[DaveC]

Amazing. A proper  in their own back yard. 

...and thoroughly deserved. You can hear the sound of knives being sharpened quite clearly over here.

We have near monsoon weather now all down the east side of the continent - including Adelaide (a major 'la nina' event is underway), so Perth may be the last opportunity to get a result and all the momentum makes England a clear favourite.

PS Trivia Alert! It was Australia's worst defeat at Adelaide since WG Grace led England to an innings win in 1892!

[GraemeA]

Trivia is what cricket is all about.

[DaveC]

Trivia is what cricket is all about.

I have every edition of Wisden Almanac since 1976 (first one was my 13th birthday present!) I just love cricket trivia.

[Bobling]

Good song heard for the first time today (by me).  To the tune of "Love will tear you apart again".

Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!
Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!

 

[GraemeA]

I wonder if the Barmy Army have a full rendition of that classic rather than just the chorus.

[GraemeA]

Trivia is what cricket is all about.

I have every edition of Wisden Almanac since 1976 (first one was my 13th birthday present!) I just love cricket trivia.

So you will be aware of just how many records we have already broken in 2 Test matches :-)

[butters]

Good song heard for the first time today (by me).  To the tune of "Love will tear you apart again".

Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!
Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!

It was most amusing hearing Simon Hughes trying to explain this to CMJ the other night... Think it was fair to say that Joy Division passed CMJ by quite comprehensively.

[grumpycrumpy]

I just loved the fact that the Aussies were praying for rain ...... The irony 

[john horscroft]

Good song heard for the first time today (by me).  To the tune of "Love will tear you apart again".

Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!
Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!

It was most amusing hearing Simon Hughes trying to explain this to CMJ the other night... Think it was fair to say that Joy Division passed CMJ by quite comprehensively.

....along with the rest of popular culture methinks.....

[slackline]

I just loved the fact that the Aussies were praying for rain ...... The irony 

Nothing unusual about that, they're always praying for rain as they don't have enough.  Hell they've even built desalination plants in Perth 'cause there's not enough fresh water! 

[butters]

Good song heard for the first time today (by me).  To the tune of "Love will tear you apart again".

Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!
Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!

It was most amusing hearing Simon Hughes trying to explain this to CMJ the other night... Think it was fair to say that Joy Division passed CMJ by quite comprehensively.

....along with the rest of popular culture methinks.....

I have heard that CMJ is a total whizz with the quoting system though... 

[john horscroft]

Good song heard for the first time today (by me).  To the tune of "Love will tear you apart again".

Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!
Swanny...Swanny will tear you apart again!

It was most amusing hearing Simon Hughes trying to explain this to CMJ the other night... Think it was fair to say that Joy Division passed CMJ by quite comprehensively.

....along with the rest of popular culture methinks.....

I have heard that CMJ is a total whizz with the quoting system though... 

  Damn!  You shag one sheep..... 

[Jaspersharpe]

The Australians really are getting desperate, calling for Warne to come out of retirement. Hilarious.

[DaveC]

The Australians really are getting desperate, calling for Warne to come out of retirement. Hilarious.

I actually haven't seen or heard a single call for Warne to come out of retirement other than one or two tongue-in-cheek comments on commercial radio and they don't count. I'm guessing a few media outfits have seen somebody on Twat-ter suggesting it and decided that it constitutes news. The Australian media are as bad at what they do as the cricket team seem to be at what they are supposed to be doing!
Still, as you say, it's good for a laugh.

[butters]

It is all to do with the bringbackwarne website that has been set up by some desperate Aussie and then the English media have picked upon it and are running with it for all they are worth. More details from cricinfo here.



The amount in the pot has gone up a bit but I don't think the fat spinner will be tempted yet... 

[DaveC]

An excellent piece in the local papers over here about the cyclical nature of the game.

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/back-to-the-dark-ages-20101210-18stl.html

As it says, Australia's great achievement was to stay on top for so long, although I would add that the Windies were dominant for even longer beforehand (1976 - 94.)

[Plattsy]

Lunch on Day 1 and another good start from England. Strauss dropped a chance and Ponting edged straight through a vacant 4th slip region. Neither of which have cost us any runs for change. Collingwood took a stunning catch off Punter and Priors catch off Watsons pocket (given out but referred and oveturned) was its equal. Tremletts ball to Hughes was a brillant.
Mr Cricket still at the crease so the Aussies will be hopeful for a herculean effort from him if the rest stick around. How do you get him out?
Australia are 65/4 with Tremlett looking very good and Anderson seemingly not affected from his trip North.
Top four Aussie batsmen looked woeful. You can almost see the axe hanging over Punter.
Looks a good choice by Strauss to have had a bowl lets hope it continues to do a bit through the afternoon. 

[grumpycrumpy]

268 all out ...... Siddle sounded like he was getting into his stride ......

[butters]

Good runs scored by the tail for the Aussies - 113 runs scored by the last four batsmen which gives them something to bowl at anyway.

[DaveC]

Good decision to bowl first by Strauss, if there's a green tinge to the WACA pitch you just have to let your quicks have an early crack. Wasn't so much tail-end resistance from Australia either, Hussey & Haddin in the middle order have looked the best batting combination for much of the series so far and Johnson's runs were a bonus (he does have a test century against S.Africa to his name btw) but we'd all be happier over here if he could remember how to bowl properly!

[Bobling]

Good to see Mitchell back in the team and having a bit of fun.  I never really realised just how HUGE Tremlett was before, he's massive

If Punter got hit by a bus and you had to pick a new Aussie captain right now would Michael Clarke still get it?

[DaveC]

If Punter got hit by a bus and you had to pick a new Aussie captain right now would Michael Clarke still get it? I'm thinking Hussey or Watson myself.

If you're all after a bit of fun at our expense, make your contributions here...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/storify.htm?id=aussie-cricketers-wacaed

[andy_e]

 

[Plattsy]

Good start from Strauss and Cook. Strauss played a lovelly edge between keeper and first slip who appeared to be playing a private game of "you catch it".
Hilfenhaus is bowling well and swinging it some. Johnson is bowling fast and straight but zero swing due to his scrambled seem.
Cook has now scored more runs this series than any player did in the entire last series.
75/0

[Plattsy]

Opened my big mouth too early again. 82/3. Johnson finding some swing here.