Can England retain The Ashes in Australia this winter? A drawn series would be enough. Is that asking too much? Can Freddie Flintoff captain the England cricket team to a sporting triumph that would outstrip their successful summer of 2005?

There's no way we'll retain the Ashes, especially if Jones is keeper and Giles is our spinner.

AARRGGHHH Why did Channel4 give the rights away?



I aint going to be able to watch it, it's happening in the middle of the night, we have the strength of the side from last year, its going to be an embarrasing flop!

I'm really looking forward to the Ashes. I reckon we'll do OK out in Oz, but I think retaining them is unlikely. I certainly don't think it'll be a whitewash, well fingers crossed!

We haven't got much of a chance, but you never know.

I hope to goodness they choose Panesar as the spinner. Personally, I think Giles' international career is as good as over.

Losing Tresco is a massive blow as well, no matter what Fletcher says.

Channel 4 have never had the rights to away Tests anyway - nor has any other terrestrial channel. I guess it's just not going to get them viewing figures at that time of night!

I don't think our players have the form and fitness to repeat what they did last year, hopefully they can make it something of a contest though. Only real factor in our favour is that at least half the Australian side are over 35!

Well, bit of a nightmare start from England, will be hard for them to turn this one round from here.

Like this comment from the BBC website though:



He means Harmison of course, but on last night's evidence DOND's most famous £20 winner would probably stand more chance of getting rid of Ponting and co...

At least England showed some resistance, but it's heading only one way this test match. To come back from a defeat in Australia and get a drawn series would be a phenomenal achievement, and sorry to be pessimistic but I don't see that happening.

I think the loss of Flintoff towards the end of play this morning pretty much ended our resistance and optimistic hopes of nicking a draw. If Geraint or Kevin go early tomorrow, we're down to the tailenders. I reckon it'll be over within an hour of Day 5 starting.

Pretty astute as it happened...

England 370 all out. Australia win by 277 runs. Ouch.

Predictable. Mind you, last time we lost the first test....

Yes but in the second test last year we had Michael Vaughan captaining, Simon Jones, Marcus Trescothick, an injured Glenn McGrath not playing, and a very supportive home crowd!

True... Just trying to look on the bright side.

I'm beginning to think 2005 was just really lucky! It seemed all the Aussies except Shane Warne and Brett Lee were either injured (McGrath)or off form (Hayden, Martyn, Gilchrist, Gillespie etc).

I hate to say it, but don't think Flintoff should be captain either - I think all-rounders have too much responsibility anyway. I think Strauss should have kept it, he did a good job against Pakistan!

I always thought Strauss should have been captain for that reason. I hate to admit it, but I agree with you that last year, we had a lot of things going for us as you say, and don't forget winning the toss a number of times last year helped us put pressure on the Aussies too. I think if things continue to go wrong I'll have to get a 2005 DVD to reminisce just like the 1981 Ashes series used to be popular to watch while we were consistently getting thrashed by the Aussies before 2005! Still, hope springs eternal, and we do have some good players who can win games virtually on their own, but Australia do have strength in depth.

Apparently, England have named an unchanged team for the Second Test, which means no place again for Monty Panesar.

Although I'd like to be proved wrong, I can't help thinking that's a major error. With Harmison out of form, Anderson and Giles only just getting back to anything like full fitness and Hoggard having little impact in the First Test, I just don't see where the 20 wickets we need to take to win the game are going to come from. Flintoff can't do it all on his own...

Given that the pitch is expected to take spin, I would have thought this would be a good chance to play Giles and Panesar in tandem. And if Panesar has been left out because of his poor batting, it can't be an awful lot worse than Anderson's. You wouldn't see the Australians leaving McGrath out because he can't bat or field...

I would have dropped Giles or Anderson for Panasar, probably just giving the nod to Giles to have two spinners as an attacking option. I'm sorry to sound negative, but I would be very surprised if we make much impact again in this test, but I really hope I'm proved wrong. We are not the same as we were in 2005. If a fully fit and in form Trescothick, Simon Jones, and Vaughan as captain were available then it could be a very different story.
Too much is expected of Flintoff.

England 551/6dec (Collingwood 206, Pietersen 158)

Australia 28/1

Not a bad situation for us to be in.

Also Collingwood is only the third Englishman to score a double century in Australia.

By Monday I think the scores will be 1 - 1

This test is going very nicely so far.

Come on England!