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I would like to make this the match thread for the upcoming Ashes,if others do not mind
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I object to this being the Ashes thread

Make your predictions Kash you wise man.

Top Run-Scorers for both teams: Cook & Clarke
Top Wicket-Takers for both teams: Anderson & Pattinson
Series result: 3-0 to England.
Should we have roofs in cricket? Yes play every test in the Cardiff Millenium stadium.

The biggest series this summer is England women V Pak women

Top run scorers
Eng Root,Aus Watson
Top wicket takers Eng Broad,Aus Harris (if he plays).
Series result 3-1 England
And we don't need roofs.. I will get my weather machine out and make it mid twenties and mostly sunny for the 5 test matches <if only>

I watched some of the highlights yesterday of the warm-up game and all I saw Saj Mahmmod do was bowl absolute filth. Full toss after full toss. Rubbish bowler, whose not even good enough for county cricket anymore. Should never have been selected for England.

Problem with Sajid Mahmmod hes never bowled 6 balls on a length. Always trying something.Either he's been coached poorly or aint got the intelligence to take it on board.. Dernbach is the same.. For a quick bowler he bowls more slower balls than an off spinner.

Bresnan scores a hundred, only problem is it is with the ball he needs to produce because anything with the bat is a bonus. England may well just go with him because of that hundred. But all depends on Compton.

Top run scorer : Shane Watson
Top wicket taker: Starc
Series result : 3 -0 to Australia..easy

Anyone don't agree my predictions then it's their problem not mine..

Can't see it being a particularly memorable series quality wise. Especially considering the standards of this current Australian side. Not sure the Packer era was as distinctly average this team, we shall soon see. Be surprised if Clarke plays in the back to back Tests and he's the glue in their batting line-up. Although they have some promising quicks its by no means vintage.

Nor do I particularly rate this England side a great deal neither. Solid with a good mentality and a good attack that will cause problems. Pietersen's return will be key and I quite like Cook as a captain. Though he needs to be a bit more aggressive in this series against a side who look there for the taking.

Probably go for for a 2-0 England win depending on the weather. If we get a food summer perhaps even 3-0 with a few big scoring draws. Just can't see where an Aussie victory will come from at the moment. As you mention though an Ashes series can throw up all sorts of funny things.

Swann is the key, if he is injured then 4-0 England, if not 5-0.

3-1 England.
Runs: KP and Clarke
Wickets: Jimmy and Starc


Is Steve Smith actually in line to start?

The Galloping Major

Agree with you, especially with Australia I think this is probably their worst batting line-up in recent times. But for me what does it is their bowling. They have the potential. That is where I can see the victory coming from and in truth I believe England are bound to slip-up somewhere so I can see Australia taking a Test.

Australia go into this series with a lot of talk of "They are not very good" etc...That will play into their hands and favour them. As will their captain Clarke. He will definitely be aggressive, but as you mentioned Cookie has to do the same. Clarke as a batsman and as a captain may give them something extra which can make England slip-up me thinks. But it may not be enough.

Bale

Stevie Smith is not in line to play first up I believe
He was just drafted into the squad as cover for Clarke!- But in truth I think he will get a couple of games towards the end of the series. I have always believed with Smith he is a worse bowler than people think and a better batsman than people think. I can see him putting in that one good performance for Australia.

As usual the only decision England will have to make is between Bresnan and Finn for a bowling position.
I think Bresnan will get the position at Nottingham

Cook
Root
Trott
Pieterson
Bell
Bairstow
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Andeerson

The great thing for England compared to Australia is that England have healthy competition whereas Australia are in the unsure bracket of who to pick.

But Watson will open with Chris Rodgers and Fawad Ahmed has been granted Australian citizenship, thus allowing him to play in the Ashes.

Last time English were this confident was against Pakistan, and I hope they don't see another disaster here . And by I hope I mean I am actually supporting England in the upcoming Ashes.

Fawad Ahmed was hopeless in the Aussie A games. Another Imran Tahir who are all Pakistan rejects.

Better than the Pakistani rejects we have in the team, Kash.

We have the best spin attack combination in world cricket albeit Ajmal, Rehman, Hafeez and Afridi are in there 30s.

I was referring to the batsman, these "rejects" as you call them would do a better job than them. At least they would show passion.

Kash,

With all due respect, especially to Ajmal who I enjoy watching, that is a clear indication of the dearth in quality of spin bowling in world Cricket right now.

For sometime now actually.

I doubt Australia will start with Fawad Ahmed be to much of a risk.. they will pick Lyon to begin with,see how he gets on.

They won't start with him. Lyon would be first pick then this 21 year old Agar lad who has only played a few FC matches then Fawad may get a game. But I want to see Fawad play at sometime. Just for pure enjoyment.