This thursday australia take on england. I'll let the thread do the talking but I predict a 4-0 result, Warne being the highest wicket taker and Hussey scoring the most runs.

Where is part 1?

I can't wait for the aussies to smash the poms

I am going to be in London from Thurs, so I will be going to some random pub and watching it all night (lets hope)

for the sake of playing the devil's advocate.

england win the series 2-1. flintoff taking the most wickets followed closely by hoggart(im pretty sure he's in the squad?), and pietersen taking most runs. geraint jones will step up amidst criticism, and giles will play an excellent support role/

Give us a wave Hussey!!

Where is part 1?

Please leave immeditately without a fuss.

And sif tung.

who else is going to day 1?

it wouldnt be much fun if everyone predicted the aussies to roll over england would it?

i admit the chances of england winning the series are slim, but all they need is to draw it and they retain the ashes :p

go sri lanka?

Someone please tell me if Ms Branz does a good job of commentating or not?
kthxbye

shes not comentating as far as i know

she is talking to players as they come off the ground

and aussies to smash the poms off the park

we wont be caught unawares this time

poms are struggling before the first ball with injuries and teary fits
they have less than zero chance

Oh, well she is used to a desk job with SBS so let me know how she goes anyway.

The worst cricket commentator ever was Ray Martin during the 99 world cup.

yes
john howard was pretty bad also

for a cricket "tragic" he didnt know most of the australian players names

hes obviosuly a total spastic who's never played cricket in his life

stop pretending john, im not buying it

the aussies may be talking big but theres those cracks that may be exposed in the first test...

langer scared for his spot

the clarke/watson issue

mcgrath not standing up to the fitness required for a test match

both teams have their issues but both teams are also looking like strong squads. everyone wrote harmison and simon jones off before the last ashes and they pulled through

who knows, giles and panesar may suddenly step up and blitz through australia's middle order :o

its australia's fuicking tail end that save them every time though :(

langer scared? he should be, jacques is totally on fire and has just cained the poms (and tassies on sunday)

no biggy, langer fails, jacques is in

clarke/watson, watson wont play, clarke will

mcgrath is right to go, he will bowl as well as he ever has, and certainly better than he did last ashes

im looking forward to seeing what monty can do and whether he can stand up for himself and his country, should be interesting

im excited about the new aussies that should get a chance this ashes

plus seeing warney do his thing, although i hope he has his beard sorted
he looked s***house in his interviews yesterday

warnie is going to be the key issue here, hes bowling really well at the moment and im scared now that his flipper is back in his repetoir :(

just hoping pietersen does what he should do to a good mate, hit him clean out of the gabba :p

new blood in the english team is good too, it means theres less people that remembered how s*** they used to play

strauss just needs to step up a bit and make sure the opening stand is more than 50 runs :o

lol @ Ray.

/Thinks back to fastforward/full frontal days.

"It's crap ray."

Aussies to win 3-1.

Tung are you Pommie? Baeshed.

I really cant wait for this ashes series,

I Predict Mitchell Johnson, To be the next Full Time Australian Fast Bowler,
and i expect there to be much controversy about what bowlers are bowled where.
I really Hope they give Michael Clarke a proper Run, He's the Future.

Aus to win 3-0 with 1 draw.

Aus to win 3-0 with 1 draw.

Does the world end before the 5th test?

edit: tung is sri lankan btw. It is Indias' version of new zealand.

LOL, i ment 2 draws, im dislexic
I dont think the Poms are good enough to Win unless they are majorly helped by rediculous umpiring decisions or something

last edited by NaBeL|MuSe at 12:59:37 21/Nov/06

if i were punter, i wouldnt let johson play until he takes that horrible chin ring out

I dont think the Poms are good enough to Win unless they are majorly helped by rediculous umpiring decisions or something

Sort of like the last ashes series?

nahh i think it was more that we played horribly last series.
Were a much better side this time.

Tung are you Pommie? Baeshed.

Tung supports Sri Lanka and any team playing Australia.

I agree I was just trying to bait somebody.

