The 606v2 Ultimate Points Chaser Competition for the 70th Ashes Series

With the opening Ashes Test only around a week away I thought we should get an Ashes competition underway – similar to the ones we did way back in 2011 and 2009 on the old BBC site. I thought they were pretty good fun with around 30 people involved at the time.

I'm trying to rekindle that sort of interest.        


Rules:

1.
Pick 2 (two) batsmen and 2 (two) bowlers from both Australia and England who you think will score the most runs and take the most wickets.
You get both batting and bowling points per innings so a bowler who scores runs has both batting and bowling scores added together.

e.g.
Warner, Smith, Starc, Lyon
Cook, Root, Broad, Ali

2.
Pick 1 (one) fielder from each team; excluding wicket keepers for most catches in the Series.
Can be a bowler (for c&b) if you want.

e.g.
Woakes, Handscomb

3.
Select the total number of catches, stumpings and run outs combined by each wicket keeper for each Test.
I will need your 2 (two) selected numbers in 24 hours prior to commencement of each Test match.
If a wicket keeper is injured then the replacement keeper's figures shall be used.

e.g.
Australia 9, England 8. Total dismissals 17

4.
Predict the overall 2017-18 Ashes Series result. Selections must be in before the commencement of each Test.

e.g.
Australia 3 England 2

1st Test: England
2nd Test: Australia
3rd Test: England
4th Test: Australia
5th Test: Australia


Scoring:

1.
1 point for every run scored by your nominated batsmen. Add together for each Test.
Bonus 20 points for 100 runs.
extra 25 points for 150 runs.
extra 40 points for 200 runs.
extra 50 points for 250 runs.
extra 60 bonus points for 300+ runs.

Note: the batting & bowling score bonuses accumulate so;

Batting:
100 runs = 120 points. A player scores 127 + 20 = 147 points.
150 runs = 195 points. A player scores 176 + 20 + 25 = 221 points.
200 runs = 285 points. A player scores 243 + 20 + 25 + 40 = 328 points.
250 runs = 385 points. A player scores 282 + 20 + 25 + 40 + 50 = 417 points
300+ runs = 445 points. A player scores 309 + 20 + 25 + 40 + 50 + 60 = 504 points.

Bowling:
20 points per wicket with a bonus 50 points for a 5-fer.
An extra 35 points for 6-fer, 40 for 7-fer, 45 for 8-fer, 50 for 9-fer.
An extra 100 bonus points for a 10-fer.

5 wickets = 100 + 50 = 150 points
6 wickets = 120 + 50 + 35 = 205 points.
7 wickets = 140 + 50 + 35 + 40 = 265 points
8 wickets = 160 + 50 + 35 + 40 + 45 = 330 points
9 wickets = 180 + 50 + 35 + 40 + 45 + 50 = 400 points
10 wickets = 200 + 50 + 35 + 40 + 45 + 50 + 100 = 520 points

Caught and bowled = 20 points for the wicket + 30 bonus points for the catch = 50 points on top of the bowling points.
An extra 25 points if your bowler gets a run-out in addition to the caught & bowled = 75 points

2.
Fielder catches: your nominated fieldsman earns you 25 points per catch. 25 points for a run out. Add them both for a 50 point "double play".

3.
Wicket keepers: I’ll rank your predictions from the actual scores at the time. Whoever guesses closest to the actual result receives 100 points, then descending down 5 points, so 95 points for the next closest guess, 90 points for the next, etc. If you chose the same scores as another member… then you'll both receive the same points. Next closest then receives 85, 80, 75, 70... depending on how many of us there are. 

4.
50 points earned at each Test in line with your overall Ashes prediction. Keep earning those 50 points until it goes right down to the wire…
If you guess all 5 correctly then a further 100 bonus points = 250 + 100 = 350 points.
Select the winning team for each Test.

*****

I’ll add up everyone’s scores a day or so after each Ashes Test is completed.

You must have your selections in no later than 3 hours before the first ball is bowled in Brisbane on 23 November, a few hours before midnight next Wednesday/Thursday morning your time.

If a selected player gets injured or is dropped from the Test side, then you’ll have the opportunity to select a replacement player – before the next Test commences. This player doesn’t have to be the actual substitute player – it can be somebody already in the team.
However, you don’t receive any of their previous points – you must start accumulating points from scratch with them.

I'm tossing up with the idea that say by the 3rd Test, if someone wants to change a player, then they will have this window of opportunity also available to them.

