First test

[TheKentishFledgling]

Thoughts from the last session:

Bell looks class.

Pietersen needs a shave.

Well bowled Peter Siddle, absolutely fantastic hat trick ball.

TBC.

[Paul Incognito]

The match was just appearing to turn in our (England's) favour at that point. Now it's fingers crossed the bowlers can produce a bit of magic - even one wicket before close will be nice.

[CaptChaos]

Was that the shortest ever break for rain or did I imagine it as dozed/watched.

[TheKentishFledgling]

Second ball of second session - Ponting....gone!

[Paul Incognito]

Was that the shortest ever break for rain or did I imagine it as dozed/watched.

There was a rain break and certainly there can't have been too many that have been shorter. Was surprised with all the so-called experts on Sky and Cricinfo who couldn't work out why the umpires didn't signal end of play at 17.30 and played an extra over. I'm not an expert on the minute rules of cricket, but thought it was fairly obvious that they were allowing for the rain delay - it may have only been a couple of minutes but it was a break in play nonetheless.

EDIT TO ADD: At last a session that went emphatically in England's favour and now it's anyone's game. Can't see a draw being a realistic possibility now, so someone is going to be 1-0 up at the end of the Test.

[Paul Incognito]

<rant>
Well I've never been a huge fan of the review system, or more specifically the limit on reviews per team, although I understand why the limit is there. In my opinion, either we let the umpires do their best, make the odd mistake and hope the mistakes level themselves out (my preferred method), or we allow teams to review all out decisions. The failing of the review limit was never better demonstrated than today. At the start of play England had used up their reviews whilst Australia still had both of theirs. No one could argue that England's two failed reviews were wasted, in fact evidence points to them being let down by the system on one (a caught behind where the nick can be heard on the snicko, which isn't used by the review system, but nothing is shown on hotspot, which is used in the review system). Within the first half hour there were two lbw appeals against Hussey, one was given, one wasn't - both calls by Aleem Dar, undoubtedly the best umpire in the game, were wrong. Australia were able to change the incorrect out call. England weren't able to get the incorrect not-out call changed. So instead of being out, Hussey is still in, the new ball isn't new anymore and what should be a tight exciting contest is as good as over less than half way through day three. May as well pack up, give Australia the 1-0 lead and get ready for the second test, not because Australia have played better than England, but because England used up their referrals.

Personally I'm a traditionalist. Given the number of decisions the umpires have to make, they get a remarkably high number of calls correct. But if we are going to take the "we want to get the calls right" approach, then we should aim to get all calls correct and not punish a team who have got it wrong twice. It's just not cricket</rant>

Coincidentally the commentators have just started discussing this same issue. Apparently the referrals system was brought in to eliminate the howler. Well the second lbw decision was a howler and it was forced to stand, so clearly the system isn't working.

[PaulB]

Day 3 - Well... we've survived the first over.

[TheKentishFledgling]

And soon before tea on day 4, a cracking cover drive from Trott brings England back into the black - a lead of four runs as I type this, as the Aussies bring Doherty back into the attack.

[BlackheathBloke]

I stopped watching at about 4am.

It seemed really strange to switch off not fearing the worst!

I had absolutely no worries about a batting collapase and woke p the good news as I expected this morning.

Very strange, this must be what it was like to be an Aussie fan when they were good

[Jwscud]

Well I feel a lot better after today. Checking the score yesterday was just painful, and I'm hoping to be armed with some decent banter by the time we pitch up in Oz. Hopefully Cook will go on and get Goochie's favourite 'daddy hundred' tomorrow!

[TheKentishFledgling]

Well I feel a lot better after today. Checking the score yesterday was just painful, and I'm hoping to be armed with some decent banter by the time we pitch up in Oz. Hopefully Cook will go on and get Goochie's favourite 'daddy hundred' tomorrow!

I landed in Aus to be greeted with the news that we'd beaten the Wallabies convincingly. Banter swings my way. First three days of the Ashes - back in the Aussies favour. However, today, at the post-wedding-hair-of-the-dog-BBQ, we Brits were firmly back in control

[Paul Incognito]

Gobsmacked with yesterday, was better than my fantasies! Really hoping the wicket turns into a ploughed field shortly, but have to be more than happy with a draw.

Roll on Friday, shame I'll miss most of the next test as I'm in Copenhagen.

[TheKentishFledgling]

409-1 - WTF is going on?!

[Paul Incognito]

Must be time for a declaration soon - the Aussies aren't going to get 264 + runs in a session and a half, so the draw is safe, may as well go for an unlikely win. Can't remember for certain but there's a point in the game, I think when they get to the last hour, where they can both settle for a draw.

[Jwscud]

Thoroughly enjoying the scorecard. Great batting from Trott and Cook. Let's hope we can scare them into collapsing in the last 40 overs! Their bowlers are going to have a hard time picking themselves back up for Adelaide!

TKF - I was going to keep the rugby in the back pocket as a banter riposte just in case we lose a test between here and our arrival in Fremantle.