Have to agree. Our batting has been ropey so what do we do? Go in a batsman light.

I can understand them wanting Harmy in, but I think Broad should have been left out and then brought Trott in.

Broad's hardly bowled, so we'd barely miss him in the field.

The thing is we could not just replace Freddie with Trott as then we would have been a seamer short, if the pitch is not going to spin then Harmy could ahve come in for Swann. We are very reliant on the likes Prior, Broad and Swann getting runs now.

Be interesting to see what the Aussies do later in the day if England dig in. Once the ball goes a bit softer and loses its shine they might regret not having a specialist spinner to rotate the quicks around.

They can use Clarke and North though, they can do a job.

It was always going to be a case of get through the first hour and then capitise on a good track. By day three the groundsmen expects the ball to start keeping low so unless we get first inngs run we lose the advantage of batting first.

What happened to your bold pre-series predictions?

1 win out of the last 8 ashes tests

Only thing that's making all of this better is Natalie Sawyer on SSN.

I can't see the game so how's the wicket playing? Swinging a lot? Any bounce?

ok muppet

Well this could be the session that we chucked away the ashes. What a disaster.

Broad gone.

Unbelieveable