[Dr T]

As much as a lot of today was total torture you've gotta love it. Nothing beats the Ashes.

Loved KP chomping at the bit but restraining himself this afternoon. Finely poised, bring on tomorrow!

Today ain't over yet Jasper...

[Jaspersharpe]

Another fantastic day yesterday.

So many twists and it's not over yet....

[DaveC]

A great spell from Anderson seems to have settled this one. nine down and still some way short of the target.

[Grubes]

Aussie only need 20 runs but only 1 wicket left talk about tense

[Richie Crouch]

Never in doubt... arise sir jimmy! 

[GraemeA]

10fer for Jimmy. I bet the Undertones wish they were getting royalties

[Dolly]

Fuck it was like 2005 all over again

[Grubes]

on friday afternoon I was sat with TMS on my tablet and cricinfo app on my phone and thought fuck it I will buy sky sports.
I then spent the next three days sat on my couch watching one of the best test matches I have ever seen and explaining to my house mate and his girlfriend what was going on.
Well worth the money!

But England need to seriously sort out taking the last wicket

[rich d]

My 7 year old daughter and me wandered down to trent bridge to see the atmosphere at the lunch break yesterday. Found a spot just outside the ground where we could see the screen and the atmosphere was amazing. A very nice steward then let us in to see the presentations. What a test match!

[Falling Down]

I got a ticket for Day 5 a week today at Lords.  Fingers crossed that the match plays all the way through..

[rich d]

I got a ticket for Day 5 a week today at Lords.  Fingers crossed that the match plays all the way through..

Fantastic I've got a ticket for thebsunday at old Trafford.

[Jaspersharpe]

What a match. Not sure I've ever seen a test where the balance shifted one way and then the other so many times. Every time we seemed to be taking a bit of control in the game the Aussies fought back, just amazing.

We went to the in laws yesterday morning which resulted in the men/boy huddling round my phone watching Sky Go. We set off back with England having taken the 9th wicket pretty confident that we'd listen to the victory on TMS in the car..... Got back during lunch having endured a tortuous journey listening to the lead being chipped away.

As Dolly said, it was exactly like Edgbaston 2005. That horrible creeping feeling that after all this we were going to chuck it away. Then the appeal which nobody but Prior seemed to be taking seriously until the Hotspot came on screen and I was screaming at Raf "There's a mark!! There's a mark on the bat!!!".

Thank fuck for Jimmy Anderson. Bresnan in for Finn at Lords anyone?

[Grubes]

Thank fuck for Jimmy Anderson. Bresnan in for Finn at Lords anyone?

I would go for that but the sky team thought they would bring tremlet in over bresnan. Also I think I saw on BBC they have said they are keeping the same line up.

Would of been nice to see root bowl a few more overs but if nothing else he had a pretty good efficiency 1 wicket and 6runs off two overs.

[Jaspersharpe]

It's an unchanged squad so no Tremlett but they will have to choose between Finn, Bresnan and Onions. The argument seems to be that Finn has a much better record at Lords than Bresnan but obviously had a bit of a nightmare in the first test. If the pitch is going to be similar to Trent Bridge though surely Bresnan should play. Might bolster the lower order a bit too as he's pretty handy with the bat.

[tomtom]

I still chuckle at Jasper seeing Root in a boozer in sheff having a lager and a packet of Pringles mrsTT's neighbour is lancs paceman Kyle Hogg, so I'm going to try and tap him up for a ticket for the old Trafford test.. (Fat chance I suspect..)

[Jaspersharpe]

I still chuckle at Jasper seeing Root in a boozer in sheff having a lager and a packet of Pringles

It was at the bar of Sheffield Collegiate CC where the sprog goes to cricket academy. I swear he'd never have been served if they hadn't known who he was as he looks about 12.

[GraemeA]

I got a ticket for Day 5 a week today at Lords.  Fingers crossed that the match plays all the way through..

Fantastic I've got a ticket for thebsunday at old Trafford.

I've got one for Sunday at OT as well 

And one for Saturday and Sunday at Chester-le-Street   

[rich d]

I got a ticket for Day 5 a week today at Lords.  Fingers crossed that the match plays all the way through..

Fantastic I've got a ticket for thebsunday at old Trafford.

I've got one for Sunday at OT as well 

And one for Saturday and Sunday at Chester-le-Street   

where are you sat on the Sunday at OT? We're in stand d. Got a premier inn in the quays too, so can get proper tanked up

[GraemeA]

No idea where we are - someone else got the tickets and I sorted the Chester-le-Street tickets.

Good idea getting a hotel, I have a doss in the BMC doss house 

[Jaspersharpe]

Study proves people who don't like cricket are wrong.

“You can get arseholed whilst watching it, it’s officially not allowed to be played when the weather is terrible and yesterday pissed off the entire continent of Australia. If all of that isn’t enough for you then you’re operating on a level of jaded I can’t actually comprehend.”

[Jaspersharpe]

Really good article on DRS and why England utilised the system better than Australia in the first test:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/content/current/story/651959.html

[Duma]

Surely the rest of that article pales into insignificance once you realise that the Groundsman at lords is called Mike Hunt.

[Richie Crouch]

Haha outstanding name. I look forward to them chatting with him about the wicket preparation before tomorrow's start of play 

[tomtom]

Surely the rest of that article pales into insignificance once you realise that the Groundsman at lords is called Mike Hunt.

:D nearly as bad as...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/tv-station-duped-giving-racist-names-san-fran-pilots-article-1.1397490

[Jaspersharpe]

England win the toss and will bat first (YYFY). Bresnan in for Finn.

Cowan and Starc out for Australia replaced by Khawaja and Ryan Harris.