The Ashes; First Test, Cardiff. Match Thread..

[Lady Whistledown]

I'm loving the BBC live text commentary today.

Highlights include:

Peche de la peche from Prior - a peach of a square cut for four, before he laces Siddle through the covers for four more. It's a masterclass at the moment, and Ponting is wearing the expression of a man who has just unwrapped a toaster on Christmas morning.

Ponting adopts the expression I imagine Gordon Brown adopts when he's told he's got Hazel Blears on the blower.


Sir Geoffrey's not the only one who's singularly unimpressed with Punter's captaincy. Here's a quote from former Aussie speedster Jeff Thomson: "I thought Ricky was rubbish when he was first captain in 2004 and nothing much has improved since then. I'm not the only one who thinks that. I've always bagged him and everyone at home thinks he's rubbish at the captaincy." Except he didn't actually say "rubbish".

 

[John Boy]

327/6

Flintoff bowled

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Crap, Flintoff out, to "a bit of a windy woof" (c) Henry Blofeld.

327/6

 

[Pavilionaire]

Anderson's in. Why the f*** do we do this?

 

[Bozza]

Feeling concerned that for all that everyone has got in, no-one has gone on to get a big score, so Prior needs to really push on from here.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Still 14 balls to go - keep them out and we've edged the first day.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Anderson's in. Why the f*** do we do this?

Because Broad and Swann are reasonable batsmen, might as well minimise the chances of them having to face a potentially hostile last couple of overs?

 

[The Wookiee]

Prior gone

 

[Horsham Gull]

329/7 Prior OUT

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Famous last words...

329/7, Prior gone.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Edna, England's policy of bringing in Anderson is f***ing shit. The only thing that happens is that it unsettles the batsman at the other end - if Broad or Swann can't negotiate 8-10 balls there's something wrong.

England always try the nightwatchman but for every 1 time it succeeds there's 3 or 4 failures, AND it shows a defensive mentality.

Cricinfo is saying the Prior wicket means the Aussies have shaded the day - I disagree because we should still get 350+ and they've got to bat last against 2 spinners on a wicket that takes spin.

 

[Tooting Gull]

At 5 down it was definitely England's day, those last couple of wickets have changed the complexion a bit. Pretty even. Before that you could see Ponting was getting really pissed off, no doubt with 90-3 in his mind.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Be nice if Anderson, Swann and Broad can flog a few cheap runs tomorrow morning, take it closer to 400.

Nicely balanced at the close.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Watching Sky Sports news you would think we'd been skittled for 150

 

[Billy the Fish]

You can see the pitch is starting to tear up a bit and it's only day one. That's going to be spinning a treat come Saturday and Sunday, and the convicts will have to bat on it last. If Broad and Swann can get us up to around 370 in the morning then I think we've got a solid base and a chance of winning.

The convict bowling is, as I said on here the other day, totally shite though. Pretty much every England batsman bar Prior got themselves out. None were unplayable deliveries. They didn't put us under pressure. They didn't really have too many chances (apart from when Ravi the Spaz was swinging the bat around here there and everywhere). Mitchell Johnson is supposed to be their gem - well he's fast but inaccurate. The spinner is a complete joke, Hilfenhaus is tidy and compact but not a big wicket taker, and Siddle was very ordinary until the last three overs. All in all, a promising day for England I think.

I'd go along with most of that, although I thought Siddle and Hilfenhaus were slightly better than total shite. All our batsmen, except for Prior, got themselves out so it could've been much better. There is definitely something for the bowlers though.

Neck and neck for me at the moment. I'd say 370 is par, anything over 400 is a good score.

 

[vegster]

I'd go along with most of that, although I thought Siddle and Hilfenhaus were slightly better than total shite. All our batsmen, except for Prior, got themselves out so it could've been much better. There is definitely something for the bowlers though.

Neck and neck for me at the moment. I'd say 370 is par, anything over 400 is a good score.

Might be best to wait and see what the Aussies get 1st innnings, remember, they have some very big hitting batsmen

 

[Questions]

Might be best to wait and see what the Aussies get 1st innnings, remember, they have some very big hitting batsmen

If we scrape to 400 it would probably mean we wont lose but like you say lets see what his pitch is really worth after he Aussies have had a bat.

I reckon we will get to 380 and they would settle for that when they bat as well.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

fatt matt sussex reject is in

Eh? Inaccurate on both counts.