England currently on 261-5 on the 1st day.

 

Pietersen went out for a shocker.

England really struggling now...

How many of us are actually watching this then? I don't imagne there's many fans on here sadly. :'(

I'm watching it on and off.

 

Unless it rains, or the bowlers have a superb day tomorrow (unlikely), I think they've lost the 1st Test.

I think the same as well. They'll end on something like 600-3dec at the end of tomorrow and then make England keep 10 wickets for the last two days which they just won't do. Still think they should of gone for Harmison over Panesar, but I'm not a selector so ah well.

Draw written all over it.

Draw written all over it.

 

Well the end result was correct. But I don't think anyone would have said that at lunch time and tea time today.

 

But thanks to Collingwood, and Swann and then a heroic last wicket stand by Anderson & Monty Panesar, England had grabbed a thrilling draw from the clutches of a certain defeat when England were 5 down at lunch; and then 7 down at tea.

 

Australia were by miles the best team in this first test. Yet the end result was a draw. Role on to Thursday.

1-0.

 

:D

let's hope we keep the lead now in the series, anything less and those Australians keep the Ashes :(

We looked good at Lord's. We were better than the Aussies at all departments - but they were better than us in all departments in Wales. So it's swings and roundabouts at the moment.

 

They should have won the 1st test, but we got lucky and got a draw. We then won the 2nd test, so we've clearly got the actual & mental advantage at the moment. Only thing that needs improving is the top England batsmen need to step up their game a little as they've been a bit inconsistent thus far.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46088000/jpg/_46088919_flintoffgetty466.jpg

 

I watched the highlights when I got home from work this evening.

 

Good Times.

 

Freddie Flintoff = England legend.

 

KP is out. Looks like Ian Bell will be the man who replaces him, I never understand why he got dropped in the first place.

Well Bell's not as good as any of the other top draw batsmen at the moment on current form.

 

Pietersen being out of the series is a big blow. He's a big name player, and is someone who can change the game for us. Obviously being the player that he is, he also has a tendency to be gone quite easily, but losing him is a major blow imo. I think we've enough to win the series without him, but this is good news for Aussies. Ricky Ponting will be rubbing his hands together with joy.

Bell's no good anyway. He's got 8 test centuries but has never hit 100 in an innings without somone else doing so first. He'll never be that batsman that wins us the game...

Who will be the batsman who wins us the game then? I certainly can't see the likes of Rob Key and Owais Shah doing that any more than Bell...

Bell is the obvious choice, not picking him now would have completely undermined County Cricket even more than it is now. He's on top form at the moment. In a technical sense, he's the best player by far, but doesn't mean he's the most effective. I think he'll do well though, especially as he has something to prove.

Who will be the batsman who wins us the game then? I certainly can't see the likes of Rob Key and Owais Shah doing that any more than Bell...

I'd personally give him the Edgbaston test to perform but I wouldn't be against the rumours of bringing in another keeper and putting Prior up the order...

See... Useless!

 

I'm not so sure wholesale changes need to be made for the final test but Bell and Harmison need dropping swiftly (they should never have been brought back) with Key and Sidebottom (or Freddie hopefully) replacing them. Bopara should probably be out too, but I certainly don't think England need to be too overboard and drop Cook, Onions and Collingwood too, it's only one game and just look at Stuart Broad. A week ago he was the player most would be in favour of getting dropped. 2 1/2 days worth of cricket later and he's one of the few players who can justify his place in the team...

KP is out. Looks like Ian Bell will be the man who replaces him, I never understand why he got dropped in the first place.

 

Do you still think that after the 4th test.

 

1-1

 

If it werent for the bowling and batting exploits of the one player most Cricket pundits wanted dropped (Broad) I'd be frightened to think what the margin of annihilation would have been.

 

Bopara & Bell must be dropped for Key & Trott (Assuming Marcus Trescothick can't be begged to come out of International retirement for this do or die test match). Whilst Harmison has yet again proved he is no longer Test Match material. Assuming the pitch is the rumoured Spinners paradise then he must be replaced by Monty Panesar. With KP out and Flintoff looking unlikely to be fit; I think England need close to a miracle to win the Final 5th Test Match to regain the Ashes.

What a joke.

 

The top batting order needs to be looked at in great detail, and like it's already been said Harmison is clearly not up to test standards anymore. Think we need a minor miracle to win the series...!