If I were Tung, I wouldn't say ANYTHING about a player's fitness.

Considering his namesake...

hahaha

touche

yeah, cricket is the only sport i dont support australia in, but its fun to be where i am, because i get to rile people up :)

GO THE MOTHER LAND

hay, tonite on the abc at 9;20

The Madras Test of 96

everyone who loves cricket should watch it (ps watch the bill before it as well)

the bill rox, cricket rox more but.

Do you mean the tied test? Because that was 86 I think.

whoops, yer, its 86

speaking of cricket, lara looks like his going nuts against the poor paki's

83.6 Danish Kaneria to Lara, FOUR, Boundary to end the over! full toss, Lara steps out and puts it away over the mid-wicket fielder
83.5 Danish Kaneria to Lara, SIX, Hat-trick of sixes! length ball and Lara steps out yet again and this time straight over the sight-screen, this is even bigger than the previous one, Lara is on a roll and this is really a treat to watch
83.4 Danish Kaneria to Lara, SIX, One more and this is high- Lara charges down the track and lofts it away high over the long-on fence, this is a massive hit and Lara is on a high
83.3 Danish Kaneria to Lara, SIX, short ball outside leg stump, Lara rocks back and pulls it away high and over mid-wicket fence
83.2 Danish Kaneria to Lara, no run
83.1 Danish Kaneria to Lara, FOUR, flat on the stumps, Lara steps out and lofts it straight down the ground, one bounce into the fence

Lara is the man.

This was the one thing I was most dissapointed about missing when I left for England, as the first ball of the day won't be bowled until midnight London time each day. And you have to have Sky Sports to watch it, which costs extra on top of the standard pay tv packages.

Heardy - you will have to catch night buses if you want to watch it in a pub - good luck :)

Aussies 3-1, Lee most wickets, Martyn most runs. Jacques to play at some point.

That sucks Zak, I swear we got the first ball about 7pm or something when it was on last year didn't we?

Yeah Brisbane would have been 9 hours ahead of London (GMT+1 with daylight savings) at that stage, so that would have been a 10am start. With London being 10 hours behind Brisbane, 11 behind Sydney/Melbourne, a 10am Brisbane start means midnight here.

I am playing hockey with a team full of poms so I'll make sure to where my one day shirt around them as much as possible. I wore my Wallabies jersey to the pub the day the Poms got beaten by Argentina which went down a treat :)

Hey I've got sky sports :)

But only in Ireland, I'll be in London for the entire first test and the people I am staying with don't have it... didn't plan that too well DID I !! I might just sign them up and pay for the month, you can go month to month (well in Ireland you can).

Night buses are the suck, I might have to find a pub around Canary Wharf that is going to show the ashes!

Anyways, if you want to catch up for a beer or two and watch the game PM me or shoot me an email heardy@gmail.com Zak - always up for a beer and cricket :)

Tait out.

haha lee most wickets, tell him he's dreaming

It's all about the warne.

That's a shame Tait is out, I reckon Clark is gonna get the 4th bowling spot...which is really dissapointing I reckon, the last thing we need is a bunny for the Poms to go after...which I reckon Clark will be

If Johnson bowled as fast in the middle as he does in the nets then he'd be able to get away with some of the loose stuff he bowls. But for top class international batsmen, some of what he bowls is genuine pump.

taits out eh?

better drop him from my fantasy squad

hope everyone who loves cricket watched the tied test on abc last nite

it was excellent and only reinforced how totally awesome dean jones was at cricket and how much of a hardman ab was

omg only like 4 hours till it starts D:

we were at teh morrison yesterday for lunch when they were setting up

i could think of nothing better than to be there now, having preashes beers!!!

looking forward to this one gents, it should be a cracka!

I have my ruckus crew sorted out for day 4, x10 bogans mit boonie stashes, wife beaters & fishin hats.. Wonder if we'll be dobbed for bein yobs, mmm excessive drunken behaviour.

