The one who gave Bopara out in the second innings (that horror decision) is standing in the next test.

Oooh bit of extra edge now then! I've gotten into me head that was sort of a warm up game going into a 4 test series starting at Lords like normal... Good thing Harmy is back in the side as well.

My line up for the next test would be.
Strauss (C)
Cook
Bopara
KP
Prior
Bell/Flintoff (depending on Flintoffs scan)
Colly
Swann
Harmison
Anderson
Onions

Well this Ashes tour will be Flintoff's final Test series for him; he's announced his retirement from Test cricket effective from the end of this series!

Hope he gets to feature some more in this series then!

They said he had passed a fitness test this morning, so let us hope he doesn't do anything silly before tomorrow

Things are going very well today, 255-2 going into the final session with Strauss having reached his century.

It was going well, you mean...

It was an incredible start, but in typical England fashion they took their foot off the gas, and slumped to 364-6; though Strauss is still unbeaten!

Need a good morning session tomorrow to recover, but the weather forecast isn't exactly brilliant...

Well 364-6 is a lot better than the position we were in at the end of day 1 in Cardiff.

Only marginally... 28 runs more and 1 wicket less... we are going to need all the rain we can get.

Marginally it may be, but we still have a front line batsman in, whereas it was 2 tailenders by the end of day 1.

Yet again, England collapse

And yet again, James Anderson and the number 11 (in this case Onions) are batting better than the middle order batsman.

An incredible start though for England's retaliation; lucky with that Ponting wicket as it was his foot the bat hit, not the ball - but it was still given as it would have still hit the stumps!

This is definitely one up for grabs for England...

Australia in serious trouble - 111-5 now

Nelson did a double!! Legendary stuff.

Anderson throws another shrimp on the barbie!! I hope we can keep playing until at least Sunday afternoon... I've been looking forward to a weekend of cricket and the way it's looking if I oversleep tomorrow I could miss the end of it!


Come on England!

Stumps at day 2, and Australia are seriously struggling to avoid the follow on, they finish the day on 156-8.

I watched channel 5 tonight and it showed Ponting biting his nails and there was nothing left to bite

Come on England just get into a position to enforce the follow-on...

We got to the arget but then didnt force the follow-on... Why? This is going to be a draw now.

To be fair, there are 2 days left and we already have a massive lead - there was a danger if we enforced the follow on that they could go on to a massive score and then bowl us out cheaply to win.

Follow on or no follow on