The Ashes 2009

[DaveR]

From 200 odd for none to 300 and a bit for 5. Hopes raised and dashed again. If we were just completely rubbish it would be easier to bear.

[Sherwick]

380 all out?

[Keef]

Er, lets hope Flintoff does better with his bowling!

[Sherwick]

let's hope that they ALL do better with their bowling!

[Marmora Man]

What a day. 100% for the first session, 70% for second and 25% for the last. At least KP was out to a half way decent ball - tho' he should still be battling if he had concentrated better.

I'll back 425 as an all out score - at least I'll get to see both sides bat tomorrow (which is why I always book for the 2nd day of a test match.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Just watching the highlights now. Nasty broken finger.

[Brendan]

Come now folks this is test cricket day one isn?t the time to even start thinking about having hopes or fears yet let alone having them dashed. I fear your heads may have been irreparably damage by Chelsea United and S Club.

I just watched the highlights and the Ausies started bowling very well in the last session. The ball was moving in the air, which is why they hung onto the old ball for quite a while. You get swing on warm humid afternoons in London and the way the weather is going I think this morning was about as good as it?s going to get for batsmen. Let?s hope England?s bowlers can exploit that.

Pity the selectors ignored my advice again and left Harmy out as he can make swingy, swingy he can reverse it and he can bang it into the bouncy Lords pitch from 3 floors up. But you know, nobody ever listens to me.

I?m with MM (and rather envious of his ring side seat) on the score being about 425 all out sometime before lunch tomorrow. 425 is a decent first innings score at Lords.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Did you catch that old chap in the pavillion with all the beard and moustaches?

[Brendan]

Did I? I?m writing the the ECB to request that he be made England wicky with immediate effect.

[Marmora Man]

Brendan, I'll be there with my beard (shorter these days and sporting more silver than black). It used to hide my ties but is now the more fashionable close crop - goes with bsld head. Will try to updare EDF live from the ground - a bit worried about weather forecast.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Suspect the outfield may suffer tomorrow from heavy rain this evening. Weather fairly good tomorrow but Saturday looks very iffy.

[Brendan]

Well hopefully that super, ninja, gazillion pound, new drainage system they had installed at Lords in 2002 will sort that out.

[Ted Max]

Have a good day tomorrow, MM.

And if you happen to bump into Michael Hunt, the Lords head groundsman, remember that he chooses to be called Mick.

[Sherwick]

Not even sure that KP touched that ball. Watched it again and again and couldn't see any deviation or hear any nick...

[citizenED]

But they were right to give him out as penance for that stupid shot in Cardiff.

BTW England get more than 300 in a day and everyone is bemoaning. Brendan has it right, it's an more than decent position. Oh, drat, just remembered, nobody ever listens to Brendan.

[DaveR]

At 190+ for no wicket, you have to be aiming to put yourself in a position where you can't realistically lose, and the other side are under real pressure i.e. bat for 5 sessions and post 550+. Australia did indeed bowl well after tea but Collingwood and Prior got themselves out with poor shots, and Bopara doesn't look like a genuine no.3 to me.

[Brendan]

Very true. I would have played Bell at number 3. That position needs a quality batsman but one who will settle and nurdle to balance out KP. Colly I can forgive because he has been England?s most consistent player for so many years now. Prior doesn?t have any facial hair and should be replaced by the MCC member with the boater and impressive whiskers.

If the selectors would just listen to my posts but as has been pointed out, nobody listens to me.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Great start!

[Brendan]

The have been 6 first innings scores of 500 + out of 18 tests played at Lords this century only 1 of which has resulted in that team winning the match (Eng vs Windies ?04)

Whereas 5 test matches have been won at Lords this century by teams who made less than 500 runs in their first innings.

Ergo, England have a better chance of winning if they make less than 500 in this innings.

Makes sense doesn?t it?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Good to see the England team have adopted your statistical game plan, Brendan.

That's three in 15 minutes!

[Brendan]

Sure, now they listen.

[Ted Max]

I hope our submariner got there early.

[Keef]

Just seems a real shame after the good work of Strauss & Cook. Still, we'll crawl over the 400 line, and can then get on with having a good go at them!

[Brendan]

Oh pish, all that's needed is a final wicket partnership of about 50. That's not even half of the first wicket partnership.

[DaveR]

It's 41 already!