I’ll kick proceedings off then with the following:

A.Strauss (Capt), M.Trescothick, A.Cook, I.Bell, K.Pietersen, P.Collingwood, A.Flintoff, C.Read, G.Jones, S.Harmison, M.Hoggard, M.Panesar, S.Mahmood, + 1 more batsman + 1 more fast bowler, + 1 more spin bowler

I’d opt to take a 7th batsman with serious question marks over Trescothick! With Cook in the side we’ve a ready made replacement as opener, but we’d need someone reliable in at 4 or 5 to prevent Pieterson and Collingwood getting too high in the order!

Hence my remaining 3 candidates would be…wait for it:

M.Ramprakash, S.Broad, J.Dalrymple!

How’s that for controversial? …but you can’t ignore a man who, despite being 37 years of age, now knows his game inside out; and who has scored over 2000 runs at an average of 105.28!

I’m not convinced you need the extra batsman in the main squad. I can’t see Trescothick being left out - don’t want to see him left out - and if he is, then Cook has proved to be a more than capable opener. With a group in Perth, I don’t think they need anyone else there. If I were to take someone else with them, I don’t think I would take Ramprakash. He’s an excellent county performer, no doubt, but his Test average is well below par, and I think it’s too much of a risk.

I agree with our main squad, and with your choice of captain. Before Flintoff’s selection in India, I believed Strauss to be the right choice, and whilst he did an excellent job in levelling the series, I still believe in spreading workload.

As I wouldn’t take the extra batsman, I’d want to take two extra quicks and a spinner. I’m torn between Giles and Dalrymple, it must be said, but unless the former can prove his fitness before the series then it should be an easy choice. As for quicks… I like Broad, but if he’s not going to get a game, and will in Perth, that’s where I’d send him. Anderson, if fit, I would definitely give a place. Lewis, too, is a tempting option.

Right.

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Bell
Collingwood
Flintoff (Capt)
Shah
Read
G Jones
Mahmood
Plunkett
Anderson
Harmison
Hoggard
Panesar

Mahmood’s done enough with the ball in Test cricket, and I still cling desperately to the hope of seeing Anderson in 2001/2002 form. You have to back talent - these two are the most likely to take 5 wickets in an innings amongst their rivals. Plunkett just gets the nod over Dalrymple and Giles.

There is no point in taking Giles just in case we want to go with two spinners in Sydney. Even if we did, we’d throw him in raw (presumably off the back of a couple of warm up games). He’s bowling left arm spin - he’s not a batsman. You don’t come back after 12 months, just picking the ball up again. He’ll need to bank a shit load of overs before he’s ready to play grown-up cricket again, and he won’t get them before the SCG. Dalrymple to me looks like the 2006 version of Vic Marks - useful 1 day player, but not good enough in either department at the top level.

Flintoff replaces Collingwood from the Oval side at Brisbane. That’ll be it. Geraint Jones will be back in the reckoning by Boxing Day.

Strauss (C)
Cook
Bell
Butcher
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read
Panesar
Harmison
Hoggard
Broad
Yardy

There should be also strong claims for Pietersen to take up arms and train to be a wicketkeeper. It would calm his temperment and add an extra bowler or batsmen as required. A stronger batsman at wicketkeeper is better than a really strong keeper who is an average bat.

My line up may change if Flintoff is voted in Captain but i don ot think he will.

Flintoff (capt)
Strauss
Trescothick
Cook
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Shah
Read
Foster
Panesar
Dalrymple
Harmison
Hoggard
Mahmood
Broad

on standby: Giles, Anderson, Plunkett

I’d go for the bowlers that are fit. Flintoff is the exception, but he should be the only one. The others will be close by in any case. Dalymple won’t scare many of their batsmen, but could be a good foil for a more attacking Monty in a two man spin attack and if they need to be defensive (hope not) bolster the batting and play instead of Monty.

A fit Anderson would get the nod over Broad, but Plunkett wouldn’t. But if Anderson is in the team, I can’t see who bats 8. As it is, Sajid: you’ll have to keep working on your batting because you’re batting 8. We need 5 bowlers, especially with Flintoff captaining and coming back from injury.

Foster is there instead of Jones because Jones has had such a dip in form. He’s toured Australia before and is a far better keeper and batsman since he last played.

