Mike is off to Cardiff for the cricket...
Here are those previews again:
-
The big Ashes 2015 quiz
How much do you know really know about the Ashes? Now’s the moment to find out
-
The A to Z of Ashes history
The battle for the famous urn recommences on Wednesday and if the past is any guide the five-Test series will continue to provide cricket’s greatest spectacle
-
Cardiff prepared for the harsh spotlight of the first Test
England and Australia return to the scene of a memorable Test in 2009 with things looking up for Glamorgan
-
Duel between Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke will be key
The general perception is that Australia’s captain is better than England’s but it will be the amount of runs they score that will matter most
-
An alternative history of the 2005 Ashes
How Lou Bega, Ken Livingstone and Fred Flintoff shaped the greatest series
And, here’s our county cricket live blog, which has just been launched. Busy day...
Updated
staffieman asks:
Having seen you on cricket writers on TV, I would like to know what your diet and fitness regime is. You look in pretty good nick for a bloke born in the year of Bradman’s last tour to these shores.
Guardian staff bit more timber to come off yet. good bit of running though and not nearly as much beer as is made out!
Paceandbounce asks:
Mike, there has already been a lot of analysis on the series, so more importantly which drinking establishments would you recommend that are strolling distance from each of the Ashes Test grounds? I share your love of quality ale. Thank you.
Guardian staff If I told you, I'd have to kill you. But in London I tend to use pubs in Camden; in Birmingham The Wellington, Old Joint Stock and Old Contemptibles; I stay out of town in Nottingham but use Marquis of Granby.
Siddharth Upasani asks:
I haven’t really followed the Ashes ever since Flintoff embraced Brett Lee. Should I start now?
Guardian staff Updated
Updated
usini asks:
Do you think that the groundsmen will prepare decent pitches that offer something to bat and ball? In the last Ashes home series they were pretty flat and there was the suggestion that this was at the instigation of the ECB.
Guardian staff i hope so. But from an Eng perspective I would not want to see pace in them.
Phillip Meng asks:
Based on how deep in the crease a lot of poms’ stances are, is there an increased chance of hit wicket dismissals, and more conventionally, bowleds and LBWs.
Guardian staff Only Ballance is really deep and that appears to be a strength when the ball comes into him. It is the one that leaves him that is a problem and several times he has been bowled outside the bat by full length balls.
davekaraoke asks:
Will England’s spin selection be affected by the fact that the Aussies have two left arm seamers to create rough outside the off-stump? One would think that would aid Moeen more than Rashid.
Guardian staff i cannot see any way they could select Rashid as the only spinner. The rough will be an issue of course, as will that from the right arm bowlers be for all Eng left hand bats.
cavelier5 asks:
Morning Mike. Do you think there is much chance the England batting order will be changed tomorrow? Quite a few seem to think that Ballance should go down a few spots to protect him from the new ball and Bell come back up to 3. Personally I think if you’re hiding one of your top 6 batters then he shouldn’t be in the XI in the first place. Plus Bell’s record suggests he is more effective in the middle order anyway.
Guardian staff Won't change. All being a bit negative about Eng batting aren't we? But I think Ballance has a technical issue to address
Updated
RobSmyth asks:
What kind of pitches would you prepare if you were in charge?
Guardian staff
MrCricket asks:
Good Day. Do you think spinning pitches, like in 2009 (Oval) and 2013, will be prepared to negate Australia’s fast bowling strength (and keeping Moeen Ali and Rashid in mind)
Guardian staff we don't have Swann now so I can't see us preparing pitches that would turn unduly beyond normal deterioration. Pace of the pitches more relevant.
Mary McCarty asks:
Do you expect the Ashes series to be played in the same spirit as the recent Black Caps games, or is that too much to expect?
Guardian staff I think we know the answer to that already. i find all the ramping up as a preamble quite depressing. I think we may come to view the recent NZ tour as one of the most important certainly of my time simply for what it proved could be done.
Tom Osborne asks:
Do you feel that the KP debacle has damaged the levels of trust between certain sports journalists and their readers? With Test cricket safely hidden away behind the Murdoch paywall supporters often go to respected and talented writers for those fine details between the lines that cannot be ascertained from listening on the radio - issues of technique, of personality etc. In the same way that politically naive voters may believe spun statistics from a government, or heavily weighted headlines in the Daily Mail, do you feel that some sports journalists spin one sided arguments and refuse, once shown to be incorrect, to address any inconsistencies, therefore making them untrustworthy? I suppose what I’m asking is, have you, regarding KP, attempted to do your own version of ‘Ending Poverty’ by creating your own criteria and presenting only the information (or whispers) that back up only your argument, and thus biasing the whole debate?