10 points to the first person to dob themselves in for being yobs.

at 6:20 this morning there was already a huge line outside the gabba waiting as i drove past

Australia won toss and are batting.

edit: and omg panaser isn't playing. wtf???

my tv tuner is working just in time. :]

My digital TV is f***ed upstairs (or was I'll check it again) but luckily my analouge downstairs is doing fine :D

this should be awesome!

Its midnight here... see how long I can stay awake, dont have to go to work tomorrow, but I do need to get on a plane at some point

hahah gg first ball

harmison ripped outta the attack.

langer has already hit 5 4's :D

Should have kept him on.

Langer is making me scared :(

I don't think the poms really thought this out very well. Bowling to a plan rather than whatever happens to come out of the hand that ball might work slightly better.

Langer gets his 50

Hayden gone :(

Go punter!

Brilliant ball by Freddie.

he can't bowl all the time, can he?

carrn england, knock punter and langer over NOW

carrn england, knock punter and langer over NOW

How about Harmison just bowls even shorter. It's not like Punter can play the pull shot very well or anything.

Australia well on top at lunch :)

1/109 at lunch - nice work

tung you're gay

Australia played ok but didn't need to do any better than that because England played like s***. Flintoff was the only bowler that bowled well, you'd hope he'd give the other quicks a spray because it didn't look like their heads were in it. Especially bad when it's the first session of the series and will set the tone for five of the most hyped tests I can remember.

That was a tough half an hour with no cricket :(

Luckily I had gow to keep me occupied.

Interesting commentary on baggygreen....

12.25pm During the interval the punters at Brisbane have been treated to kids playing Kwik Cricket to the backdrop of "horrible Australian rock" according to Andrew Miller (a man who lists The Darkness among his favourite bands) while we have been enjoying a delicious shepherds pie and purple carrots cooked by Jenny. It's almost time to resume battle with Australia in the driving seat after the first session of the series.

Langers out for 82 runs

First in with ponting 100.

Australia = better than the poms.

13 runs til 150 for punter!

f*** yeah 3/346 at stumps is f***ing great, obviously o/346 woulda been the best result, but this leaves us in a great position!!

Awesome day, even though I won't be there until saturday, I got paid to sit in front of the TV at work and then my boss gave us some free beers even though he doesn't watch/like cricket.... and we pumped the poms.... top work Australia.

w00t! Roll call for Ashes on Friday?! I'll be there!

just got home, need sleep and after sun lotion.

Aussies 4-0 its bound to rain at some stage.

the Poms are kidding, they have Bell at 3 and Collingwood at 4 - two complete hacks filling the key batting positions.

Sick of hearing about Freddy, he has had one good series ffs.

Bowling average in the 30's, batting average in the low 30's. this is not a world class all rounder, just a bloke that looks good in a s*** side.

woot let's go.

spidz is on a winner, http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ausveng/content/player/12856.html

I still like freddie, love his attitude, I am reading his book at the moment and he hates the way technology has got in the way of coaching and playing, he likes the 'what feels natural I will do' not over analyse s*** etc

but yeah game on

punter for a double ton

Ponting 150.

f***it, the radio just said 150 - I must be getting it on delay :/

good work punter :D

:(

farken... wanted huss to get a century

Shame Mr Cricket didn't get his century, but hopefully the poms might get into us a bit today...i'm real keen to see us having a crack at them with Lee and McGrath for at least a session this arvo, but judging on how well the pitch is playing and how long punter stays at the crease...I daresay we won't be seeing england bat till tomorrow :(

23 runs til punters 2 hunge

Female sports presenters.

Ponting.

196 ARGHHHHH!!! :(

f***ing bulls*** he was miles forward!
s*** call you f***in nigga

Nah it was out.

Second time the english c***s have robbed our boys of 200.

And there goes gilly.

Oh well, Lee-Warne and Clarke just need to amass another 50 odd between them and we'll pretty much be in an unloseable position I reckon...especially if we can pick up a few cheap wickets this arvo

i reckon the english batting will crumble.

michael slater is the most irritating commentator evar.

Might get to see Warnie carve 'em up a bit tonight.

michael slater is the most irritating commentator evar.

