It's only the bloody Ashes again

[Nemo]

And done. Comprehensive in the end, 169 runs inside four days. Brilliant stuff. I think we all felt we had something in the new team, but I didn't expect them to be this good this quickly. Bloody brilliant. Everyone contributed as well, it's so important that it wasn't just one individual performance - even though Root was great.

[Skinny Pete]

'Who do you think you're kidding Mr Hitler'

England 1 Dads Army 0

[Nemo]

Glenn McGrath on TMS sounds sick as a pigeon.

[donkey]

Glenn McGrath on TMS sounds sick as a pigeon.

Don't tell Bill Lawry.

[Frigby Daser]

The Sydney Morning Herald is worth a read, especially the reader comments.

[Summerof69]

LBW now apparently stand for Leg Before Watson, and DRS stands for Don't Review Shane !!

Watson has now been out lbw 40% of the time in Ashes tests.

In the last 7 Ashes tests in the UK, the score is... England 5 Aussies 0 !!

[Nemo]

So, second test at Lord's starts tomorrow: The Aussies have lost Haddin to non specific personal issues (his daughter had cancer a few years ago, so hopefully it's unrelated to that) and most likely Watson to a mercy dropping. Nevill and Marsh will come in, decent players but that leaves a lot of inexperience in the middle order.

Moeen is apparently a bit injured, but Rashid is completely injured so it's Moeen or five seamers for England.

Reckon we can do it again?

[suttonred]

Dunno, Aussies like Lords. I called the last one as a draw and was magnificently wrong. So I reckon Oz for this one.

[blah blah]

You've got to expect the Aussies will come out today all guns blazing. In that respect, for England it wouldnt be a bad toss to lose as batting for the first session will be tricky against a fired up Aussie attack. I still expect Aus to come back into this and win at least 2 matches in the series, but having said that, if we get off to a good start here and put the pressure on, who knows what could happen

[Nemo]

Aussies off to a flier but golden arm Ali gets Warner caught trying to slog him halfway to the Oval. 78/1

[Nemo]

Well, that went well. People always say to judge a pitch after both sides have batted, but this is monstrously shit: if Australia wanted, they could score a thousand here and frankly any batsman who gets in and fails to make a ton is an idiot (hello Dave, yes, I do mean you).

If this was a deliberate plan to get a slow pitch to neuter the Aussie bowlers then not only are we cowards but we're also wrong, wrong wrong. Unless we're aiming for four draws to win 1-0, in which case this is a perfect pitch for it but I feel very sorry for anyone who bought tickets.

That said, I'm pleased for Chris Rogers, a very personable Aussie. Whatever next?

[BambooToTheFuture]

I thought the Aussies would go hell for leather. They notoriously bat well at Lords, but the wicket will deteriorate (can it get any worse). My initial thought was "Win the toss, bat first and lay down a respectable target of 350. But draw it out, knowing the Aussies would come at us. Play for a draw."

I'll still say play for a draw, but we need runs and well its apparent that we do have that in us. 

[Swindon Please Win]

This could be going better...

[Nick Bamosomi]

Unless there's a monsoon on its way I can't see anything but a loss for us now. 29-3 after we spent nearly two days to get 8 wickets. 

[DMR]

Good grief