[Aussiegav]

Still think the result is dependant on the weather though.

and some very poor umpiring..

[galpinos]

 YYFY

Freddie the legend bags a wicket with his 4th ball. Bye bye Haddin.

[Jaspersharpe]

Just what we needed. 

[Jaspersharpe]

I can see this being sickeningly close.

[Adam Lincoln]

Some respite with Clarke just gone.

[Jaspersharpe]

YYFY!!!!

[SA Chris]

Some respite with Clarke just gone.

And Hauritz.

Johnson hanging in.

[Aussiegav]

see you at Edgebaston.

well played.

[cofe]

they should knight freddie. 5.

[rich d]

Class just come out of a meeting and it's 381 for 8. Umpiring decisions usually even themselves out over a series. But I think it's karma with ponting being such a miserable bastard.

[SA Chris]

And that's siddle away.

[Adam Lincoln]

 

[Jaspersharpe]

    

I'm tipping England to win by around 80-120 runs, and deservedly so, they've clearly been the better side since the game started. It's been a brave rearguard from Clarke & Haddin but I just can't see them holding on right through the morning session against rested bowlers (which is what they need to do to.)

Good arrows.

[BB]

YYFY! All gone now.

[Jaspersharpe]

"We've always enjoyed playing here, we've had a very proud record here. We were outplayed right through the course of the game, England have been the better team. We've got to bounce back pretty quickly."

"I'm pretty proud of the way we fought the game out. Our bowling in the second innings was as good as it's been through the series. But after lunch on day one we were chasing our tail."

Ponting actually sounds magnanimous in defeat there!

Some good photos here.

Including this choice one of Freddie after dismissing Haddin:

[SA Chris]

Shakading

England beat Australia in a Lord's Test for the first time since 1934 as Andrew Flintoff takes five wickets

[tlr]

Very sweet.

So what are the chances of Freddie being sober tonight? 

[andy higginson]

Pretty slim, Aggers has just given him a bottle of champagne...

[DaveC]

Yep, once Flintoff got an early one it was pretty much a sure thing. At least they put up a fight in the second innings and the next captain of Australia played a beauty while Johnson showed why (if he remembers how to bowl as well!) he's pretty much a genuine all-rounder at number 8. As I was chipping away at fossils all weekend the highlights I've seen suggest the first three days were a fucking embarrassment! Looks like they were doing an good impression of the Bangaldesh 2nd Eleven at times (with apologies to the Bangladesh 2nd Eleven.)

Now my questions are:
1. Can Flintoff rest his knee enough (and Pieterson his achilles) to play in the next test? At least they have more than three days this time!
2. Can Ponting   avoid any whinging and just move on? DEspite the medias continued suport for him over here I suspect public opinion might be a little different - I know mine is very different!
and 3. Can the Australian bowlers remember roughly where the stumps are? Is there anybody over there who could just pop down to their next training session and point them out?

[Aussiegav]

2. Can Ponting   avoid any whinging and just move on?

i suggest you listen to what he says to Athers in the presentation.

[Jaspersharpe]

and 3. Can the Australian bowlers remember roughly where the stumps are? Is there anybody over there who could just pop down to their next training session and point them out?

I'm sure that fat blonde chap who's been working for Sky would be happy to oblige.

[butters]

Flintoff was on fire this morning by all account and has been for the whole test overall with the ball - his knee is an ongoing concern but from his post match interview he is of the opinion that he will be lining up at Edgbaston.

The Aussies got well beaten this test of that there is no doubt - they bowled awfully in the first inniings and then got the worst of the conditions when it was their turn to bat but they fought well in the second - OK there was one decision that certainly went against them but as someoine else has pointed out these things have a tendancy to even out over a series. The other decisions that have been mentioned are neither here nor there - at best they constitue gamesmanship that is not welcome in cricket in my opinion seeking as they do to undermine the umpires

As for pointing out where the stumps are Hauritz and Siddle should have a good idea having heard the death rattle today.  

DaveC\Oldfella - what is your opinion on the squad picked for the Ashes? There is a lot being made of the fact that Lee was a risky pick even before the side strain he picked up before the first test and apparently he has no chance of playing next week so there is no way he is going to be picked for the third test. Johnson has suffered like a well whipped dog this match with the ball though he redemmed himself with the bat somewhat and Hughes seems to have been found out as an opener as well and there doesn't seem to be a replacement for either within the original squad. Are replacements for one or either likely?

[andy higginson]

Harold Bishop, Carl Kennedy, Dame Edna, Steve Irwin, Kylie Minogue – we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all. Rolf Harris, can you hear me? Rolf Harris, your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!

[Jaspersharpe]

There's some serious toy chucking going on on the internet!

englands failed to play the game in the right spirit despite pontings pleas.

hope these 2 umpires get strucky off ive never seen such a poor display since daryll hair against pakistan.

this wasa 50/50 match deserved to be a draw but the umpires assured eng would win

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! 

It was nice to see a few decisions going our way for a change. As mentioned these things generally even themselves out over the course of a series. The ten year old above was obviously watching a different match if they thought it was "50/50". Genius.

[Aussiegav]

DaveC\Oldfella - what is your opinion on the squad picked for the Ashes? There is a lot being made of the fact that Lee was a risky pick even before the side strain he picked up before the first test and apparently he has no chance of playing next week so there is no way he is going to be picked for the third test. Johnson has suffered like a well whipped dog this match with the ball though he redemmed himself with the bat somewhat and Hughes seems to have been found out as an opener as well and there doesn't seem to be a replacement for either within the original squad. Are replacements for one or either likely?

i thought picking Lee was a valid selection, his current injury isn't related to the previous one. And as evident in the first 2 tests, johnson is bowling like a weekend club player therefore lee would of got some wickets and leaked les runs, if he were fit.
for the next test, i would drop johnson in favour of Stuart Clarke. Hilf & Siddle have done well. And it was good of Hauritz to show some tough character, in both bowling and the dislocated finger.

people forget that Hughes is only 20 yrs old and to make it worse he comes in after 2 australia's most successful openers Hayden / Langer, you could also add Gilly (one day form), so with that alone he was always going to struggle to match the contribution of those guys.

at the end of the day / series it will come down really to one person, Flintoff.
he is the heart and soul of english cricket. you better pray that he stays fit for the remainder of the series.
from your lot, disappointed with KP, Bopara, Onions, Broad.

i would drop Broad for harmy, especially with the cloud of Fred's condition. and drop KP back to county cricket, he is unfit and has some major personal issues. there is no I in TEAM.....