Chingford Cricket Club

Would be Selectors Robert Runciman and Mike Lyon have chosen their own Ashes 2005 XI;
Lyono's Ashes XI
Based purely on form:
Justin Langer
Andrew Strauss
Michael Vaughan
Kevin Pietersen
Michael Clarke
Andrew Flintoff
Geraint Jones
Simon Jones
Shane Warne
Brett Lee
Matthew Hoggard

Robbo's Ashes XI
Marcus Trescothick

- Although he didn't make a hundred in the series I felt he invariably gave England a good solid start and with his aggresion, set the tone for the rest of the team to follow. He put his Ashes nighmares from the past behind him averaging 43 which proves how consistant he was.

Andrew Strauss

- Struggled to start with but turned it around with fine hundreds in the 3rd and 5th Tests. His knock at The Oval showed what a great temperament he has as he held the first innings together.

Justin Langer

- I admired the way he played, showing a lot of courage against some very hostile bowling. He batted consistantly for long periods, something the rest of the Aussie lineup failed to do.
Even though he opened for the Aussies I've got him in my team coming in at 3. This is due to fact that the number 4's on both sides (Bell & Martyn) generally struggled in the series so I have moved Vaughan down to 4. A certain D.Ross, a specialist in that position was overlooked for the series.

Michael Vaughan

- Had a very simillar series as a batsman to that of Ponting in that they both scored one great hundred, a fifty and not much else but I have gone for Vaughan as he proved to be the more imaginative captain with his bowling changes which proved descisive.

Kevin Pietersen

- Wonderful start in the heavy defeat at Lords, a couple of starts afterwards, some dropped catches but then that magnificent Ashes clinching 156 which will go down as one of the great innings. He really gave it to the Aussies from the start with his amazing self belief.

Andrew Flintoff

- Man of the series, without question the greatest allrounder in the world (although Steve Piper will tell you that it could have been him had the club not ruined his batting) Freddie transformed the series with fantastic innings' and match winning spells with the ball. Need I say more.

Adam Gilchrist

- This was actually quite a tough descision as neither Gilchrist nor Jones had a particularly good time of it. Jones played one superb innings in the fourth test but I have opted for Gilchrist as his general wicket keeping was so much better even though he also dropped a few. Where is Paul " Godfrey Evans" Shawyer when you need him?

Shane Warne

- Warne or Giles? Mmmmm... No seriously I really respect Ashley Giles, he is a hero but Warney gave the greatest bowling display I have ever seen and still amazingly ended up on the losing side! He batted superbly at times as well and his sportsmanship really taught me a lot about the way the game should be played at all levels.

Steve Harmison

- This was a close descision. I thought about going for Brett Lee who bowled and batted with a never say die attitude and was a star of the series but when you look at how the Ashes were won Harmisons' dismissal of Clarke late on the third day of the second test and the the wicket of Kasprowicz to win by 2 runs were maybe the two most important wickets of the summer and don't forget he was superb at Lords. Lee was just too expensive.

Simon Jones

- England's star with the ball. His ability to reverse swing the ball (ala A. Perrin) caused so many problems for the Aussie middle and lower order. His performance in the first innings of the fourth test forced Australia to follw on something I havn't ever seen and he was missed in the final test

Glenn McGrath

- I have no doubt that had he not missed two tests in this series through injury, England would not have brought back the Ashes. His use of the slope at Lords was unbelievable in the first test. Shame about those injuries eh Lyono?