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5 big predictions for Ashes 2017/18

Charbel Coorey
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We are less than two days away from the biggest Test series on the calendar! Which way will it go?

Things are really heating up in the lead up to the Ashes opener in Brisbane, with Nathan Lyon leading the chorus of how England still have scars from 2013/14 in Australia, and are ready to “end careers”. It may have been a little over the top, but what it has done is added more spice to what could be a very interesting and passionate series.

Both England and Australia have had some batting concerns in recent times, so which batting line up will crack first?

Here are my 5 big predictions for the Ashes:

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will take 50+ wickets between them

It’s a big call, especially considering Hazlewood and Starc will be two of a four-man attack, and are both injury prone.
However, both are incredible bowlers, and are in good form. They are arguably the most dangerous opening pair in the world, as they have the ability to take wickets anywhere. Josh Hazlewood maintains a consistent line and length, and extracts excellent bounce. Mitchell Starc will be sure to complement him well with searing swing and pace, and has the ability to replicate what Mitchell Johnson did in the last Ashes in Australia.
In Mitchell Starc’s last First-Class match, he took two hat-tricks in the same game. I see England having to work really hard to deal with Starc and Hazlewood, even on the flat Australian tracks, as they have the skill to take wickets on these pitches.
What might fire Hazlewood up in particular is former England batsman Rob Key labelling him as a “poor man’s Anderson”. I can’t wait to see how he reacts.
Josh Hazlewood & Mitchell Starc will be a handful for England

James Anderson and Stuart Broad will both average 30+ for the series with the ball

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are England’s biggest weapons with the ball, and need them both to have a big impact if they are to retain the Ashes.
What’s worrying though is their inability to move the Kookaburra ball in Australian conditions. Their respective records reflect this, and with pitches in Australia getting flatter over the last few years, Broad and Anderson might not be as effective as the England media suggests.
James Anderson will go down as one of England’s finest ever bowlers, but his record in Australia leaves plenty to be desired. In 13 Tests down-under, Anderson has taken 43 wickets at 38.44, which is 14 runs more than his home average. He is now 35 years of age, and with Australian pitches flatter than ever before in the last few years, it might be a challenging series for Jimmy.
Stuart Broad fares a little better in Australia, with 23 wickets in 7 Tests at 32.13. He has been a fine bowler for England, and is just 12 wickets away from the magical mark of 400 Test wickets. But, the question is, what is different about Broad and Anderson this time around that will see them improve on their Australian records?
James Anderson hasn’t had it easy in Australia

Steven Smith will be the Ashes’ series leading run-scorer, outplaying his counterpart Joe Root

Steve Smith boasts a ridiculous record at home. In 24 Tests in Australia, Smith has scored 2,403 runs at an average of 68.65, and averages 69.02 as captain.
England will have plans to try and unsettle him, but Smith will want to hold that Ashes urn so badly. His unorthodox techniques opens up plenty of run scoring opportunities, and with the ball coming on to the bat nicely in Australia, it will play right into his hands.
With England’s inability to move the Kookaburra ball as much as the Duke ball, I expect to see Smith play a massive role in the series. He will top the run scoring charts (500+ runs).
In regards to Joe Root, he is a fine player but unproven in Australian conditions, averaging 27.42 in 4 Tests. He was very young back in 2013/14, and has grown into a fine player since. However, a big question is how his technique (preferring to play back) will work in Australian conditions this time around. 
Steve Smith has an incredible record at home

Jonny Bairstow will be England’s leading run scorer

Another big call, with the likes of Alastair Cook and Joe Root in the England line up.
I believe Cook and particularly Root will have decent series, but the rise of Jonny Bairstow has been something to behold.
Averaging just 24 in his nine Ashes Tests, Jonny Bairstow has since taken off in his Test career, scoring 2,113 runs at 47.00. He has become a very crucial part of this England team, and I believe he’ll have a big series.
Jonny Bairstow has been great since the last Ashes

Australia will win the Ashes series 3-1

The Australians have been on fire in home series over the last 5 years, only struggling against South Africa during this period. England, on the other hand, have a host of players who haven’t had it easy in Australia and could be without Ben Stokes for the entire series.
Australia know these conditions, and their team is full of players who have excelled at home. Despite questionable selections such as Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine, I expect Australia to win the Ashes 3-1. England’s win will be under lights in Adelaide in the 2nd Test.
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Agree or disagree with my predictions? Leave a comment!
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Stats highlights – 1st India v Sri Lanka Test ends in draw

Charbel Coorey
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What a shame the first India v Sri Lanka Test was ruined by rain.