Guardian staff
romeoromeotango asks:
Mike, from the evidence of looking out my window and all the forecasts for Cardiff, I definitely expect the ball to swing and atmospheric conditions to be more bowler-friendly than batting.
How important will the toss be? Who will be braver on winning it?
Guardian staff Ive not seen the pitch and can't really make predictions; not sure i trust forecasting to that degree. Bravery? You just do what you think suits your purpose best. Im hearing that the pitch will be slow and low.
istalvies asks:
Hi Mike,
How close do you think the series will be - seems we have had a lot of predictions of Australian dominance but comparing players in a rough head-to-head below, I’d give it marginally to Australia 6-5? Your thoughts?
-------------------
COOK - Rogers
Lyth - WARNER
Ballance - SMITH
Bell - CLARKE
ROOT - Voges
STOKES - Watson
BUTTLER - Haddin
Ali - LYON
ANDERSON - Hazlewood
Wood - STARC
Broad - JOHNSON
Guardian staff I think it will a lot closer than many think. Aus not as good as they think, Eng better than given credit for. Eclectic side not bad
Tombo asks:
Morning Mike, morning everyone.
On recent evidence, both Bell and Ballance are struggling. Do you expect both of them to last the series and, if not, what do you expect England to do? Move Root up the order or is he already too critical to risk losing his runs at 5?
Guardian staff see earlier answer. but if one or the other fails, then i dont see why Root cannot bat at three or four. Sometimes we have got too tied into the idea that because someone has success in one position it cannot be replicated elsewhere. See Smith.
baerchen asks:
How close is Bairstow? Averaging 93 with the bat this season!
Guardian staff
iankip58 asks:
Mike, do you think the Aussies miss the Rhino, and will Johnson be as dangerous as in the 5-0?
Guardian staff Absolutely. Their best bowler over the past few years. They have depth but there is a lack of experience without him.
I don't think Johnson can quite recapture that level on the pitches over here.
Maned202 asks:
Hi Mike. How do you feel about Cardiff having the first test?
Guardian staff I dont get as worked up as some I have to say. Of course there is a commercial imperative. However I think it unhelpful that Trent Bridge is the fourth Test
westmike asks:
Given how long England gave Cook to re-find his form, will England give Bell the whole series if his struggles continue? Related, how long will England persist with Ballance at 3, or might they reshuffle with Bell going 3, Root 4 and Ballance at 5 for Cardiff? Finally, do you think this will be a series that finally sees Anderson & Cook have a decent home series against Australia?
Guardian staff Bell got a hundred 5 matches ago so not that long And i saw him get an excellent hundred for Warwicks. So I dont see him as out of form.
I worry about Ballance particularly the way bowlers have started to target outside his bat rather than his pads. But he averages 50+ at three. They won't change anything yet, if at all.
Cook is back to what he does best and Jimmy bowled himself into the deck to win the game at Trent Bridge last time if you recall. I think all the pacemen will need looking after.
Mike is online and answering:
Metatone asks:
1) Broad has been out of sorts since coming back to injury (mixing some great spells with some ugly looking ones) - do you think he’s coming back to his peak just in time, or has the Ashes arrived a bit early for him?
2) Any expectations how the pitch in Cardiff will play?
3) Does the Essex game suggest Lyons is a bit vulnerable?
Guardian staff He has always been mercurial, but if you see piece online today you will see that in the last 30 months he and jimmy have precisely the same number of wickets and stuart's are cheaper. so don't think he has been out of nick.
Im hearing Cardiff will be low and slow, which suits England imo
and yes, it was not the best preparation for Lyon and shows what can be done. Lot of talk about what Aus intend to do to Moeen and I think they might be well served worrying about their own spinner.
Mike Selvey will be online from 10am to answer your questions
Here are a few of our previews to keep you entertained while you wait:
-
The big Ashes 2015 quiz
How much do you know really know about the Ashes? Now’s the moment to find out
-
The A to Z of Ashes history
The battle for the famous urn recommences on Wednesday and if the past is any guide the five-Test series will continue to provide cricket’s greatest spectacle
-
Cardiff prepared for the harsh spotlight of the first Test
England and Australia return to the scene of a memorable Test in 2009 with things looking up for Glamorgan
-
Duel between Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke will be key
The general perception is that Australia’s captain is better than England’s but it will be the amount of runs they score that will matter most
-
An alternative history of the 2005 Ashes
How Lou Bega, Ken Livingstone and Fred Flintoff shaped the greatest series
Drop your questions in the comments section below and enjoy the webchat.
Signing off here. On the road to Cardiff now.