Mods i think this should have a thread of its own please.

What would your team be?? Heres mine

1.Strauss
2.Cook
3.Bopara
4.Vaughan ( i would have him in as captain strauss isnt a bad 1 but vaughan always seems to have that bowling change ready that always works hes a awesome captain)
5.Pieterson
6.Collingwood
7.Flintoff
8.Prior
9.Broad
10.Swann
11.Anderson

Fair enough, but I am going to make a slight amendment to the title

Ta mate no worries

Id rather see Strauss as captain. I think he did an excellent job in the Windies series at the beginning of the summer, albeit only a two game series, I think he has earned the right to.

Strauss (Captain)
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Onions
Anderson

I'd say that squad gives us a strong batting line up (all the way to Broad at number 9) and also the four front line seamers that were vital to us winning the Ashes in 2005 along side a spin bowler with a bit of variation.

Big test most notably for Bopara and Onions, however, could you justify dropping either of them after their performances vs West Indies (even taking into account the poor standard of competition from the Windies)?

Onions has continued taking wickets for Durham and I'm confident Ravi will get into good touch in the longer form of the game comfortably.

The rest of the side picks itself really, but I'd definately say a fourth seamer is more beneficial than another batsman since I still see our biggest problem is getting 20 wickets in 5 days.

We can not afford to carry anybody and Vaughan just hasn't done enough for Yorkshire this season to justify his inclusion in the 11, never mind as captain!!

Graham Onions of Durham has also got to be in there if the team is picked on form. He is taking wickets for fun and would be my first seamer on the team sheet right now.

Freedie needs to prove himself in the next 3 weeks. We are all holding our breathe

Agree with that team (but would swap Swann and Broad round in batting order) with Rashid/Panesar as the 2nd spinner if required. Bell is probably next in line batting wise and Sidebottom/Harmison as the backup seamer.

Bring back Ashley Giles!

That's the team I'd like to see.

i will pick the ashes champion side now

There's no chance for Vauaghan at the minute...he's even been dropped by Yorkshire!!


He'd still walk into Lancashire's batting line-up though...come back Michael, you know you want to!!

Hasn't been dropped he had an injury could be back for Tuesday's game

I would be tempted to put Ian Bell in there somewhere.
I don't know who I would drop out though. Maybe Bopara.

Cant drop Bopara hes the only 1 i have confidence in getting runs hes in the form of hes life. Bell is scared od the aussies i have been hes biggest fan but hes too inconsistent and with how dodgy out batting line up is too start Bell cant play unless injurys hit. Not sayign Strauss is a bad captain hes too he responsibilty well its even improved hes batting but some times we lose our way in the field Vaughan knows how to keep you intrested the bowling changes he made 2005 for example (granted out bowling atack was better then) but if he proves himself he should be in it wouldgive us a deeper batting line up too

How on Earth you could drop Bopara for Bell is beyond me.

spot on lol

If Flintoff is going to be included it needs to be as a bowler only, not as a batsman. He can't bat, simple as.

I am pretty sure that is up to the Aussie bowlers.
(Everyone bats

)

flintoff will come off 1nce every 10 games with the bat. When he gets in hes a match winner with how he bats he just is inconsistent

We don't have ten games in the Ashes. That inconsistency is the main reason why he shouldn't be a top or middle order batsman. He can't play against spin and he can only bat by attempting to hit the cover off the ball. If he ever does learn to play properly - and gets over his spin 'phobia' - then he should be considered for his batting once more. But at the moment? Naah.

agree - that's unthunkable as things stand

Yet it's England and ECB so it's probably gunna happen.

Strauss
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Swann
Onions
Anderson

That'd be my team, although I expect Bell/Sidebottom/Vaughan to be in there somewhere.

Bell & Vaughan should be completely discounted unless they do something spectacular in the County Championship. I doubt Vaughan will ever be the same again. Mark Butcher recently came back from exactly one year out with a serious knee injury and scored a superb 65 at Cardiff against Glamorgan last weekend - he looked like he'd never been away, but Vaughan never looks convincing after his injury lay-offs. On the evidence I've seen Butcher should be ahead of Vaughan in the pecking order.

The one bloke I feel should be in contention is Saj Mahmood. I've always felt he had all the necessary ingredients except consistency, but he seems to be finding that right now. He's a very similar style of bowler to Simon Jones, who was our best bowler four years ago in the Ashes series win, and I can't help feeling he could play a similar role.

Flintoff can't bat at 6, we may aswell give up now, his batting is absolutely awful right now. I would be tempted to go for two spinners in the first test.

Flintoff batting at seven would be okay for mine.

On the bowling front, I'd gamble on Rashid. Really. I don't think we have enough quality pacemen anyway, so two spinners could be something to think about.