Cricket

[jono]

Not if you listen to Today Tonight and the ilk

It is a pity Annual Leave hasn't made it here too. It free'd up thousands of English to travel overseas for a month to support their team, it's a great concept.

You're admitting to watching Today Tonight?

[Urethra Franklin]

Forget Perth. Johnson and Harris will destroy us there. I've a feeling Siddle is due a day out, too. The ugly tip-rat ****ing cunt that he is.

We'll probably win in Melbourne, and then Sydney, well who gives a ****.

3-1.

But any Aussie who gets mouthy can certainly be reminded of what Ewar alluded to up there.

[EwarWoo]

You're admitting to watching Today Tonight?

I'd sooner stab myself in the leg with a rusty fork.

I'm aware of it in a similar way to the average none knuckle dragging person in the UK is aware of the Mail.

[Chazza]

Just seen Vaughan suggesting the only change should be Bresnan for Monty.

Surely we have to look at getting Finn into the team in some way?

[Alex]

Monty wont play in Perth will he? We dont need 2 spinners. I doubt we even need one.

Get Finn in I say. Finn for Panesar and try to bully them with what little pace we seem to have at the moment.

Get Stokes, Finn, Anderson and Broad chucking it at them to rough them up. England are now in the same position that Aus were during the summer. We need to come out biting and barking, no point trying to take the high ground. They rightly are making this a fight, so we need to join it.

If not we will just go home losing 5-0

[Chazza]

Yeah no way will we play with 2 spinners.

You could even argue that Monty has been more of a threat than Swann, looks like that last shoulder op has taken its toll. The Aussies have been clever by attacking him and not letting him hold down an end.

[Alex]

Good point on that. Him holding an end for someone like Anderson to attack the other had become a corner stone of that attack. That threat has gone now.

[Shaggy]

I think this is our most fascinating and open selection for years. Numerous options open to us (though mostly **** of course )

Four seamers + Stokes all rounder (eg Anderson, Broad, Finn, Bresnan, Stokes!)
Three seamers + spinner (Monty) + Stokes
Six specialist batsmen (bringing Ballance in)
Replace Prior with Bairstow who'd bat at 7

Could go on.

I think Prior's knock keeps him in. I'd drop Swann. Monty has had a Michelle at the WACA before and Swann is done. The big choice for me is who do we bring in as the third seamer. It's Finn or Rankin. Making wholesale changes would be tempting but I don't think an Ashes third Test, in this pressure situation at 2-0 down, is the time for debutants. I'd lean towards Finn but if they think he's still bowling muck (taking wickets but haemorrhaging runs, which we simply cannot afford) I'd chuck Rankin in. 6'8, bowls at 88mph on average and will get fearsome bounce. Bresnan comes into the equation and will be useful bowling into the Freemantle Doctor.

Tymal Mills is tempting but let's face it, that's not gonna happen

So, for me:

Cook
Carberry
Root
Pietersen
Bell
Stokes
Prior
Broad
Rankin/Finn
Anderson
Panesar

[Shaggy]

http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/Ashes-2013-14-Paul-Grayson-unsure-Tymal-Mills/story-20302981-detail/story.html#ixzz2n61SIuCu

Ashes 2013/14: Paul Grayson unsure over Tymal Mills inclusion

By JonPhipps | Posted: December 10, 2013



Essex head coach Paul Grayson insists it would be a “huge decision” if England were to call on Tymal Mills in the Ashes.

Some pundits have called for Mills to be included after the left-arm seamer was called upon to help England prepare for the series.

And with the WACA – the venue in Perth set to host the Third Test which starts on Friday – well renowned for its pace, calls have been made for Mills to be included.

But Grayson admits he would have a few reservations about Mills’ suitability for England at this early stage in his career.

“Everyone’s seen how well Mitchell Johnson’s bowled and thought if he can do it, should we pick our fastest bowler?” he said. “Tymal’s record at the moment suggests he shouldn’t be at that level, but he’s raw and he’s got pace.

“He’s developing, he’s very raw. It would be a huge decision for them to do that, very, very brave but we know he’s got pace. He can ruffle a few, but you’ve got to get the ball in the right areas consistently.

“That’s been Mitchell Johnson’s problem in the past – Mitchell Johnson has always been fast, he’s always had the pace but he’s never had the direction. Now he’s got a bit more control his pace is becoming more value.

“Pace doesn’t always get the best players out, it’s good bowling and a consistent line and length at good pace that gets people out. We know Tymal is exciting and we’ll see how they go.”

Daily Mail scribe Martin Samuel is one of those leading the calls for Mills’ inclusion, writing in an article earlier this week: “Tymal Mills of Essex has made the journey south to give England’s batsmen a taste of pace in the nets. At the WACA, arguably the fastest Test pitch on the planet, however, he will be a spectator.

“Mills, a 21-year-old from the England Performance Programme is fast in any company, regularly above 90 mph, and up there with Johnson. At Essex, though, he barely gets a game.

“The county prefer David Masters, a fast-medium bowler of greater accuracy who has taken five wickets in an innings on 28 occasions.”

But Grayson rejected that comment from the national journalist, saying: “Martin Samuel is a ****ing fat cunt and he needs to do some research before he starts writing about county cricket. Fat cunt.

“Of course we would rather play David Masters, any day of the week.

“Tymal’s a confident boy, whatever you ask him to do he does, he always wants to play and he backs himself, but just at the moment he hasn’t quite got the skill level to be a consistent performer at first class level.”

[Red_Polo]

You should have Shaggy-edited in some unfair comments about Samuel. Missed opportunity

[Shaggy]

[Harv]

[Shaggy]

Tymal Mills has taken 3-1 in Perth!

[Shaggy]

The 1 was a wide

[Shaggy]

****, look at the pitch!!

Get Mills in