No f***ing way, Taylor fo sho

I was at Day 1 yesterday, it was pretty cool. Beautiful day for cricket.

f*** it was gay that they didn't let me take in my backpack. I refused to pay $5 for it so we scammed the system thanks to some useless organisation on their behalf.

Also $5.50 for a beer sucks s***.

why can't you take a backpack in?

whats the deal with paying to get it in?

has anyone else lost sound?

maybe its just WIN television but i havent had any sound for about 10 minutes :(

its paying to put it in a cloakroom ara

security hazards and what not

trumpeters kicked out and mexican wave starters too :(

also lol WIN tv mav, also pm 2u2 kklah

Welcome to Queensland, where you are not allowed any fun because it is against the law.

ahh well back to the golf i guess.

what is the problem with backpacks?

what are you suppose to take your food, drink, sunscreen etc in?

nothing, trog just had two 2litres coke bottles of moonshine

Hurry up and bowl McGrath out I want to see Warnie :/

i reckon they'll declare once/if lee gets his fiddy.

sound is working on HD digital or some s***. still not on normal win though :S

oh no.. just declared.. poor lee :( i'd be cut

velvety style oldschool helmets are so much better then the noob plastic ones

Anyone else getting pissed off by that RetraVision add with the s***ty version of 500 miles on it?

zomg

the aussies are awesome

i just asked a lift full of pommys in the eleveator at our hotel in melbourne if they were enjoying the cricket

lolz

ON A HAT-TRICK ZOMG

McGrath sucks

I hope for the sake of things that either Pieterson or Flintoff can score a hundred, otherwise this test is gonna be over tomorrow

australia is going to take 17 wickets in one day?

I was at Day 1 yesterday, it was pretty cool. Beautiful day for cricket.

f*** it was gay that they didn't let me take in my backpack.

they advertised pretty heavily that you can't bring backpacks, so really if you took one you are just a silly trog.

Plastic bag is the go.

another good day at the game, though I am getting sick of the wanker cops who ignore the actual blokes causing trouble and booting the people out who are just having a laugh.

australia is going to take 17 wickets in one day?

considering they took 3 wickets within half an hour i fail to see how you think this is unlikely?

i mean it probably won't happen but i certaintly wouldn't rule it out and have seen many teams crumble before Australia before.

f***ing awesome!!

I went to bed at lunch - 2am here, was wrecked.

Farken wanted punter to get the double ton, looks like Stu Clark cut sik with the bat, 39 off 24 balls hahha binga lee still scoring runs... gilly failed again.. tho it wasn't needed, so yeh..

Good old McGarth taking wickets against he old enemy :) I noticed Binga only got 4 overs, was that because it was bad light and they didn't want the umps to call it a day OR was it because clark and mcgrath were bowling so well?

anyway I slept in till 11am here, so i'll be ready for a long night in front of the cricket tonight :D

I believe the idea is to bowl him in shorter spells now - 4-5 overs at a time, rather than the 7-10 most opening bowlers do these days. The belief is he is more effective when he is bowling quick, so they are trying to give him more rest periods.

Also he collided with Hussey when they got the first wicket and ended up going off for some treatment to a cut on his leg (from Hussey's spikes) so it may have been related to that as well.

Speaking of which, Hussey is making a habit of taking hot catches at the Gabba. I can think of at least 2 others - 20/20 game against South Africa last year when he ran in from the boundary and took a diving catch, and the day nighter against South Africa last year where he was running with his back to the ball and managed to hang on to a one hander.

Heardy - whereabouts did you watch it?

he bowled 4 overs because he went off to get stitches for the collision and Clarke replaced him and looked menacing so they left him on. This proved a good decision when he then removed Collingwood.

I hope to see Lee bounce KP heavily in the morning, those pansy hook shots they played in 05 won't be clearing the ropes at the Gabba.

Zak I just ended up listening to the BBC commentary via the net. I wasnt going to be bothered going to some pub for only 2 or 3 hours viewing...

Depending on what my mates want to do tonight, if we are out drinking or at a pub, I might try to get to one of the walkabouts or that sports cafe, but we'll see.

