 The English side for the Ashes series against the Aussies has been named and the presence of Chris Tremlett and Monty Panesar are the only two new
additions to the expected side. it is a 16-member side and will see the English
side take on Australia in a five-match series.
The first Test match starts from November 25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. This
will be followed by tests at Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
The batting will be propped up by the presence of Andrew Strauss and
Alastair Cook at the top of the innings, and Jonathon Trott and Kevin Pietersen
will follow next up. Pietersen may not have been in the best of form, but his
presence will fire up the team and if he gets going, one can expect a big one
from his bat.
Eoin Morgan, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell make up the rest of the three
batsmen, and one expects two of these three to feature in the series. Collingwood
has not been n a great touch while Bell recovers from his fractured foot to
get a place in the side.
The bowling will be overseen by four fast bowlers and two spinners. Panesar
will join Graeme Swann as the second spinner in the side. Swann should be selected
in all the games and Panesar may make the playing eleven if either Swann is
injured, or in the Sydney test match which will probably necessitate the use
of spinners.
The pace bowlers will constitute James Anderson and Stuart Broad to lead the
attack with one of Steve Finn, Tremlett or Tim Bresnan to be the third bowler.
There are also two wicket-keepers in the side; Steven Davies and Matt Prior.
While prior should be the first-choice keeper, Davies' presence will put pressure
on him to start off well in the series.
According to the English selector, Geoff Miller, "We believe we've selected
an outstanding Test squad for what will be a fiercely contested Ashes series
in Australia," He also added that to win the Ashes, they will need to play
at their best, and had the squad to just do that.
England Team:
AJ Strauss (captain), IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, PD Collingwood, AN Cook, EJG
Morgan, IR Bell, MJ Prior (wkt), SM Davies (wkt), GP Swann, JC Tredwell, JM
Anderson, ST Finn, SCJ Broad, A Shahzad, CT Tremlett.
England had won the previous Ashes series in England but had lost to
Australia 0-5 in Australia
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