The Ashes: 3rd Test Preview
All of the attention over the last 10 days has surrounded players either injured or badly out of form. Both sides are in a certain amount of disarray, but it promises to be the weather that holds the trump card at Edgbaston.
England
They might be ahead in the series, but they are paying a high price for it. Their star batsman is out for the series, whilst their star all-rounder has the knee of an 80 year old.
Ian Bell is a direct replacement for Kevin Pietersen at number 4, and has much to prove. To say that people have misgivings about his inclusion is an understatement, but this might be a chance for him to rectify his poor performances over the past 12 months. Bell’s talent has never been in doubt, but how he responds to the pressure will be the key.
Flintoff is fit, by hook or by crook, but there are big doubts about how much longer he can keep going at the required level. He is sleeping with a device attached to his knee in an attempt to preserve it, and he will play in this match at least.
Predicted XI: Strauss, Cook, Bopara, Bell, Collingwood, Prior, Flintoff, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Onions
Australia
Mitchell Johnson is badly out of sorts, and there has been much talk of him being replaced in the team. The feeling is he will retain his place, but may not take the new ball, but we will have to wait for the team announcement tomorrow.
There has also been talk of Shane Watson replacing Phillip Hughes in the batting lineup, with his bowling a plus in light of Johnson’s situation, but I feel that this is unlikely. Hughes, like Ravi Bopara for England, has had two average Test matches, hardly a career threatening sequence.
The question marks are brought about more through Australia being behind than anything else, but the batting lineup as a whole has had one bad innings out of three, so shouldn’t be too much of a concern.
Predicted XI: Katich, Hughes, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, North, Haddin, Johnson, Hauritz, Clark, Hilfenhaus
Conditions
Much rain has been forecast for the next few days, and the pitch has been described as a “jelly” by the Edgbaston groundsman. Not, presumably, due to any predicted wibble-wobble. Generally, the pitches tend to be low and slow, and there have not been many results on them this season so far.
The good news for England is that when Durham visited for a 4 day game, it was the bowling of Onions and Harmison that won them the match.
Predicted result: Draw
Man of the match: Met office
Comments:
0