Yeah just finished reading foxsports, cricinfo and bbc news and assumed lee didnt bowl again because of the clash. I must say both cricinfo and bbc articles are more indepth and written better (imo) even though a few of the bbc acticles are very English centric, they are still informative.

Zak if you get a chance the bbc has straming vid for uk broadband customers only, generally a pretty decent wrap up of each day and some good interviews. Love how McGrath said we're going well for old fellas, they should be worried getting beaten by a buch of old blokes haha go son

though I am getting sick of the wanker cops.

fixed

i like this clark fella, his tail end batting was entertaining

Heardy how did you listen to it on the net? Do you need to be with a particular broadband company? I tried to listen to BBC Five Live but it wouldn't work on the first night...

I am note 100% sure who my mates are with, they aint tech savvy, so no doubt it's BT and they are more hten likely paying an arseload for a small connection, I downloaded one of my tv shows today and it was only coming down at ~110k so they probably have 1mb/128k or similar....

99% sure it's BT

But yeah no drama's straming the commentary from BBC website though, that and the video stuff comes through fine and dandy.

Well you have obviously figured it out then, but if you want Aussie commentary my mate reckons he was using this url in Media Player/Winamp - 89.207.233.32:800

He wasn't sure if it was Channel 9 or ABC radio but apparently it works. Said it is a little bit delayed, but it would be good to have some biased Aussie commentary.

But yeah from the looks of it you were here - bbc.co.uk/cricket. Seems painfully obvious now, but I searched right through the BBC radio guide and couldn't get to it.

Would be nice to have some footage, but I guess this will do.

Ahhh, I finally get to go today. Hope we absolutely give it to the poms.

it's nearly go time, can't wait to see us rip through them :D

I think the biggest decision today will be the question around enforcing the follow one, we've got an oldish bowling line up, well the two key players are fkn old - lets be honest. and all the 5 tests are pretty much back to back, so punter might send the batters back in for a few hours???

lets see


game awwwwn

he rarely enforces follow on

Woooooo, Pieterson gone!

booyah

If we get them out for under 300 he will enforce it. No point in soaking up time - England will just play for a draw otherwise.

Listening to the ABC feed - it's weird, we are a couple of balls behind what is actually happening. I had someone tell me about a wicket on msn before it actually happened on the commentary.

GONE

Flintoff DUCK

Zak, how you get ABC comm to work, I went to their site and it's blocked by CA as they only want people within Aus to be able to listen or some s***...

These fkn pom commentators are getting on my nerves!

Heardy, msn if you have it - soundpimp@hotmail.com

It is so frustrating not being able to watch the game by the way. I hope you guys are enjoying it!

If we get them out for under 300

ahahaha, we might get them out for under 100 the way they're going atm

whytf would you try to run 2 when you are completely owning the poms? stupid hayden

why did we not enforce follow on?

whytf would you try to run 2 when you are completely owning the poms?

the only 10 minutes i've watched and that is what i saw
that was right after the baller dude hurt himself trying to stop a cricket ball with his wrist
i also watched some golf today and a guy hit the ball over the fence

lol @ noobs on tv

Thank you Zak, that IP address works a charm.
Since the CA site is so f***ed up, i will take an audio only broadcats where i can get it, thanx.

hehe we are fkn pwning them!!

we will declare when langer gets his ton, and depending how fast punter scores tomorrow, might wait for him to get his ton?

also pidgon with a 6 fa - the old fella is going well

Warnie didn't get a wicket either, so the poms will be s***ting themselves :p

why did we not enforce follow on?

To not push the bowlers too much. McGrath had already bowled 23 overs in less than a days play so it's better to give him a break and get Binger ready for some fire tomorrow.

This has to be one of best lines i have read
"If there are any leaders of rogue states reading this who are currently holding English nationals, I suggest you stick them in a very small room and make them watch day three of the first Ashes Test for the next seven hours. It's sure to be painful"
How truthful.

It's embarassing when the world's best bowler doesn't even need to take a wicket for your side to be knocked over for 150...

