Fifth Ashes Test

[Clodhopper]

England lead by 400. It's goodbye Freddie for a cameo 18. Broad appears to be taking a liking to North - three fours off the over.

Now it's a case of putting what? fifty or 100 runs more? to the remove the game from any possibility of hope from the Aussie point of view and leaving ourselves two days and part of a session to knock them over and regain the Ashes!

Whooda thunkit?

[Clodhopper]

Lead of 462 at tea, Swann biffing North around the park.

Should England declare at tea, or bat on for an hour or so and get to 500, then bowl at the Aussies for the last hour?

Bat on for an hour. They're Aussies and should therefore be left no sniff of hope.

[Clodhopper]

Trott century on debut. Lead 518. Ok, time to declare and have a go at the Aussie openers.

On the other hand, I stand watching England batting like this for a while longer!

[sesu]

In tihs test definatily England wins. Because batting order is very strong compare to AUS. Seris England's.

[Snowfire]

England have scored 2 centuries in the series so far with Australia taking (I think) 7. Its not so much how many runs you score but about taking all 20 wickets. The pitch hasnt done quite what was expected, its even stabilised a bit.

Australia have done exactly the right thing and come out fighting. No point in trying to drag it out for two days. The pitch will eventually play up and do all sorts. Get the runs under your belt as soon as.

England must concentrate on taking 10 wickets and not setting a defensive field to save the runs. Just go for it

[Clodhopper]

In tihs test definatily England wins. Because batting order is very strong compare to AUS. Seris England's.

Hello Sesu.

I am very worried by the English batting line up. If Strauss fails, everyone fails. We have some talented players, but no clear 3, 4, 5, and number 2 is looking a bit shaky.

Snowfire: It's possible the pitch will just flatten out. But with turn like this Swann ought to chew his way through them. Ought to...

[dubs]

Harmison, Anderson and Flintoff need to step up to the plate. There's big run makers all through the Australian order and they need to be bombed into making mistakes....Jeez, my granny could play those three. They don't seem to have enough fire in 'em, considering the importance of this game!

[Clodhopper]

Harmison, Anderson and Flintoff need to step up to the plate.

Agreed. It's as though they aren't sure how they should bowl on this. Flower has a lot of work to do overnight by the look of it.

Bowl Swann pretty much unchanged and rotate quickies at the other end is my first thought.

[mrsK]

Still just smiling here & not saying much as yet.
Doesn't look to good atm but stranger things

[Clodhopper]

Still just smiling here & not saying much as yet.
Doesn't look to good atm but stranger things

I know. I'd be a lot more comfortable if we'd knocked over either opener. Katich by preference. But I've got this nightmare vision of a Ponting 200....(augh!)

Still, all it will take is one good England session and the Ashes are ours....

To coin a phrase: "It ain't over 'til Mrs K frowns and says a lot."