With any result possible mid-way through the fifth day, it was almost a disappointment to see that it was only a day 3 pitch, rather than a proper day 5 pitch. Still, it was such a thrilling finish; the kind of excitement that only Test cricket can provide. India came so close, with the light ultimately winning.

India would rue their middle-order mini-collapse, which held them back and didn’t allow Kohli to score as quickly as he would have liked in the earlier part of his innings. India then threw absolutely everything at Sri Lanka – Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were especially impressive with conventional and reverse swing ripping through the Lions’ top and middle order, but it wasn’t quite enough in the end.

There were some special individual performances in this Test, which help make up the stats highlights:

3rd best conversion rate in Test history (min. 2,000 runs)

Virat Kohli has crossed fifty 32 times in Test cricket. Amazingly, 18 of those have been hundreds.
This puts him third on the list of best 50/100 conversion rates in Test history, among players with at least 2,000 Test runs. He sits behind Don Bradman of Australia and George Headley of West Indies. What a great player Virat Kohli is – he gave India a chance of winning when they had a chance of losing the Test.

Equal most hundreds by an India captain

Virat Kohli’s brilliant second innings hundred also saw him equal the record for most hundreds by an India captain (11). He sits level with the great Sunil Gavaskar.At the same time, Kohli reached 50 international hundreds, and is the joint fastest to the mark, alongside Hashim Amla (348 inns). An absolute star.

Batting each day of a Test match

Cheteshwar Pujara achieved a rare feat.
During this Test, he became the ninth player ever to bat at least one ball on each of the five days of a Test. His total of 74 (52 and 22) is the lowest for any player who batted each day of a Test.

1500+ runs and 400+ wickets double

Rangana Herath became the eighth player in Test history to achieve the double of 1500 runs and 400 wickets in Test cricket.
His 67 in the first innings helped give Sri Lanka a handy first innings lead, which in the end was vital in helping them save the Test.  He is sure to play more of a role with the ball in the remaining two Tests.

Most wickets by seamers by India in a Test match at home

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami took 17 wickets between them in this Test. This is the most ever Indian seamers have taken in a Test in India.
Good form ahead of the South Africa tour.

Wicketless game for spinners

This is the first time in 262 home Tests that the Indian spinners went wicketless. All wickets were taken by the seamers, and were very close in delivering India an amazing victory. This means Ravi Ashwin stays on 292 Test wickets.
Ahead of the South Africa tour, India would be happy to see they aren’t relying on their spinners to help them win Test matches. Their seamers are bowling very well at the moment.

Best Match figures ever for Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues to impress, taking his best ever match figures of 8/96. This included 4/8 in the second innings. I can have no complaints that he won Man of the Match.
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All India needed was 10 more minutes. It is amazing how close Test cricket can be, and they proved that they are in a good state to go ahead and take this Test series by the scruff of the neck.

South African batsman hits 490 in a one-day game!

Charbel Coorey
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It might not be long until 490 is scored by a team in ODIs, but this South African batsman hit an extraordinary 490 on his own in a one-day match.

20 year old batsman Shane Dadswell, playing for NWU Pukke, hit a total of 84 boundaries in 151 balls – he smashed 57 sixes and 27 fours.
His team reached a ridiculous 677/3, and the opposition, Potch Dorp, could only manage 290/9 in 50 overs, losing by 387 runs.
Potch Dorp used six bowlers – four went for over a century and the other two went for over 90.
If Dadswell wasn’t awarded man of the match, then the end of the world is surely near.
What an incredible performance!

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What’s happened since Tim Paine last scored a first-class century?

Charbel Coorey
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A few days have passed since Australia’s Ashes selections, and I still have to rub my eyes to make sure they are not deceiving me. Australia have literally “trolled” us all, and also went against their own “policy” with their selections, which have actually been good for England. The hallmark of ridiculous selections.

The selection of Tim Paine was certainly the biggest shock. Without playing a Test for seven years, the justification of Tim Paine’s selection by Trevor Hohns (Australia selection chairman) was that he is the “best gloveman in the country.” Just one problem…. Paine isn’t even first choice keeper for Tasmania, so do the selectors think we are fools? This even prompted the legendary Shane Warne to claim that Australia are “confused”.