I was at the Gabba today...quite boring watching the english noobs block every ball. It was more entertaining watching the beach balls floating around. The whole crowd seemed to think so too, because there was more shouting involved in the outcome of beach balls than the actual game.

A big yellow ball trickled down onto the field and a cop started walking toward it to deflate it. Brett Lee was in the outfield and quickly walked to the ball before the cop got there and threw it back into the crowd, to a massive cheer from the entire stadium. Then later a massive boo as a cop finally got it. The players must have been wondering WTF the crowd was on :)

I watched a 10min highlight package just now

It can't be just the wicket causing the poms to f*** up - the aussies managed to score f***en rapidly when they went in for their second innings...

My vote is they will wait for langer and punter to get a ton, before lunch and throw the poms back in for 5-10 overs before lunch, so that means they have to come out hitting tomorrow, should be an awesome days play.

maybe customs took their mints so they can't load up the ball to get early reverse swing...

I was at the Gabba today...quite boring watching the english noobs block every ball. It was more entertaining watching the beach balls floating around. The whole crowd seemed to think so too, because there was more shouting involved in the outcome of beach balls than the actual game.

A big yellow ball trickled down onto the field and a cop started walking toward it to deflate it. Brett Lee was in the outfield and quickly walked to the ball before the cop got there and threw it back into the crowd, to a massive cheer from the entire stadium. Then later a massive boo as a cop finally got it. The players must have been wondering WTF the crowd was on :)

Have you ever been to a Gabba test before? That's pretty much standard and has happened every time I've been there regardless of how entertaining the cricket is (and I'm fairly sure the players know exactly what is happening there).

nearly go time :D

Just got back from watching Casino Royale and I am ready to watch the aussies whip the poms :)

Hey Zak, is that IP adress going to be workign for today's play?

Haha I was just logging on to ask you the same question.

I've tried opening it in Real Player and Windows Media but no luck so far. Just got the BBC stream going for the moment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/default.stm

I can't even get that as it is only for UK residents.

yeah I have BBC going as well

punter sounds like he is injured?

Not a bad 100 by Langer, should keep his spot for a least the next 2 tests I reckon.

Now time for McGrath to have another crack (at the cracks) :)

i am more worried about punter to be honest...

I hope mcgarth gets at least 4 so he gets a 10 wicket match

can't wait to hear wicket after wicket fall :D

weeee first one goooone


thing is, both punter and mcgrath are off??

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


:)

What a brain explosion by Collingwood.... he was obviously nervous in the 90s but wow.

Re the cops being total Nazis with respect to the crowd. I read in yesterday's paper (while I was at the Gabba!) that the Barmy Army trumpet player was ejected on Day1 some time after lunch. Apparently they *let* him take the instrument in (er so you can't take a backpack but you can take a trumpet??) but told him not to play it. Hullo? What else would you take in a trumpet for you sk security muppets?

On Saturday at lunch I went to stretch my legs outside Gate2 and there he was playing the tune from The Great Escape on his trumpet with a camera crew filming him. I thought he was pretty good, and then I read in the same newspaper that he is in fact a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Sure if he sounded like some 10 year old kid playing a recorder kick him out + bash him in the car park, otherwise let_the_man_play.

The crowd was so restless today that some people opposite me in Section 12/13 took it upon themeslves to throw around a life size blow-up sex doll. Was totally LOL until the cops came down the bay 12+13 stairs in a flanking manouvre and then moved towards each other to claim the doll. Seriously, what is their beef? I know their orders come down from higher on up, but have some leeway ffs.

I worked in the members bar during the corresponding series 4 years ago and it was a party atmosphere. Poms got beat within 3 days but you wouldn't have known cos the Barmy Army was going off...had a mega congo line going thru the mens toilets and out the other side. Must have been about 50 metres long. This match has been a total downer so I didn't bother buying tickets for today+tomorrow.

i think a sex doll being thrown around is fair enough that the cops take it down as kids/families go to the game etc..

but the balls and all that i dont see the problem.

pic from today

Got a video of the sex doll being thrown around too ehehe

Very disappointed that the barmy army were separated, they really bring life to the ashes

RE: Beach balls

It might be an old wives tale, but from what I understand the beach balls used to be tolerated until a lady copped one in the face at force, probaby gaining some injury from falling over. After this, CA banned them at grounds.

