One team playing to win and typical England playing for a draw. A nation of mediocrity

Well, what can you do when an umpiring error costs your team 221 runs???


Game of two halves for Straussy. Let's hope he goes on and makes it a big one. Rack up 500, insert the crims and skittle them in two sessions ftw. EZ game!

As just recommended by our esteemed commentators, I've been to youtube and just heard Gower's scream, LOL!

Yay siddle is back on. Hope Mitch bowls from other end next over. Strauss getting adventurous and playing some lofted straight drives

Now that we have a new batsman in it's so weird that North is still bowling. At the end of the day he's a fill-in bowler, and with the new guy in you don't want him to be facing someone who's basically in the team for his (lol)batting.

Things like this make me wonder about Ponting's credentials for captaincy. I mean, he's a superb batsman, but I really think he's a bit of a strange choice for skipper, and his superb winning record was basically built not on his tactical genius, but on being lucky enough to have Warne, McGrath, Lee, Gillespie et al. to call on. Basically the decision being "Hmm, which of my all-time great bowlers should I bring on now?".

Without them, he's not so hot at it imo.

Alos, Katich is not just off the pitch, but has left the ground because of that whack on his ankle. With all this time off the pitch he probably won't be allowed to open, and assuming he's even able to bat, it's always entertaining if he needs a runner. Could just make the Aussie 2nd innings a little more exciting

australia aren't even going to bat again

Nice day for England so far, should be able to save it from here barring a collapse.

Aussies missing a quality spinner for the 5th day.

I daren't go to sleep

And a few quality quickies. Don't want to be too rude but watching oz these days reminds me of watching England of old.

they aren't that bad!

Doherty is the worst spinner I've ever seen in my life, he shouldnt even be called a spinner, the ball gets absolutely no turn when he bowls

Well that was a pretty good day, game set up pretty interesting now.

And is it me or has Warney been using radioactive toothpaste? Maybe if the floodlights fail then they can still play on if he stands up on the roof and grins widely

Mitchell Johnson off-form is so garbage

I think its funny that England are still struggling against our current test side; this is the worst we've been in about 20 years .

All we need to do is coax the wild thing out of retirement and we get the urn back imo.

Just watched the highlights - definitely a good day for England.

So they finished early due to bad light. Was that the umpires' decision or did they offer it to the batsmen? If the latter then it seems very strange that they'd accept since England have actually gotten themselves into a reasonable position to win the match - 90 odd runs ahead, two batsmen set, bowling last etc.

At worst they should get 230-250 on with 45-50 overs left in the game. Give themselves a chance at least of bowling them out.

There is no way on earth England would want to end up in a situation with Australia needing 230-250 to win from 45-50 overs. Australia would be favourites to win, with the draw a strong second and England massive outsiders. This pitch is still pretty flat and getting a draw from the first game of an ashes series in Australia is by no means a bad result.

Its always umpires decision now.

Amazing day for England.

Gonna be a great day, hopefully England bat for 45-50 overs scoring at a high run rate and then see if Jimmy can make it talk again(with a lil more luck).

no way england voluntarily set a target of less then 7 rpo.... Getting a draw so much more valuable imo.... Bat the aussies to death, go to adelaide at 0-0....

All of this^

For us to declare before tea one of Cook or Trott has to get out so that one or more of KP, Colly, Bell and Prior can give it the long handle for a good 30 overs and make a run-a-ball ton to get the lead considerably over 300. No way we set them a 5 /over run chase. Right now the Aussies are still the only team which can realistically say that they have a chance to win this. If we survive but don't score fast then I'd just like to see us have a 15 over pop at them in the last hour to nip a couple out.

Managed to last the full four nights so far, feeling a bit tired, but hope I can make it through the home stretch.

i believe the term is sickie trousers

I find it somewhat funny that series vs sth africa, england and the windies suit me more then a home series. 7.30am start in WA ftl

I can't remember Strauss making a "sporting declaration" in the entire time he has been captain. Declaration, if it comes, will be last hour or something imo.

no chance at all that Strauss declares long after its too late. Quite right too imo.

Expecting an interesting but unexciting day. Early wickets could change that.