With the selection of Shaun Marsh, brought in to the side for an eighth time, and Cameron Bancroft, who will make his Test debut, it just does not make sense to throw even more uncertainty with the selection of Paine. This is not a personal attack on Tim Paine, but what happened to having to properly knock the door down to win selection to the Test team?

Tim Paine has barely even been knocking, scoring his last first-class century in 2006. Here are some things that have happened since Paine scored a first-class century:

  • Australian coach Darren Lehmann scored a first-class century more recently than Tim Paine. Darren Lehmann’s last first-class century came in 2007, which makes Tim Paine’s selection even more ridiculous. How confident can the Australian selectors really be about Tim Paine? 
  • Twitter had just been founded when Tim Paine last scored a first-class century. Approximately, 2,200,000,000,000 tweets later, we are still waiting for a century… Doesn’t matter to the Australian selectors, though.
  • Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton were the big things in Hollywood. I don’t have to say much more…
  • Nokia was still the “big thing” when Tim Paine last scored his first-class century. Apple hadn’t even released the iPhone! Ten iPhones later, Apple has significantly changed the world.
  • Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion. YouTube is now worth approximately $40 billion.
  • Instagram wasn’t even launched. In fact, Instagram was launched just a few days before Tim Paine’s last Test in 2010.
In addition to this, Tim Paine has scored 258 runs in his last five first-class matches, at an average of 32.25. Is that all you need to knock the door down to get Australian selection? Peter Nevill’s form hasn’t been brilliant, but surely he is a better option?
What about Shaun Marsh’s selection? While he has been in decent form during the opening rounds of the Shield season, this is Shaun Marsh’s eighth recall, and at 34 years of age, questions have to be asked of Australia’s “youth policy”. Glenn Maxwell, who was thrusted with the no. 6 role in tough conditions in India and Bangladesh, should have been given first opportunity in the Ashes. 
Let’s hope this selection pays off.
One decision I can understand though is the addition of Cameron Bancroft at the expense of Matthew Renshaw. There has been a lot of noise about Matthew Renshaw not being selected, but I think it was the right decision. 
Time is on Renshaw’s side, and he needs to spend time in Shield cricket to rediscover his form. It just wouldn’t be fair to throw him into an Ashes environment when he is struggling for form. The most important thing is to make sure he always has the support of his selectors and coaches, to ensure he is perfectly equipped to perform. He is an amazing prospect and will find his form soon enough.
The main point is – when you have uncertainties such Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft, Tim Paine’s selection is even more baffling. It remains to be seen how Tim Paine, as well as Australia’s other selection choices, fare in the first Ashes Test starting on Thursday.
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Australia retain Ashes with win in 1st Women’s T20I

Charbel Coorey
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Congratulations Australia!

The Australian Women team have done the nation proud, after retaining the Ashes against England. After the drawn Test, all Australia needed was one win in the T20Is, and they achieved it in the first game, winning by 6 wickets with 25 balls to spare.

England’s very defensive display in the Test match suggested that they were planning to throw all their eggs into the T20I basket, which has backfired. Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt and Elise Perry decimated England’s top order to leave them 16/4. In the end, England did extremely well to reach 132/9, thanks to Danielle Wyatt, who rescued England’s innings with a fine 50 off 36 balls. However, she was outdone by Beth Mooney, who struck an irresistible 86 of 56 balls to lead Australia home.

Mooney’s cover driving was as good as you’ll ever see, and held the innings together well for Australia.

Here are some awesome stats & facts from Australia’s Ashes-sealing win:

1st 50 in T20Is

It’s hard to believe Beth Mooney had never scored a T20I fifty for Australia before tonight. She middled almost everything – her cover driving was special to watch. A great time to bring up your first fifty!
It was also Danielle Wyatt’s first fifty, and that too in her 71st T20I. It came at a great time with her team in big trouble, but wasn’t enough in the end.

Highest score ever by an Australian in a T20I at home

Beth Mooney scored the highest ever score by an Australian at home in a T20I. The previous best was Meg Lanning’s 79.

Best ever bowling figures:

It wasn’t only Beth Mooney who had her best ever outing, but so did Megan Schutt. Schutt was superb with the ball, taking her best ever figures of 4/22.

Difference between top and second highest scorer: 69

Mooney’s 86 was easily Australia’s top score, with next best score being Elyse Villani’s 17. Such a dominant display by Mooney.