Let me know if the scoring system is OK or needs to be tweaked or simplified then we can look at it.
I'll keep track on a spreadsheet... so starting thinking about your selections now and maybe start getting them in here by early-middle next week.

Good Luck!

This looks complicated but fun! Count me in!

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:This looks complicated but fun! Count me in!

Righto Olly. You're in!

Okay, I'll get the predictions started

1.
Root, Cook, Woakes, Anderson
Hanscomb, Smith, Lyon, Hazelwood

2.
Root, Warner

3.
Just the first Test for now right? – Australia 5, England 7, total 12

4.
Australia 3 – England 1
Australia to win the first Test

Thanks James. Yeah, just the 1st Test for now. Good luck!

Hmm. This looks complicated ...too much so for me after a couple of glasses this evening.

Hope to have a go at it though : will re-examine in the cold light of day at the weekend.

Take your time, alfie. No great rush yet. I look forward to your picks. Good luck!

I'll have a pop:

1.
Root, Bairstow, Anderson, Broad
Warner, Smith, Starc, Lyon

2.
Cook, Warner

3.
Australia 8, England 5
Total dismissals - 13

4.
Australia to win 3-0
Australia to win first test.

Good stuff, thanks superfly!

Should this be renamed the "how much do England miss Stokes" competition?

Cheers for setting this up.

1.

Cook, Root, Anderson, Woakes
Warner, Smith, Starc, Lyon

2.

Cook, Khawaja

3.

Australia 10, England 9 = Total 19

4

Australia 5-0 England

1st Test: Australia
2nd Test: Australia
3rd Test: Australia
4th Test: Australia
5th Test: Australia

No worries Duty. Thanks for your selections. You're more confident than I am!

Gooseberry wrote:Should this be renamed the "how much do England miss Stokes" competition?

If he does get the OK to join the team then we'll all get a chance to include Stokes... but yes Goose, your alternative title probably holds true.

Root Bairstow Woakes Anderson
Warner Smith Starc Cummins

Cook Warner

England 7 Australia 7 (didn’t read that as just keepers first time)

2-2
Aussies win the first

Thanks for your picks, Flipper!
No girlfriend influence there? Just common sense.

Provisionals:

Cook, Root, Woakes, Ali (would have had Stokes)

Warner, Smith, Starc, Lyon

Cook, Warner (would have had Stokes)

Aus 8 England 6

Aus 4 England 1 (unless Stokes appears )

Hi LD,

I'll try to mix things up a bit and give the kiss of death as follows:

1. Stoneman, Root, Moeen, Broad. [Goose might be onto a winner with Woakes but didn't feel I could really go there having doubted form and fitness.]
   Warner, Smith, Starc, Cummins.

2. Vince [ok, Jimbo?! ]
   Smith.

3. England: 5.
   Australia 5.
   Total: 10.

4. First Test: Draw (defying the odds!).
   Australia to win the series 3-1.

Thanks Gooseberry & Guildford. Good luck to you both!

1.
Warner, Khawaja, Starc, Hazelwood
Root, Vince, Broad, Woakes

2.
Smith, Cook

3.
Australia 9 England 7 - 16 total

4.
Australia 4-0
1st Test: Australia

Good lad Guildford, my brainwashing tactics have worked i see....

Ill give it a go LD, thanks for running it.

1. Vince, Root, Woakes, Overton
Smith, Khawaja, Staff, Hazelwood

2. Vince, Smith

3. Australia 8, England 5 = Total 13

4. 3-1 to England
1st test: England

The Loaded Dog wrote:Thanks for your picks, Flipper!
No girlfriend influence there? Just common sense.

I’m not looking forward to the messages she’ll be forced to pass along from her father!

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:

The Loaded Dog wrote:Thanks for your picks, Flipper!
No girlfriend influence there? Just common sense.

I’m not looking forward to the messages she’ll be forced to pass along from her father!

ha ha... no escape for you then.

Unless the result goes your way... then you'll be in the box seat!

Cheers jimbo... all the best with your picks!

("Staff" = Starc, I presume?)

Sorry yes Starc.. blooming predictive text!

Yeah bloody predictive text.

I'd be very surprised if Staff doesn't grab a couple of bags of wickets.

The Loaded Dog wrote:Yeah bloody predictive text.

I'd be very surprised if Staff doesn't grab a couple of bags of wickets.

This Staff bloke will probably get me more points on this game than the others i have picked

Stoneman, Root, Overton, Moeen
S.Marsh, Paine, Starc, Cummins

Anderson, Hazelwood

OZ 5, england 7 , 12

5-0 OZ

Thanks wisden... all the best with your picks.

