Winter ashes...

[Prufrock]

can't we wake up - just once would be nice - to the news that england have run riot with he bat?

How about the ball?

A good day for once!

[Prufrock]

[Dujon]

Finally! Not before time, either. Perhaps Piers had a bit of a chat with the lads in private?

The press and commentators here, including Aggers, were stating that 255 was a below par score. I think that the England bowlers showed what that view was worth. You can't remove top order batsmen by duping them into letting balls go, balls which then clatter into the stumps, unless there's a lot of bowling skill being displayed. Unless Haddin this morning manages to farm the strike extraordinarily well I cannot see Australia advancing the score by many runs. If it's not 'all out' within three overs I'll be very, very, surprised.

Day three could be a boring or interesting experience. I'm plumping for the latter.

[jaffka]

Oz all out for 204. Nathan Lyon still hasn't been dismissed in this series.

A win or draw to prevent a 5-0 will make me smile!

[Montreal Wanderer]

Oz all out for 204. Nathan Lyon still hasn't been dismissed in this series.

A win or draw to prevent a 5-0 will make me smile!

One could wish they hadn't put on 40 for the last wicket. Still we've made a good start in the second - 54 for 0, with Cook making 41 and Carberry 5 (and Carberry had more of the strike).

[Montreal Wanderer]

Well, that didn't last - 109 for 4, Bell with a golden duck.

[jaffka]

Wake up and read about another collapse and no lost oz wickets.

A rebuild of this side is required.

[clapton is god]

I was up watching for an hour up to tea. I just missed the double wicket over but caught a painfully slow hour where Pieterson and Stokes were patiently rebuilding. Went back to bed thinking we had a shot.... FFS!

[bobo the clown]

Theoretically, with Oz still to get over 200 on the 4th day and final innings England are still in with a great shout.

I did say "theoretically".

[Bruce Rioja]

Boycott's loving this, the dour nice person.

[thebish]

can't we wake up - just once would be nice - to the news that england have run riot with he bat?

How about the ball?

A good day for once!

I guess that's a "No" then...

[LeverEnd]

On the one hand you can look at this in the context of the last few Ashes series, and say that every good team has a hard time at some point. I can't go with that though when you consider how England were such strong favourites. You don't go from being so much better to so much worse in such a short space of time unless there is something badly wrong with the character and/or leadership of the side.
Sure Australia have improved massively but that shoul have just evened things up.

[Harry Genshaw]

Our tail enders must be some of the most spineless lot with a bat that we've ever taken over there?

[TANGODANCER]

Our tail enders must be some of the most spineless lot with a bat that we've ever taken over there?

Should we even be thinking tail-enders to get us out of it Harry? Our top and middle order have been pretty abysmal in this series. Our heroes are pretty much on vacation right now.

[Harry Genshaw]

Our tail enders must be some of the most spineless lot with a bat that we've ever taken over there?

Should we even be thinking tail-enders to get us out of it Harry? Our top and middle order have been pretty abysmal in this series. Our heroes are pretty much on vacation right now.

Oh aye. Don't get me wrong - they've all been bloody useless . When Cook, Bell & Pietersen are knocking folk all around the park it's fine but this series has highlighted, that when they're bobbins, we cant rely on one tail ender to even hit double figures

[thebish]

Our tail enders must be some of the most spineless lot with a bat that we've ever taken over there?

agreed... today their last batsman hung around to add a further 40run partnership for the last wicket... our last FIVE added a total of 6runs...

[Montreal Wanderer]

Australia win by 8 wickets very easily. Oh well, at least the Montreal Canadiens won today.

[Dujon]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

[bobo the clown]

Pathetic.

[Bruce Rioja]

Absolute shite. As much as I detest Boycott, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to disagree with him.