Australia’s second straight Ashes series win:

England came to Australia aiming to retain the Ashes after losing in 2015, but wasn’t to be. Australia have been the better team since the start of the ODI series, and deserve their win.
North Sydney put on a wonderful night, with another great crowd turning up. This is a wonderful time for women’s cricket, and hopefully the momentum continues in Canberra.
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England’s batting finally clicks, but one major concern remains

Charbel Coorey
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With just one week to go before the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, England’s batting finally clicked on this tour. Following a poor outing in the Tour Match in Adelaide a few days ago, the onus was on England’s batsmen to deliver after their bowlers saved them from utter embarrassment.

England finished day two of the Tour Match v CA XI on 337/3, with Joe Root and Dawid Malan not out on 62 and 57 respectively.

There will be no confidence problems for Mark Stoneman heading into the Brisbane Test, notching up his fourth 50+ score in a row, and England’s first century of the tour. The Ashes proper is a different proposition, but Stoneman has been impressive so far, showing good intent and actually providing assistance to Alastair Cook.

Cook was slower to get going, but with Stoneman going well at the other end, Cook had the licence to take his time and spend quality time in the middle. With just three Tests under his belt, Stoneman has looked the most assured England batsman on tour so far and the tourists will be hoping for more of the same come next Thursday.

One concern England had though was the form of Alastair Cook. A key player for England, Cook had made scores of 0, 15 and 32, and looked scratchy in all innings. The 2nd day of the Tour Match was a relief for all associated with England, with Cook spending good time in the middle for his 70.

Skipper Joe Root, who is now just six runs away from 9,000 first-class runs, was back in the runs after two failures in a row, and Dawid Malan continues his decent run with his third half-century in four innings on tour.

So, four of England’s top five had solid outings, but what about their number three?

One area of concern for England, which has been a problem for quite a while now, is their number three. James Vince, who got a start, could not convert yet again.

It’s been the story of his tour, as well as his career so far. In the Ashes, England will desperately need their James Vince gamble to pay off. 20s and 30s will not win you an Ashes series, and if your number three can’t get over that hurdle, it’s concerning.

Is it a technical or mental problem for James Vince? Evidence throughout his Test career so far suggests it’s both, as he is able to get starts but those technical deficiencies outside off stump are costing him dearly.

One week out from the series opener, England have no choice but to continue encouraging Vince, and remind him that he was picked for a reason. If he can find his mojo in the Ashes, England might very well have a chance. It’s a very big “if”, though.

Preview – 1st Test: India v Sri Lanka

Charbel Coorey
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Just over two months ago, India inflicted a 9-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka on their own soil. It was like a team of 25 year olds playing a team of players aged 13. Sri Lanka didn’t stand a chance.

Will there be a repeat?

After engaging in successful limited overs series against Australia and New Zealand, India shift their focus to Test cricket, and will be looking to maintain its no.1 ranking ahead of a huge tour of South Africa. The question beckons for India – will they have one eye on that tour, or will their focus be 100% on Sri Lanka?

Despite the risk of complacency and lack of focus, India look quite settled ahead of this series, welcoming back a host of stars. Virat Kohli will especially be wanting good things from his seam bowlers on what seems a lively Eden Gardens track, with the South Africa tour coming up.

However, if India’s focus is not 100% on this series, this represents a real opportunity for Sri Lanka. The Lions are talking about an improved culture thanks to the learnings of arguably their worst home performance ever v India, as well as a surprise 2-0 win in the UAE over Pakistan recently.

Sri Lanka achieved a fantastic 2-0 series win over Pakistan recently.

Sri Lanka will be boosted by the return of Angelo Mathews, especially considering how inexperienced their squad is. To stand any sort of chance, they desperately need their senior players to step up. Nobody (except India fans) wants to see Sri Lanka 4/40 with inexperienced players trying to dig their team out of a hole.

Key to an India win

Let’s face it. This series is a mismatch on paper, especially on Indian soil. Anything other than an India series win will be a massive shock – the cricketing world equivalent of Trump winning the US election or the Brexit vote.
India’s major threat is their own complacency. Seeing that Sri Lanka have struggled in 2017, including a 9-0 thrashing at the hands of India recently, it can be easy for India to think they only have to show up to win.

India thrashed Sri Lanka on their own soil

Under Virat Kohli though, you expect India to be 100% focused on every detail, with a desire for every key batsman to get good time in the middle, and their bowlers maintaining excellent lines and lengths.

