Ashes 2006 !!!

One could sense a strange feeling of wanted change, when Harmison bounced Langer at Lord's last year, that the dogged spirits of the Aussies, who ruthlessly butchered everyone in their path; wavered. And for the first time in this millenium, had the Ashes walked into the hands of the proud Englishmen.

The same Harmison, instead, bowled a first ball wide, wide enough to be compared to De Freitas long hop, and that has set the tune for this year's Ashes. England were in, depleted of their captain, who architected the collapse of the Aussie dominion, were without their trust-worthy Tres, who walked out before the series with a nervous breakdown, were without their unheralded "Sultan of Swing", Simon Jones. That made it certain a result, England's win the last time around was no fluke, but this year too, their loss quite expected.

A survey conducted, to pick up the best 11 of Ashes 2005 was:

1 Justin Langer
2 Marcus Trescothick
3 Ricky Ponting
4 Michael Vaughan (c)
5 Kevin Pietersen
6 Andrew Flintoff
7 Adam Gilchrist (wk)
8 Shane Warne
9 Simon Jones
10 Steve Harmison
11 Glenn McGrath

Unfortunately this year around, I find only three of the Englishmen worth a place in this team.

My pick as of now:

1. Justin Langer
2. Matthew Hayden
3. Ricky Ponting(c)
4. Michael Hussey
5. Kevin Pietersen
6. Andrew Flintoff
7 Adam Gilchrist (wk)
8 Shane Warne
9 Stuart Clark
10 Glenn McGrath
11 Matthew Hoggard

Justin Langer did just what he knows the best, grind the opposition into submission. Though not even close to ordinary for the past 2 tests, his show at Brisbane clearly entitles him to walk through as the premier opener for this team. However, only time will tell when his position would be stripped off this team by the reliable Phil Jacques (or by Alistair Cook, the new sensation for England).

Hayden on the other hand is in the twilight zone of his career, yet showed glimpses of why he is rated as one of the most fearsome southpaws to open in Tests. Though no telling scores in this series, he still made his impact at Perth, his 92 paving way for the Ashes to be retrieved by the Oz.

Ponting -- I needn't stress much on the achievements of this man, just a mention, my personal experience is that by the time he hangs up his boots, he would have scored the most number of centuries in tests, without any scepticism.

Michael Hussey -- Just how the Australians failed to find this talent till date is out of my thought box. He averages an astonishing 70 odd in both forms of the game, truly Bradmanesque in nature. One thing I would like to see is how he fares should he play more on the featherbeds in India, against class acts like Kumble and Harbhajan.

Kevin Pietersen -- RSA must be rueing its opportunities on this lost man, and boy what a player they missed !!! The best part with Kevin is that he is probably the only player in this English side for whom the Oz have failed to build a strategy for his wicket. They rather have allowed him to build his own grave, which he seldom does given his big hitting abilities of clearing the ropes by a distance.

Andrew Flintoff -- Though his performance in this series may not have set the Thames on fire, he still is a proud man, and plays with all the determination that Hercules showed.

Adam Gilchrist -- It is just when the critics right him off does this man decide to make his own terms work. He bludgeoned his way to the second fastest hundred, and his pyrotechnics behind the stumps facing Warne and Brett Lee needs no special praise.

Shane Warne -- This man has stopped surprising me, he is there for eternity. Poised at the footstep of the most illustrious career records (700 wickets in Test matches), he is an inspiration not only for our generation but for the future to come.

Stuart Clark -- Mc Grathesque in nature, though bowls the skidders with greater precision. Made his test debut in his early thirties, he is no investment for the future, but for the moment, he deserves every single accolade he gets his way. 16 wickets in this series, and still standing, he is a revelation to the aged Ozzy workforce on the field.

McGrath -- he has always selected his bunnies, this time around, it was Cook. Dismissed three times till date, this man is a machine, he has constructed a cube on the off stump, and bowls relentlesssly quite a number of probing cells.

Matthew Hoggard -- If hype would have won a series, then this would go to Monty, but the dogged efforts of Hoggard are laudable in keeping the series alive even after the recent debacle.
Hoggard perhaps has been the best swing bowler in this series till date, and had he received some support from the others, the series would really had gone on till Melbourne, possibly Sydney.

A special mention about Ian Bell and Micheal Clarke, the "pups" of their respective sides. Both went unnerved in the process of establishing themselves as men, as they shed their youthful exuberance for a more effect oriented approach. Commendable effort by the young guns, though their places have been filled by their better counterparts in the lineup.

And for the flops, the biggest bore of this tour has been Harmison (even for a 4 for), and this guy needs to take his family around in case he plays another of those away tours. And Giles would better be confined to a wheelchair, he would do more justice to the English crown in the paralympics contests.

All in all, apart from some moments, this Ashes too turned out as the script was written ... An Aussie sweep was inevitable, all we can hope is for the Barmy Army to pump up the English team and put up a fight in the rest of the series, for their pride.

Now over to India - South Africa ... seeya later mates !!!