Not sure if that is correct or not, and a google search might give you the right one. But that is what I have been told.

just drove past the gabba and I had my windscreen wipers on....

The seccies saw our beachball and let us through with it...

They only get pissy when the balls land on the ground.

hehe I was giving some poms s*** today in and around London, LOVE IT :D

Can't wait for us to clean them up.

P.S. I rekon we'll look like tools if we lose the series, warnie clapping freddie off - a little harsh, mc grath grabbing his back etc but I have every confidence in them.

New ball, mcgrath to take 5 (or at least 4) to give him a 10 wicket match!

ponting is going to be in so much strife if it rains today :D

CARRRN ENGLAND BAT IT OUT

punter had a back spasm yesterday.

but back to england having a chance.

even if australia win, its going to be a mental victory for england, as australia would be getting a bit hot under the collar watching these clouds slowly move over...

if england force the draw due to rain delayed play, fingers are going to be pointing at punter like they did for when he chose to bowl first in edgbaston

noone believed me when i said punters captaincy skills are going to let australia down here! WOOOO

it would have made no difference, the decision to not enforce the follow on was the correct one, unlike bowlig first at Edgbaston.

Australia only batted for 3 hours, without the rest it would easily take our bowlers that much longer to bowl out England so we didn't lose any time and as spidz said it made no difference. If it ends up a draw chances are it would have been anyway if we'd made them follow on.

Yeh but asif our bowlers were tired. Maybe Glen, but our other 3 had plently left in them before a nights rest. If there ever is a time to force a follow on its after a short 60 over innings unlike englands 150+ over stint the days before.

f***en gawwwnnnn

well done binga

what did langer do yesterday with his catch that made people cranky pants? i missed it?
healy this morning was like dont do that at home kids, and if he had've dropped it ponting would've gone out there himself blah blah blah

giles gawn now

in the bag

what did langer do yesterday with his catch that made people cranky pants? i missed it?

He took a high catch to dismiss Flintoff, and just before he caught the ball he clenched both his hands into fists, caught it, then ran in and celebrated.

clark another wicket

woohoo its over, we win

Clark gets a 4 for

I get to go to bed early :p 1:30am here :/

tung called this one well

England lost this test in day one, no doubt about it. I do wish that Ricky had made them follow on, the mental blow would have been huge. That was the only let down for from this side. I so wish the security was a bit more relaxed, does Queensland really want to be known as the most boring place in the world?

Yeh but asif our bowlers were tired. Maybe Glen, but our other 3 had plently left in them before a nights rest. If there ever is a time to force a follow on its after a short 60 over innings unlike englands 150+ over stint the days before.

McGrath would have been tired for sure but even with the rest Binger bowled a lot below 140 in the second innings and it clearly wasn't for lack of trying. It's looking longer term as well. With the next test starting in a few days running the three quicks into the ground with 50 overs each across consecutive innings would have been dangerous. Not for the opening spells (you're right in that they wouldn't have been that tired at the start of the second innings) but 80-90 overs into the second innings they would have been shot and we would have stuggled to use the second new ball effectively and then get back up in time for Adelaide.

aah well, theres always adelaide!

Lee out for MaGill thanks.

Watson back in to replace Clarke, not due to form but basically because he was selected there and only went out due to injury.

Lee out for MaGill thanks

haha no way

i think they will take michael clarke out and run with 3 quicks and 2 spinners

you clazy

Has MacGill ever hit one out of the Gabba?

watson is ruled out he still has a sore leg.

I really hope Macgill gets a go, he really is a f***in good bowler and is so unluckey to be around when Warne is.

I would never bag Macgills awesome skills however I would rather watch Brett Lee run shoab stylez at the pitch than Macgills sombre stylez.

plus he hits a few biggies and smiles every now and then.