[Sloper]

The first morning of the first test and England are in difficulties.

[cofe]

strewth

[Sloper]

I'm not really a cricket fan but I do like the commentary on TMS.

I do however hope for some classic Aussie whingeing if England do manage to do something unusual, i.e. win.

[butters]

Just got up after finishing work this morning and it is certainly first session to the Aussies - three wickets on what is apparently a benign pitch and Pietersen playing with less than exemplary control don't give me huge confidence at the minute. England have gone with two spinners though and are (hopefully) bowling last on a wicket that takes spin so it's not all over yet but it requires a lot more application than has been shown so far by England in the next session.

As for TMS - it is one of the joys of an English summer.

[fatneck]

As for TMS - it is one of the joys of an English summer.

I agree!

Pieterson and Colly just brought up the 50 partnership off 104 balls, but it's a shame we have to totally rely on Pieterson. No-one else seems to be able to put together decent scores consistently. Bopara appears on form with three consecutive centuries, then makes a nervy 35, never looks comfortable and gets out on whats supposed to be a good batting wicket 

Come on the lads!

[Jaspersharpe]

Love TMS but gotta make do with the cricinfo live score thing (which appears to update the quickest of the various one on the web).

KP & Collingwood appear to have steadied the ship somewhat........I hate to tempt fate though.

[GraemeA]

Full url is http://footballclubonline.com/ch1.html

Live streaming of the Sky coverage. UKC has its plus points  

[Jaspersharpe]

Nice one Graeme. Thought the streaming stuff would be way behind but that's fucking good!

[butters]

Must agree with you on the reliance on Pietersen to make a decent score everytime he bats but he is without doubt a world class player and it goes with the territory - the Windies relied on Lara for years as did India with Tendulkar so it is not an uncommon thing IMO. Off the top of my head it is only the Aussies who have had more than one batsman who consistently scores big runs in the last decade and that is partially down to being at the top of the tree for that time and the pressures that go with it - a couple of poor scores and the axe looms large.

Bopara will come good I think - it is his first Ashes series and he will be somewhat nervous about that but like his Essex team mate Cook he has talent. There has also been a huge build up to this series given that England have a reasonable chance of making something of it so the nerves will be transmitted through the whole team.

As for TMS - Blowers is on and rambling in his usual marvellous fashion - there seems to be a lack of pigeons to comment on but seagulls are making a decent fist as an avian substitute it would appear.  

[GraemeA]

It's playing on my laptop whilst I type shite on the PC 

[Jaspersharpe]

Wish whoever was streaming it would stop fucking about with the channel guide! 

[butters]

100 patnership up and 50 for Pietersen

[Jaspersharpe]

194/3 at tea with 50 each for Colly & KP.

A great recovery so far. I'm still expecting the inevitable batting collapse but if it can just wait another session or two we'll post a decent score.

No joy for the Aussie spinners but is that because of their quality or the pitch or a bit of both?

[Plattsy]

Quality I hope. Swann is the leading test wicket taker this year so with some hope he'll continue the 2nd half of the year like he started the first.

Must admit I'd have been tempt with Rashid over Panesar if I was looking for another spinner. Hope the choice turns out well.

[butters]

No joy for the Aussie spinners but is that because of their quality or the pitch or a bit of both?

Quality - since Warne retired they have been tried a few different spinners to no effect - Cricinfo did a very good article on this very subject here.

The pitch will increasingly improve as a spinners wicket I read somewhere - days 4 and 5 should be interesting if this is true.

[Jaspersharpe]

Good article that. It would seem that they have been spoilt by Warne and have no real idea how to use spinners who aren't of his calibre. Interesting.

[Jaspersharpe]

That's the sort of luck we need!

[andy popp]

Oh god, have we really got seven weeks of this to go?

[Jaspersharpe]

 

[Jaspersharpe]

300 up.

Flintoff 34 off 36 deliveries as per and Prior a none too shabby 37 from 48. 

[butters]

Finished at 336/7 then - not too shabby considering we were 90\3 in the first session but Pietersen did his usual trick of throwing his wicket away. The commentators on TMS were pretty appalled at the manner he got out but it wasn't till I saw it on the highlights tonight that I realised just how pathetic a shot it was.

Anyway as I was saying - not a bad result - should hopefully make somewhere in the region of 375+ and then see what happens.

[Zods Beard]

Neither teams are all that, it's someone's to lose in my opinion.

TMS and Cricinfo rule.

[Jaspersharpe]

Quite funny listening to KP on the radio saying how well Hauritz bowled and then them playing the clip of Boycott straight after........"What utter rubbish..........completely average bowler.......... If my Mum was alive and batting then he wouldn't have got her out. etc etc".

[Plattsy]

England appears to have a tail well capable of wagging these days. Good start from Broad and Anderson.

Pretty much booked in for a Saturday afternoon ashes drinkathon! Can't wait.

[Jaspersharpe]

400 up!

Swann just smashed Hauritz for 12 off the last 3 balls.