The Ashes – Second Test: Brisbane preview

 

 

 

SECOND TEST PREVIEW

 

These are Heady days in the Ashes series. Leading up to the second Test it is more like a TV hospital drama. Cap’n Pat’s back is not back, Uzzie can’t stand up let alone open up.

So what does that say about the Pinkie in Brisbane?

Absolutely nothing.

I seems most likely Uzzie is out and Webster in and that is it. Why would you change it after Head’s mauling of the Lion? Strengthens the field and The Slug from Snug has not let his side down in his matches so far in his career.

As for the visitors, well one can’t say they have played better since the debacle in Perth. They haven’t played and they aren’t going to. One might say who do they think they are? A pink ball game beckoned in Canberra – nah!  Lets have a bit of training and a few beers to get ready.

At the moment they are a mockery to the game.

I won’t mention the B ball.

Their big problem is that they have tried and lost the knack of squaring the ball-up with their batting and consequently they are getting out too easily. McDonald and co are not easily fried and they have all the answers.

England have none or maybe one with Jacob Bethell the only other batter selected in the squad.

Crawley is an abject failure at one and I would take the punt and play ‘the next best thing in Albion’. He can also bowl which would be handy.

The batters let the team down in Perth and as they never play pinkie cricket how will they succeed in Brisbane at this time of the year?

I have always liked the spunky opener Ben Duckett and he gives as much as he takes and he will need to get his team off to a good start for them to have any chance. A bit of ‘Australiana’ in Benjamin!

If SPD wins the toss I would be surprised if he does not ask the Lion to pad up. Roo has the Lion by the tail and there are many ex-cricketers around who would love to see him put the boots in.

Australia will win and win handsomely withing four days. Starc is in superlative form and even though the family has dropped half a million in the last few days he will get over the disappointment. Troopers Boland and Doggett supported him well when needed and will do so again.

What about Lyon?  He was a bystander in Perth but will he be the ‘Lyon on the Lion’ in Brissie. The late Tony Greig would have had the answer.  I’m not so sure he will be a major factor.

Perhaps the most interesting will be whether we see any English born player take a wicket. They didn’t in Perth so will there be change here. Watch this space.

Well let us wait and see. If the Poms win, their media will go berserk if they lose their media will go berserker.

 

DREAM TEAM REPORTERS

Listed below is our ‘dream team’ lineup for one of the last Tests for a long-while in steamy Brisbane.

Day 1:    Citrus Bob

Day 2:    Shrek’s wife

Day 3:    Charlie Sutton

Day 4:    Citrus and JB  (using the new beaut interchange method)

Day 5:     Shrek’s wife & Felix

In:           JB,  Caspar (subject to clearance).

Out:         No one

 

Citrus Bob (circa 1943) on the lookout for ‘English Bunnies’!

 

 

More stories from Citrus Bob Utber can be read Here.

 

 

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