3rd Ashes Test Match: Edgbaston - 30 July to 3 August

[keaton]

Play scheduled to start at 5. Not a toss you want to win really

 

[CHAPPERS]

Play scheduled to start at 5. Not a toss you want to win really

Who are reporting that?

 

[Taybha]

sky sports 1(so dont hold your breath)

 

[8ace]

Who are reporting that?

http://www.cricinfo.com/engvaus2009/engine/current/match/345972.html

3.45pm - play to start at 5pm - hurrah! Hurrah, huzzah and other joyful words. There'll be another inspection at 4.15pm and the ground will have to improve, but all you millions out there, keep your fingers crossed and we might have some play. Meanwhile, Murali's retiring in 2010.

3.35pm - captains on the field news The captains are on the field. Yes, I'm hearing and seeing both captains are out there and Strauss is smiling. Ponting, less a smile, more a grimace, and they're wading through the bog and out to the pitch. They whack a ball into the turf and, err, there's no bounce at all. The ground swallows it and it's clear the ball is absolutely drenched. The puddles, however, have gone and it's sunny and breezy - ideal drying conditions. The verdict? Well, it's in the best shape it has been for two days, that much is obvious, but I can't see there being play for another few hours if at all.

Steven Lynch, the Steven of Ask Steven fame, spots an opera singer out in the middle to entertain the crowd. Sean Ruane is his name. Well done him.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Oh yeah, some promising pictures on twitter. Not a good time to bat.

 

[Tooting Gull]

At this stage it's all about them trying to fiddle a few overs to keep everyone's money. Less than 10 overs, total refund. Less than 25, 50 per cent. At £75 a ticket, would you want 10 overs or a full refund?

 

[Taybha]

Aussies win the toss and will bat

 

[keaton]

Oh yeah, some promising pictures on twitter. Not a good time to bat.

But would want to bat in the three and four days time though?

 

[CHAPPERS]

But would want to bat in the three and four days time though?

True. Tomorrow actually looks like the best time to bat so maybe going in wouldn't be so bad.

 

[simmo]

Can they in theory play until 7 tonight?

 

[8ace]

Umpires: Aleem Dar, R E Koertzen, J J Crowe, R A Kettleborough
England: Strauss (C), Cook, Bopara, Bell, Collingwood, Prior (W), Flintoff, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Onions
Australia: S Watson, Katich, Ponting (C), M Hussey, M Clarke, North, Haddin (W), M Johnson, Hauritz, Hilfenhaus, Siddle

 

[Taybha]

Can they in theory play until 7 tonight?

Expect a minimum of 25 overs weather permiting thus ensuring the no refund policy on todays purchased tickets.

 

[CHAPPERS]

At least we've got enough bowling to cover Freddie. Hopefully Broad will sort himself out and start bowling like he was a few months back.

 

[8ace]

Manou in for Haddin

Haddin has broken his finger in the warm-up. Repeat - Brad Haddin has broken his finger. It happened after the toss, so in theory Australia could have been down to 10 men - but England have allowed them to bring in Graham Manou. What it is about Edgbaston and warm-ups?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Haddin breaks a finger warming up

Generous of England to allow the Australians to bring a replacement in. Is Shane Watson really a Test opener?

 

[Taybha]

Mr Manou will no doubt win the test single handed for the aussies and strauss thrown to the lions by the press.

 

[Flavor Flav]

f*** sake, why did we let them bring someone in? I'd rather us look like a bunch of tossers winning the wrong way than letting the convicts back into it!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It's been great watching the highlights of the 2005 Edgbaston Test on Sky today.

I'd actually forgotten just how aggrieved Shane Warne used to look after every single ball he bowled, as if the fact he hadn't got a wicket was the greatest injustice in the history of the world.

 

[Pavilionaire]

If, and it's a big if, the weather holds then what a chance for England now that Haddin's out.

 

[Man of Harveys]

f*** sake, why did we let them bring someone in? I'd rather us look like a bunch of tossers winning the wrong way than letting the convicts back into it!

Nah, rubbish. It's simply the right thing to have done, not just buying "spirit of cricket" brownie points, important though that is. But we can beat them fair and square anyway - not seeing we will but we can, so no point in stoking them up by committing a perceived injustice.