Some interesting selections above ! I half expected everyone to be SmithWarnerRoot etc etc but a few Wild Cards are being thrown around so this could be a fascinating contest.
My offering :

Root Bairstow Anderson Moeen
Smith Handscomb Hazlewood Starc

Cook Smith

Aus 5 Eng 6. Total 11

Draw Brisbane ...England win 2-1

1.

Stoneman, Bairstow, Anderson and Woakes
Warner, Handscomb, Hazlewood and Starc

2. Malan and Warner

3. Aus 7 Eng 5 Total 12

4. Brisbane Aus, Aus 3-1

Thanks Lions... good luck!

1 - Root, Stoneman, Warner, Khawaja
Woakes, Ali, Starc, Lyon

2 - Warner, Root

3 - Aus 8, Eng 4

4 - Aus 3-2, Aus win at the Gabba

Thanks JD... all the best!

ill have this, will post my predictions tomorrow evening

ok compelling... look forward to it.

jimbohammers wrote:

1. Vince, Root, Woakes, Overton

wisden wrote:Stoneman, Root, Overton, Moeen

jimbo & wisden, apparently Jake Ball has the front running over Overton... so please let me know your replacements in the next 12-13 hours or so.

Maxwell has been called up too... to cover for Warner (should be OK) and Marsh (injured back).

If anyone else needs to make some changes then let me know by PM or on here.

If Maxwell comes in for Warner I think we will all be changing our series predicitions!

Not sure if it's more mind games. Smith said Warner will be OK to play. I don't mind Maxwell replacing Marsh at 6 though.

Gooseberry wrote:If Maxwell comes in for Warner I think we will all be changing our series predicitions!

I left him out. Was wondering if he might pick up an injury

1. England: Cook + Root, Anderson + Woakes / Australia: Warner + Smith, Starc + Hazlewood

2. England: Root / Australia: Smith

3. England: 9 / Australia: 7 / Total: 16

4. 1st Test: England / England 4-0

Thanks Azzy... good stuff!

1. England: Root + Bairstow, Anderson + Ali
Australia: Warner + Smith, Starc + Cummins

2. England: Root, Australia: Smith

3: England:7, Australia:6

4: 1st Test: England. England 3-1

Cheers MfC

For what it is worth here is my prediction:-

1. Australia: Warner and Smith. England: Root and Bairstow

2. Australia: Smith. England: Root

3. Australia 9 England 11

4. 1st Test Draw England 2 Australia 1

Good to see you back, Craig.

Dust off those road maps and good luck!

1. England: Bairstow, Stokes (yeah I know), Woakes, Anderson
Australia: Smith, Warner, Starc, Lyon

2. England: Cook
Australia: Khawaja

3. Australia 6-4 England

4. 1st test: Draw. Series: 2-2

The Loaded Dog wrote:Good to see you back, Craig.

Dust off those road maps and good luck!

Cheers. The road maps weren't looked upon favourably by most so will keep them tucked away.

Marky wrote:1. England: Bairstow, Stokes (yeah I know), Woakes, Anderson
Australia: Smith, Warner, Starc, Lyon

2. England: Cook
Australia: Khawaja

3. Australia 6-4 England

4. 1st test: Draw. Series: 2-2

Thanks Marky. I can feel the tide turning already. All the best!

CaledonianCraig wrote:

The Loaded Dog wrote:Good to see you back, Craig.

Dust off those road maps and good luck!

Cheers. The road maps weren't looked upon favourably by most so will keep them tucked away.

You usually cover all bases so they are always good to read.

I mean, how often do we make a prediction on here only to see things change next ball? I've done that so many times. I've probably already jinxed Australia with my overall prediction... thinking more like 2-1 now with 2 draws either way!

first thoughts i was probably going for (like everyone else) the root cook smith warner andersons starc etc combos. seeing though its a bit of fun i may take a gamble though

Been a while since I was even remotely up to date on cricket, but let's give it a shot:

1.
Bancroft, Smith, Starc, Hazlewood
Root, Bairstow, Broad, Anderson

2.
Bancroft
Root

3.
Australia 9
England 5

4.
Australia 3 England 1
Aus, Aus, Eng, Draw, Aus

Cheers LD,

Have changed Overton to Broad, so here are my full selections

1. Vince, Root, Woakes, Broad
Smith, Khawaja, Starc, Hazelwood

2. Vince, Smith

3. Australia 8, England 5 = Total 13

4. 3-1 to England
1st test: England