Without trying to pick a squad (I haven’t seen enough of most of the probables/possibles other than snippets on Fox at some dead ordinary hour of the night), some thoughts - will Harmison be fit and even if fit, will he travel well? He is (or at least was) a notoriously bad tourist. That may be an increasing problem as the summer wears on.

Chris (above) thinks the pitches will be prepared to suit spin. Sorry, old sausage, highly unlikely to happen. Sydney will spin - it has for decades. Melbourne will spin but only toward the end as the pitch deteriorates. Adelaide will be like Mum’s ironing board - a gazillion runs, and unlikely to be much spin. Brisbane will seam, especially if there’s a bit of rain about. Perth in recent years has not been the lightning quick track that it once was, but there was a reason McGill left WA for Sydney and it wasn’t the view of the Harbour Bridge. We are all looking forward to seeing Monty - I am sure that there will be the usuual moron element that might try to wind him up a bit, but the bleating about crowd hostility is all a bit overdone, and I doubt that it will bother him too much. Flight and drift, as much as raw turn, are the keys.

There seems to be a lot of agonising over the captaincy - the role played by Fletcher seems to be quite different to that of, say, Buchanan - he seems to have a considerable influence on most aspects of the game, which inclines me to the view that it probably doesn’t matter that much. If Freddie is captain, there may be a risk of him overbowling himself, but other than that there is little to pick.

The third quick is interesting, and may be the difference between the two sides. In the absence of Jones, there seems to be some fragility. Aus were well served by Clarke against a very ordinary SA, and I suppose loyalty, if not form , will cause Gillespie and Kasprowicz to be considered. One of Mahmood, Anderson Plunkett or Broad will need to perform if it is assumed that, over the series, McGrath and Lee on one side and Harmison and Hoggard on the other all stay fit and each have their moments.

As much as I admire Giles for the way he played in 2005, I am struggling with the idea that he might repeat that again, especially given his prolonged absence. Finding a backup for Monty for Sydney (and, perhaps, Melbourne)who can bat a bit sounds like the question and Dalrymple sounds like the answer.

The general view seems to be that Read is a better keeper than Jones. He must play. Runs from a keeper are a luxury, not a necessity. The second best keeper must tour - if that is Jones, fine.

Trescothick? I am beginning to doubt whether he can be regarded as a first choice opener, especially on a long tour.

pick anybody, just don’t pick Ramprakash or Butcher.

my eleven for the first test:

-Strauss (c)
-Trescothick
-Cook
-Pietersen
-Bell
-Flintoff
-Read
-Tremlett
-Harmison
-Hoggard
-Panesar

If Tremlett is not picked in the touring squad I may well cry. I simply cannot understand why he has only been mentioned twice in this discussion. He is tall and will get wicked bounce in Australia. He has an outstanding record and having performed the 12th man duties for 4 of last summers 5 Ashes tests he deserves a go. His time is now - and his record in the latter part of the county season simply demands inclusion. Lewis - good bowler that he is in English conditions - will struggle in Australia, Mahmood bowls too many 4-balls (but may be worth playing on the bouncier tracks), Plunkett needs to prove fitness but should tour and Broad, whilst he is a very good prospect for the future should travel to Perth to gain experience in Australian conditions but should not be included in the Test squad unless there are injuries and circumstances dictate we need to take a gamble later in the series.
If anyone can give me a valid reason why Tremlett should not tour - please enlighten me.

I’m astonished that people are still calling for Ramprakash to be picked.

He has played 52 tests and only averages 27.32. Does he really deserve another chance ?

He’s a great county player but 52 tests is enough to show he can’t do it.

I would not take Giles. By all means plant him in Aussie club cricket as a third option if he is bowling well. But, you can’t take someone in the Ashes party who has not played for a year. Dalrymple gets my vote as second spinner.

I don’t think I’d take Trescothick but I expect that they will. His record overseas is poor. His record against the Aussies is poor. He’s had a terrible summer and now he is ill. I’m not sure who I’d take instead; probably Key or Joyce.

Fast Bowlers: Hoggard, Flintoff, Harmison, Mahmood and Broad.

Paul

All the talk of Perth spinning seems like hype to me. Bet its the normal trampoline it has been since Lillee and Thomson.

taylor hughes will pay a very lage part in this years ashes