Key to a Sri Lanka win

The return of Angelo Mathews is a big boost for Sri Lanka, as they need runs on the board if they are to challenge India. 
The likes of Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal have been in excellent form in Test cricket, and need to continue their form and make significant contributions. With the ball, Sri Lanka will be led by the legendary Rangana Herath, and with runs on the board, they could potentially cause India a few headaches.

Dimuth Karunaratne has had a solid 2017 in Test cricket

However, the loss of form of Kusal Mendis, who will not be involved in the series, is a big blow. Even more reason for the senior players to stand up.

Predicted teams:

The big question for India is who will open the batting? Personally, I feel Shikhar Dhawan deserves the spot after a huge series in Sri Lanka. Also, despite the Eden Garden surface looking green, I think both Jadeja and Ashwin will play.
India: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Ravichandran Ashwin, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammad Shami, 11 Umesh Yadav
For Sri Lanka, who replaces Mendis? Dhananjaya de Silva has plenty of talent, and should be given a chance at no. 3.
Sri Lanka: 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 3 Dhananjaya de Silva 4 Dinesh Chandimal (c), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Dulruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Lahiru Gamage

Stats & Facts:

  • Sri Lanka have never won a Test in India. Out of 10 losses, eight have come by an innings, which is the most out of any Test nation visiting India.
  • India recently thrashed Sri Lanka 3-0 in the Test series, and two victories came by an innings.
  • India have won four Tests in a row, and five of their last six. 
  • Dimuth Karunaratne is just 60 runs away from reaching 1,000 Test runs for the year. He has scored 940 runs at an average of 47.00.
  • Out of the top 25 Test run scorers in 2017, Cheteshwar Pujara has the best average (851 runs at 70.91)
  • Sri Lanka have lost 12 ODIs in a row, but have won their last two Tests. In the process, they became the first team to ever beat Pakistan in a Test series in the UAE since 2009.
  • Rangana Herath averages 45.96 v India in Tests. Against all other nations, he has taken 373 wickets at an average of 26.26.
  • Ravichandran Ashwin is just 8 wickets away from 300 Test wickets. He is on track to becoming the fastest ever to the mark. 
  • Shikhar Dhawan in the Test tour of Sri Lanka recently: 358 runs in 4 innings at an average of 89.50.
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Prediction:

With some rain expected, there is a possibility we won’t get a result. However, if the weather holds, anything other than an India win will be a surprise.
Rain permitting, I expect to see Ravi Ashwin pick up the 8 wickets required to reach 300 Test wickets. India will win comfortably as their batting and bowling is superior to Sri Lanka’s. 
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An in-depth look at England’s batting struggles

Charbel Coorey
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England picked up a victory in their most recent tour match against Cricket Australia XI, but it was far from convincing. It’s not often a team could have so many concerns after a win, but that is the situation England find themselves in at the moment.

England in this Test boasted 417 Test matches worth of experience, even without Stuart Broad, who himself has played 109 Tests. The Cricket Australia XI, excluding captain Tim Paine, have played a combined total of 59 first-class matches.

During the match, I was embarrassed for England. They had absolutely no excuse to struggle like they did in this match, and the most concerning aspect is that this is not a one-off. This is a product of their struggle for a long time to find their right combination, especially in their top order. Potentially without Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, England are in some trouble.

Opening troubles

Alastair Cook, who is having his own challenges at the moment, has had 11 opening partners since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. Mark Stoneman is the latest to be handed the challenge, and despite performing well in this tour match, has a less-than-impressive average of 35 in 153 first-class matches. In just three career Tests so far v lowly West Indies, he’s averaged 30. It’s unfair of England to ask big things of Mark Stoneman in the Ashes, and the question is – how confident are England about Mark Stoneman doing really well against a strong Australian pace attack?

Number 3 troubles

England have also been unable to settle on a number three for the last few years.
James Vince couldn’t go on to get a significant score in either innings.
James Vince was even surprised at his call up for an Ashes spot, and his habit of getting a start and not converting was on show again in Adelaide. In seven Tests to date, Vince has yet to register a half century, and averages less than 20. This is despite reaching double figures in 7 of his 11 innings so far. What’s concerning are some technical deficiencies on and around off-stump. Considered an elegant driver of the ball, Vince has the knack of not getting into line of the ball at times, often edging behind the wicket. With the extra bounce in Australia, this is a significant concern.
Like Mark Stoneman, can England really feel confident about James Vince having a big series at number three?
All of a sudden, you have question marks about your top three batsmen which represents a significant opportunity for Australia to pounce. Alastair Cook has managed just 47 runs in three innings on tour, and with an unproven Test opener and number three, England have headaches at the top.
England need Alastair Cook to have a big series.

