The Ashes

[DirtyDog]

No he doesn't. He only needs to be better than Root at opening.

Well, that's one way to look at it.

[Doggy Styles]

Carberry isn't competing with Root at all - he is competing for the vacant batting spot with the other fringe players - Ballance, Bairstow and Stokes. Only one of those four is going to play. If Carberry plays, then Root will play in the middle order. If Carberry doesn't play, then one of the others will bat in the middle order and Root will open. Root will play no matter what.

Therefore, Carberry is competing with Ballance, Stokes and Bairstow for the one remaining batting spot - he needs to be better than the other three to get a place in the side.

No he doesn't. He only needs to be better than Root at opening.

[DirtyDog]

I'm not sure what you mean. Carberry is only competing for the opening spot, with Root. Those other three don't open, and as far as I know never have. If Carberry opens, as you say Root will almost certainly get the six spot. But if Root opens, it's highly unlikely Carberry will play at six in front of three specialists.

I should add that I saw highlights of that 150 he scored, and he made good use of his outside edge. He'll find it tough against a better bowling and fielding team than that lot in Hobart, who didn't look very good at all.

Carberry isn't competing with Root at all - he is competing for the vacant batting spot with the other fringe players - Ballance, Bairstow and Stokes. Only one of those four is going to play. If Carberry plays, then Root will play in the middle order. If Carberry doesn't play, then one of the others will bat in the middle order and Root will open. Root will play no matter what.

Therefore, Carberry is competing with Ballance, Stokes and Bairstow for the one remaining batting spot - he needs to be better than the other three to get a place in the side.

[Doggy Styles]

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.

I'm not sure what you mean. Carberry is only competing for the opening spot, with Root. Those other three don't open, and as far as I know never have. If Carberry opens, as you say Root will almost certainly get the six spot. But if Root opens, it's highly unlikely Carberry will play at six in front of three specialists.

I should add that I saw highlights of that 150 he scored, and he made good use of his outside edge. He'll find it tough against a better bowling and fielding team than that lot in Hobart, who didn't look very good at all.

[minestrone]

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

I said they would lose in the summer.

[oscarose]

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.

[minestrone]

Australia will win this, said that in the summer.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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

[DodgyAgent]

The build up is beginning nicely

Botham predicts Ashes whitewash

[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