Bring on the Ashes

Reading through the Australia squad for the Ashes, I’m actually feeling a little more confident about England’s chances. Any team without Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist is obviously going to be significantly weaker, but I genuinely think the Aussies have some pretty serious issues to address.

Unless Mitchell Johnson continues his batting form this squad lacks a genuine test all rounder (and despite what many people are saying Andrew Symonds wouldn’t have been the answer either). Shane Watson has been around for a long time without ever looking like changing the course of a Test Match, and Andrew McDonald may just turn out to be the most limited player I’ve ever seen Australia bring to these shores.

Running through the entire squad you can make a case for most players falling into one of the categories of out of form, injured, untested, or simply not good enough. To be frank with Ponting scratching around for form (admittedly by his own high standards) only Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Michael Katich and Brad Haddin escape the cut on all fronts.

So, no spinner to speak of, a question mark over the balance of the team without a proper all rounder, and many key men only just returning from injury all of a sudden I’m getting the feeling Australia might just be there for the taking... Famous last words.