Middle order question marks

England’s 7/45 collapse against Cricket Australia XI would have sent shivers down the spines of all England fans. Luckily, the classy Jonny Bairstow saved his team from further embarrassment with a fine second innings knock. England face the possibility of being without Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali for at least the start of the series, so the question is who else will step up?
Joe Root faces not only the pressure of being captain in an Ashes series, but also the pressure of contributing well with the bat all the time. One of the best batsmen in the world, Root simply has to deliver with England’s middle-lower options looking a bit thin.
Dawid Malan has only 5 Tests under his belt. Gary Ballance since 2014 has scored 769 runs in 15 Tests at an average of just 27.46, and has previously struggled against Australia’s pace. Is Chris Woakes batting one place too high at 7?
These are issues that England must address, otherwise their bowlers will be left with too much to do. With injuries and other issues to contend with, the onus is on England’s batsmen.
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From number 1-7, England have significant questions to answer. 
It seems that England are relying on inexperienced players with modest first class records to deliver an Ashes victory against arguably the best pace attack in the world. It will be interesting to see if they can prove me wrong.
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Preview – Women’s Ashes Test

Charbel Coorey
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Today, history will be made, with the first ever Day/Night Test Match in the women’s game

The women’s game is certainly on the up. With over half a million fans tuning into the recent 3rd ODI, the attention now turns to the pink ball, with Australia having the chance to seal the Ashes even before the three T20Is.

Australia have promised aggressive cricket, and they have the team to do it. England, on the other hand, are motivated by revenge, and are looking to keep their Ashes hopes alive.

It makes for a really great contest at North Sydney Oval. Who will come out on top?

Key to an Australia win

Deliver on their promise of aggressive cricket.

Australia have a captain in Rachael Haynes that is down-to-earth, and clearly focused on the task at hand. She told Cricinfo; “From our point of view,  we don’t want to think about it [pink ball] too much either way. We just want to go out there and focus on the contest happening at the time.”

That focus will hold Australia well, especially considering they have plenty of match winners in their team. The likes of Haynes, Alex Blackwell, Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry are all fine cricketers.

A team effort will see Australia home.

Key to an England win

Don’t take a backwards step.
It can be easy to fall into your shell when your opposition says they’ll come at you all guns blazing, but England need to be proactive in this game.
It’s important for England that they don’t let Australia dictate the game from the outset, as they could be playing from behind for the rest of the game. The key would be to get in front early, and maintain as much pressure on Australia as possible.
Captain Heather Knight has been positive about her team’s chances, claiming they love playing with their backs to the wall. 

Stats & Facts:

  • Australia currently lead the Ashes series 4-2, after winning the ODI series 2-1. 
  • A win for Australia in the Test will mean they regain the Ashes. The Test is worth four points, and the three T20Is to follow are worth three.
  • Ellyse Perry’s performance holds the key in this match – she has taken 27 wickets in 6 Tests v England at an average of 16.11. With the bat, she averages above 31.
  • In 48 Tests between these two sides, 27 have ended as a draw. In the last 5 Tests, Australia have won two, England one and two draws.
  • England captain Heather Knight is coming off a fine 88 to lead England to a win in the recent 3rd ODI.
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Prediction:

This should be a really exciting match. 
Australia have promised to be aggressive and England have promised to not back down. 
However, with experience on their side, I expect Australia to win in a tight game.
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Is the make up of the Australia team more clear?

Charbel Coorey
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An eventful second round of the Sheffield Shield has come to an end, with New South Wales and Queensland winning, and Victoria/South Australia playing out a thrilling draw.

The three Sheffield Shield rounds before the Ashes are an audition for places in the Australian batting lineup. Some positions are more open that they have ever been before. 
After two rounds, are we more clear on the make up of the side? Who has stepped up and who hasn’t?
This piece will go through each of the key candidates for a Test spot, rate their performance and their chances of a call up to the Test side.

