The Ashes

[Mich the Tester]

Good start to the tour, wondering whether Carberry has secured an opening spot for the tests.

BBC Sport - Ashes 2013-14: Michael Carberry & Alastair Cook hit unbeaten tons

[DodgyAgent]

The build up is beginning nicely

Botham predicts Ashes whitewash

[DirtyDog]

Good start to the tour, wondering whether Carberry has secured an opening spot for the tests.

BBC Sport - Ashes 2013-14: Michael Carberry & Alastair Cook hit unbeaten tons

Carberry in for Bairstow and drop Root back down the order? Would mean that the summer experiment of opening with Root is a failure (which the Aussies will keep harping on about this winter if that happens), and it's not much long-term planning picking a 33 year old for his second test.

I'd rather see Root opening and making a success of it and Ballance in the middle order - partially because that would leave Pietersen as the only non-verb batsman in the top 6

[Mich the Tester]

The build up is beginning nicely

Botham predicts Ashes whitewash

For this series I shall be instituting the Douglas Jardine Memorial Award for Aussie-baiting; Beefy's obviously put in an early entry.

[Doggy Styles]

Good start to the tour, wondering whether Carberry has secured an opening spot for the tests.

BBC Sport - Ashes 2013-14: Michael Carberry & Alastair Cook hit unbeaten tons

Actually the tour started last week in Perth. Our bowlers went all round the park. Then when we batted Trott and Bell got hundreds, thereafter we collapsed and lost the last 7 wickets for 57 runs.

I tried to erase it from my memory too.

[Doggy Styles]

Good start to the tour, wondering whether Carberry has secured an opening spot for the tests.

Always a possibility, he got a few in Perth too. Age doesn't come into it, we're playing this series now, not in five years time.

Root played well at 5 and 6 for England, but not as an opener, so perhaps go back to the method that works. Strange because Root opens for Yorkshire.

We'll have to see, Root would be competing with Bairstow, Ballance and Stokes for that number 6 spot.

[DirtyDog]

Always a possibility, he got a few in Perth too. Age doesn't come into it, we're playing this series now, not in five years time.

Root played well at 5 and 6 for England, but not as an opener, so perhaps go back to the method that works. Strange because Root opens for Yorkshire.

We'll have to see, Root would be competing with Bairstow, Ballance and Stokes for that number 6 spot.

If they are going to drop Root down the order, then there's no competition - they won't bring in Ballance or Stokes for a proven test centurion, and Bairstow is nowhere near test class.

Carberry is competing with Bairstow, Ballance and Stokes for the batting spot - and he seems to be ahead of the others.

[minestrone]

Australia will win this, said that in the summer.

[Mich the Tester]

Australia will win this, said that in the summer.

Just keep repeating it every Ashes year and someday it'll come true.

[oscarose]

Australia will win this, said that in the summer.