Cricket: The Ashes 2006/07

[kevshat]

Starting this thread early as along with the Ryder Cup, The Ashes is the biggest other sports event of the year. We've got a few contributing to the cricket threads now so hopefully we can get some good discussion going before the series starts and hopefully have a good and profitable series (with England retaining the urn hopefully ;) ) Here's the schedule for England's tour of Australia.

November 2006
Fri 10	Prime Minister's XI v England XI Manuka Oval, Canberra
Sun 12 - Tue 14	New South Wales v England XI Sydney Cricket Ground
Fri 17 - Sun 19	South Australia v England XI Adelaide Oval
Thu 23 - Mon 27	1st Test - Australia v England Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
December 2006
Fri 1 - Tue 5	2nd Test - Australia v England Adelaide Oval
Sat 9 - Sun 10	Western Australia v England XI W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth
Thu 14 - Mon 18	3rd Test - Australia v England W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth
Tue 26 - Sat 30	4th Test - Australia v England Melbourne Cricket Ground
January 2007
Tue 2 - Sat 6	5th Test - Australia v England Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 9	Only Twenty20 International - Australia v England Sydney Cricket Ground
Fri 12	Australia v England Melbourne Cricket Ground
Tue 16	England v New Zealand Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Fri 19	Australia v England Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Tue 23	England v New Zealand Adelaide Oval
Fri 26	Australia v England Adelaide Oval
Tue 30	England v New Zealand W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth
February 2007
Fri 2	Australia v England Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 6	England v New Zealand Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Fri 9	1st Final - TBC v TBC Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sun 11	2nd Final - TBC v TBC Sydney Cricket Ground
Tue 13	3rd Final - TBC v TBC Adelaide Oval

I'll create a thread for the VB Series nearer the time but I don't think it's worthwhile yet with the ICC Champions Trophy upcoming. So we've got a 5 test series with 2 lots of back to back tests which is similar to last summer over here. England squad to go to Aus is: Andrew Flintoff (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Sajid Mahmood, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Chris Read, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick. The selectors have also picked a 14 man "academy" squad as cover for the test squad. That squad is: Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Rikki Clarke, James Dalrymple, Steven Davies, Ed Joyce, Robert Key, Jon Lewis, Graham Onions, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Tom Smith, Chris Tremlett, Michael Yardy. So away we go. The countdown begins here :loon . I'll post up some current odds and original thoughts in a few minutes. If anyone sees any stories or markets feel free to post them up :ok

[TheRat]

Re: Cricket: The Ashes 2006/07 I really can't see us retaining the ashes. We are missing Jones, and I'm starting to have reservations about Hoggard. The bowlers coming through lack experience, espcially in an event like this, and it will be a massive test for them. Vaughn, who was brilliant last time down under, allbeit without the captaincy burden if i recall, is missing also. Cook and Bell have both been great this summer, but I would question Bell's mental toughness in situations like this, and Cook also has not played in a series like this. The ozzie team is ageing also, but their experience on home turf will be key, and they still have some great players coming through like Jaques, and they will desperatly want to restore pride and win back the ashes on home turf. Just some early thoughs, but all the same I cannot wait!!!