New South Wales v Western Australia

What a game this was. 
Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft put on 179 for the 1st wicket against the Australian attack, and it all went downhill from there. Beware, England – Mitchell Starc is on fire, taking two hat tricks in the match to lead New South Wales to a last-gasp win in Hurstville.
On the batting front, how did the key candidates go?
Daniel Hughes (NSW): Hughes has been spoken about as a potential option for Australia in the middle order, but didn’t have his best game, scoring 25 and 1. It will take something extraordinary from him in NSW’s next game for him to be considered for selection. For now, he will almost certainly miss out.
Peter Nevill (NSW): Nevill looked solid on the first day in challenging batting conditions, batting good time for his 32. There are plenty of calls for Nevill to take the gloves in the first Ashes Test, but he needs to convert his starts. In three innings this season, he has scored 20, 32 and 11*. His place in the Australia team is still uncertain, but a good third game can get him over the line.
Peter Nevill looked solid for his 32 but chased a wide one

Cameron Bancroft (WA): Other than Steven Smith, Cameron Bancroft was the best performer in this match. He showed patience and courage to bat through undefeated in WA’s first innings, and was also superb with Shaun Marsh in the second. Opening the batting against the Australian attack, his performance definitely has the selectors looking at him for that wicketkeeping role in the 1st Ashes Test.

Shaun Marsh (WA): There is a good possibility that Shaun Marsh will be opening the batting come November 23. He has been in good form recently – in his last three First Class matches, dating back to September in England, he has scored 78, 125* 63, 11, 2 and 91. He had NSW nervous with a brilliant 91 in the second innings. He has held his hand up the highest so far.

Shaun Marsh & Cameron Bancroft can’t be ignored

Hilton Cartwright (WA): The worst possible game for Hilton, making a pair. Can’t see him getting into the Australia side.

Victoria v South Australia:

A thrilling draw played out in Melbourne.
Throughout the match, there were strong performances from Ashes candidates:
Glenn Maxwell (VIC): Maxi did his chances of a no.6 Ashes spot for Australia no harm with two fifties. I was particularly impressed with his first innings effort, where he showed maturity and patience to bat 113 balls for his 60. After a scratchy first game against Queensland, he needs one more solid outing v Tasmania at the MCG for selection.
Glenn Maxwell staked his claim for an Ashes call up
Peter Handcomb (VIC): Pete Hanscomb is almost certain to line up for Australia, given the really promising start he’s made to his Test career. However, he has a habit of not converting starts – his last three innings in Shield cricket – 34, 43, 58. Something to work on.
Jake Lehmann (SA): Can “baby-boof” be ignored? What a game he had. 103 and 93 represents a special game but the selectors need to ask themselves if his dashing approach is what is wanted in the middle order. If the answer is yes, then his chances of a call up are high as he outplayed Glenn Maxwell in this game, even though Australia may want to give Maxwell the first chance. An average of 44.00 in 29 First-Class matches suggests Lehmann would not be out of place in the Australia XI.
Jake Lehmann had a great game v Victoria

Callum Ferguson (SA): A year ago, Callum Ferguson made his Test debut and was unlucky not to get another chance. He put his name in the spotlight here with a brilliant 182* in the 2nd innings. However, he needs a big third game v WA in Perth as he’s had two single figure scores and a 36 in his other innings so far.

Tasmania v Queensland

A tough game for the batsmen in Hobart. Not sure if you’ll see many Ashes candidates get a call up from this game:
Matthew Wade (TAS): Wade’s poor form continued with scores of 9 and 17. He looks shot for confidence at the moment – he needs something like a double hundred to put him in contention for a place.
Matthew Renshaw (QLD): Another incumbent struggling at the moment. Renshaw toiled for 125 balls in this match, scoring just 20 runs. More time in Shield cricket might be better for young Renshaw to help him find his form again.
Wade and Renshaw are both struggling for runs
Joe Burns (QLD): Solid 70 in the second innings, which was the highest score in the match. However, Burns has not been scoring enough runs in recent times to warrant a call up.
Usman Khawaja (QLD): Having a really solid season so far with scores of 40, 122, 27 and 28*. His brilliant record in Australia means he is a must for the first Ashes Test.
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Predicted Australia team after two rounds of Shield action:
1. David Warner
2. Shaun Marsh
3. Usman Khawaja
4. Steven Smith (c)
5. Peter Handscomb
6. Glenn Maxwell
7. Peter Nevill (wk)
8. Mitchell Starc
9. Pat Cummins
10. Nathan Lyon
11. Josh Hazlewood
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Is there any player I’ve missed who you feel should be in the Australia side. Leave a comment!
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