Preview-4th Ashes Test

After Australia being given no chance after there thrashing at Adelaide and then miraculously coming back in Perth.To win the game and tie the series 1 all.This game is in truth one of the most eagerly awaited games of cricket in Australia in a good long timeEven now at 6.16 am Christmas Day,we have no care for Santa Claus,only about play to commence on Boxing Day!So here is the look at the game starting with the hosts:Australia:Likely TeamWatson,Hughes,Ponting,Clarke,Hussey,Smith,Haddin,Johnson,Harris,Hilfenhaus,BeerThere is talk about the prospect of Ricky Ponting missing due to a fractured little finger.Though he will play for two reasons.The first is if he doesn’t he’d get huge amount of criticism from all in sundry and the second is that the inspiration that it would provide to his team mates.Plus if he doesn’t the side gets thrown into disarray for though his replacement Usman Khawaja will be a decent Test player in time.At this present time,he’d be cannon fodder in this standard of the game.The team is already carrying glaring weaknesses in the batting in the technically deficient Phil Hughes and Steven Smith.If you were to add a green Khawaja to that top 6 you’d be playing with fire.Thus when you do you get burntThe only query about the bowling is its make up.The 4 pace attack was exceptional in Perth on a pitch that was a bit in their favour.Here in Melbourne,this won’t be the case and the pitch dictates the need for a spinner.So herein lies the question?Do you stick with the fine fast men from the victorious last test or do you include a spinner for the sake of including a spinner in Michael Beer?Who few see as Test pedigree and most likely will get flayed like Xavier Doherty was?I hope they go with the 4 quicks,but can see them choosing Beer and Siddle missing out,which could be fatalEnglandLikely TeamStrauss,Cook,Trott,Pietersen,Bell,Collingwood,Prior,Bresnan,Swann,Anderson,TremlettThe English team have a few queries too.The first and foremost is whether Perth was just an abberation or if it was a sign of their bubble bursting.This question to a large part revolves around a player in Alistair Cook,who like Mike Hussey for the Aussies was the subject of much ridicule over his pedigree and place in the team before the first test.Though in the series till Perth he has been stellar and a main reason why the English were dominating the Aussie bowlers.I tend to think that he just had a bad game in Perth,but if in fact the Aussies have found away to cool him off the effect on the series is profound.For it places more pressure on Paul Collingwood to perform or for England to make a decision on him.When England were 1 up in the series and everyone thought Australia were dead to rights.They could carry Collingwood,but now the series has leaped back into life.They take a huge risk if they do.I can’t see them dropping Collingwood because of his meaning to the team.Though if they did,they have a very fine replacement in Eoin Morgan.I think they instead with move Ian Bell up to 5 and have Collingwood bat at 6The bowling has queries too.Most notably is James Anderson‘s slight side strain.Like in regards to Ponting,I cant see him sitting out for such a crucial test.The make up of the bowling has queries too with Steve Finn looking tired and a bit run down.So it will be likely that the English freshen up the line up by including either Tim Bresnan or Ajmal Shehzad in his place.Both are worthy recipients though different types of bowlers.Bresnan is your hit the pitch hard seam bowler whereas Shehzad is a slippery swing bowler who reverses it as well.In truth both are similar and either would be fine replacements.I think England will choose Bresnan.The key to England aside from Anderson being a factor with the new ball is Swann just being a factor.In Perth on a pitch that didn’t favour him,he was a non entity.Though on this pitch he will find conditions more in his favour.So he should have an effect on the matchPitchThe Pitch will favour batting in the first 3 days then start to be more receptive to spin in the later parts of the gamePredictionI think this game will be largely influenced by the toss.For if England can win it and bat first.Then the Off Spin of Swann becomes more of a factor later in the game.Though Australia were stellar in Perth.They had conditions in their favour and duly exploited them.Though in their batting they have weaknesses in Smith and Hughes and the fact that they have no Test standard spinner will be a key.For this reason I favour an English winWeatherIm looking out my window now and there is not a cloud in the sky.I anticipate much the same weather for the TestCrowdLook for huge crowds for us Melbourne people are sports crazed nuts!To put this in context for Asian readers, if we had a choice between a date Katrina Kaif or a ticket to the Boxing Day Test.Poor Katrina wouldn’t even be considered!