beefy
Mustard
er...

[Helios Creed]

How did we draw, again?


When does the footie re-start?

[Ben_Itez]

If the pitch is favouring seam then surely Onions and Harmison should be picked. They're the men bang in form but i cant see Anderson or Flintoff being dropped, if we take out Broad we lose some runs so i doubt both Onions and Harmy will be in unless Broad and Flintoff are out injured.

My pick:

Strauss
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Harmison


Although Bopara has done well recently i think the number 3 spot is still up for grabs. Bell has a decent average and as he's relatively young will still get chances. I think throwing an unknown in there would be harsh so unless they recall Ramprakash or someone it's between them for the series.

[Scratch]

I'm gonna go radical here, and drop Cook, promote Peiterson to opener and make him learn how to be patient, allow Swann to keep his place as a genuine all-rounder, drop Flintoff so he is ready for the next test and bring in Harmison and Onions.

Strauss
Pieterson
Bopara
Collingwood
Swann
Prior
Broad
Onions
Harmison
Anderson
Panesar

Given that our bowlers seem to bat better than the top order, we should do well.

Why drop Broad given that the next pitch will favour his style of bowling?

[dww]

I think Broad would be in line for being dropped as his bowling in tests has been average for a while. Obviously he would keep his place if Flintoff is out as your selection suggests.