Al mentioned earlier, if you read up that this thread is for Test Cricket. If you have a problem with it, I suggest you can make a new thread for Cricket so we don't clog up this Ashes thread. Ha Ha! Great compliment from you Jim, wouldn't have expected anything less. Will be a weird feeling not seeing Sachin on the team sheet. However, enough players who can fill his role and fingers crossed, we can unearth another master. Anyway, an emphatic win over the Aussies today thanks to some brilliant hitting from Yuvraj. Evident why they lost the Test series. Very poor bowling when you can't defend a score of 200. A huge worry for them.

The fact he can't spell ridiculous?

Why not mention every other stat which he is number 1 in? Highest run scorer. Most number of centuries. Most ODI runs. Most Test Runs 100 centuries in all forms of the game. Endless list.

Sachin Tendulkar announces his retirement from Test cricket. A HUGE loss to test cricket. The greatest batsmen ever and a fantastic player to watch. Priveleged to have met and watched a true cricketing legend.

I'm sure Lewis won't mind with a $100m purse. Money talks!

HotSpot has been dropped for the Ashes series. Interesting. I thought it was HawkEye that was the most controversial in the series. Happy?

Looks like Tyson Fury has lost the plot on twitter tonight. Absolute idiot.

I didn't want to ruin a thread with cricket in the football section.

Interesting reading Jack Wilshere's latest comments, that only English players should play for England. What are the thoughts on here? I believe a lot would agree with Wilshere and at the same time more than willing to cheer on Pietersen and co.

This is the Ashes thread. Don't bring your agenda against Indians or Pakistani's into this.

If by the other lot you mean Australia, I'd love for them to wallop the English cricket team. Nothing would make me happier.

Apparently it's going to be shown on Vine. Fight won't last longer than 7 seconds!!

I'm still not entirely convinced by Ian Bell. He has the ability to be a great batsmen, something he showed in the Ashes series just gone by, however there are times when his batting is pretty dreadful. He has survived the chop many times with a big innings. I'd like a bit more consistency from him if I'm being perfectly honest. As for backing England. I don't know which would be worst, supporting the England cricket team or Burnley.

Khan is in a win-win situation and any boxing fan knows that he has been wanting this fight for a long time simply because of the lucrative pay packet. Who can blame him though? Mayweather will be a class above and will annihilate Khan. Guaranteed my tickets for the next 4 Mayweather fights thanks to a lovely client, which means 4 trips to the USA in the next 2 years! Can't wait!

I quite enjoy watching Pietersen. Think he brings a new dimension to the England side and more importantly is feared by all the international sides unless you have a quality leg spinner. Other than that, there isn't much in that team that excites me. Nobody that is worth of the world class tag yet. Maybe the Ashes down under might change my mind, but I doubt it. I do also enjoy watching Broad bowl, but only to Yuvraj! ;-)

Don't know who the Anglo players are these days with England. I'd say Pitersen but isn't South African. Maybe Trott, but I'm sure he's South African too. I give up.

The Indian, Bopara.

Michael Clarke unsure if he'll be fit for the 1st Ashes test. Real shame if he doesn't play.

Nail. On. Head. Stupid to call Clarke an average captain. He has made some brave decisions and cracking bowling changes in order to take wickets at crucial times. His form with the bat has also been brilliant whilst he has been captain and it has been known that players struggle when handed the pressure of captaincy. However Clarke has thrived under the pressure and in my view is a superb captain.

We're playing 7 ODI's against Australia. Number 1 ODI team is India. My statement was correct.

The way his team performs is not down to him. He made some brilliant decisions in the Ashes series and with a better team around him, the contest would have been a lot closer. I enjoy watching him bat and always enjoy his decision making. I'd say he's better than the over cautious Cook.

I admit winding people up on here prior to my warning. Since then I have stopped and would like an opinion on a ex-drunk that has been selected by England, which for me could play a pivotal role in the upcoming Ashes series. Only Jim has had the decency to construct a good enough response to the debate and if you ask me, you guys are just clogging up the thread with drivel, so please stop. Just seen Clarke has been ruled out for the India series. Shame as I was looking forward to seeing him play against the best team in the world. Hopefully he'll be fit for the Ashes series. A great captain.

No Theno, in my lounge if you must know. Please don't make assumptions on what I think or do not think. If you have nothing constructive to add to this debate then please do not post. Thank you.

Thank you Jim for a well constructed reply. I too was surprised that he was picked and the 'drunken imbecile' was what he said about himself. He did go on to say that the Ashes call up has somewhat revived his career and maybe the ECB gave him a helping hand? Who knows but it is a bizarre situation and if he does play, the Aussies will be all over him as well as the home crowd.

If you read the article he also claimed himself that he was a drunken idiot. Like I said, I'm just intrigued as to whether you would want him in your team.