theres a diffrence though between knowledge of sitting at the computer and wacthing and looking at peoples average. You got to look at it in the mind of a player doubt many of you are my knowledge is that bad i played for the north of england and trialled with Lancs must have no knowledge at all

Pardon???...

I play myself, albeit not to a big level. The difference being I don't go around thinking that alone makes me knowledgable about the game. 20+ years of following means I'm able to do more than sit at the computer watching and looking at averages.

As it is, I've met many people who've played the game who also knew f*ck all, but that's by the by.

Getting back to the Ashes themselves, I really don't see where all the confidence for an English victory is coming from??

Most of it seems to stem from the absence of the likes of Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, etc from the Aussie line up, as though this makes them a mediocre side.

The way I see it (And yes, I am an Englishman hoping we can win), we have a lot more question marks over our side than they do.

Batting wise I admit there isn't much in it, but personally I have reservations about Collingwood, who never convinces me as a Test class batsman, Cook, who during his previous Ashes series was found out by the Aussie bowlers, and Bopara, who though he has started well in his test career, may discover that facing a poor West Indian attack is slightly different to an Aussie attack.

As for the Aussie batting, well Ponting, Clarke and Hussey are as good as it gets, and I have a feeling that Katich may have a big series, as he has plenty to prove after being a poor number 6 back in 2005, but now establishing himself as a good, steady opener.

Bowling wise, in my opinion, 1 man stands out a country mile and that is Mitchell Johnson....Left armers bowling swing both ways at 90 mph+ are about as difficult as it is to face, and I fear he may be the star of this series....He reminds me a lot of Wasim Akram, and England never ever quite got to grips with him...



One thing nobody seems to have mentioned, that certainly bothers me is Matt Prior.....This man simply being in the team shows just how lacking in confidence England are with their batting line up....He is an absolute liability with the gloves, and should never ever be playing Test cricket....at some point in this series his inclusion will come to bite England on the backside.

Finally, I fail to understand all the confidence considering this is an Aussie side that just beat South Africa in South Africa....The same South Africa that last summer battered England....

Not sure there is that much around to be honest, apart from the press - who will be building them up so they can knock them down, like they were keen to after the 1st test back in 2005, or like they do with the football side every time there is a World Cup or European Championship.

Most cricket fans I have spoken to are pretty pessimistic about our chances, I don't really know enough about a lot of the Aussies to know what to think - you can't argue with a win in SA though, especially given they'd just lost to them at home.

Dominic Cork for instance??

In a way i'm pleased that Mahmood struggled today as Lancs need him a lot more than England do.

According to Atherton Rashid didnt bowl as badly as his figures suggest on an unhelpful wicket.

Despite the talk of Cardiff being the most suitable track for spinners I still think Rashid would be better placed getting some overs in and trying to regain his batting form for Yorkshire before playing for England.

I cannot for the life of me see England going into the first test with 2 front line spinners...same team as against the Windies with Flintoff for Bresnan would be my choice.

I think England will edge the bowling but it's the batting that worries me. Twice now Australia have fallen to 150ish-5 and still recovered to score almost 400. They do have a lot of depth and they also have in Hussey and Ponting players who once in will go on and get big hundreds. Our batting looks flimsy at present and KP seems out of form.

Hopefully Harmison will keep bowling like he did yesterday, had he not have had Hussey dropped it could have been a lot different.

Same here although dependant on Harmisons bowling in the 2nd innings i can see him staking a claim to start ahead of Onions.

That would be harsh on Onions but Harmison when on the form of Yesterday is still our best bowler alongside Freddie and can win you matches. He is useless away from home and I doubt i'd pick him for any other away tour but this is a home Ashes series and i'd be tempted to rattle a few Aussie nerves by throwing him in.

Ha.



Agree on your team selection as well, by the way.

Good morning for England, Warw 80-7 Anderson with a fivefor.

Eng Lions are 50-0

If England don't get at least 100 runs off Nathan Hauritz everytime he bowls we're sh*t!!!

Watched him bowl 2 overs before lunch and he looks about as dangerous as KP when he decides to waz a couple down!

A career average of 46 with the ball in all first class games makes me baffled us to how the hell he can get a game for them!

are there any england players left in the side from the 5-nil ashes tour

Eng Lions 155-0 - Mitchell has gone for 66 off 12 overs



Warw 102 ao. Eng 32-0

Keeping his powder dry, a la Warne against Hick all those years ago? Sure he's not as much of an unknown as Fat Shane was back then, but I'd be surprised if he's been giving it the whole 9 yards.

Let's hope Brett Lee gets these late inswinging yorkers out of the way before the real stuff starts. Ian Bell didn't have a clue on his first-ball dismissal.

He's past it though according to oggy

Personally I think England will win in Cardiff but only if we play both Swann and Rashid. If they decide to do so, Australia's decision to play a spinner, Hauritz, will be a huge risk as his form against Sussex and The Lions has been poor.

Big day for Rash tomorrow he needs to bag a few wickets to really push his case for the 1st test. Looks more and more likely the Aussies will go in with 4 seamers, was very unimpressed with Johnson he didn't swing a ball all day.

Rashid has no chance unless he takes some wickets today, Monty's little 3 wicket spell yesterday could be enough.

3 wickets against the lower order of a very young and inexperienced Warwickshire team should NOT be any kind of form guide for the Ashes...I'd still go with Onions, Jimmy, Broad, Fred and Swann as 2 spinners very rarely pays dividends, especially in England/Wales!

i wonder which nation is ranked no.1 in test cricket

Well it doesn't look promising for any play today at Edgebaston apparently, so England aren't going to learn anything else about their potential Test side.

The Lions are closing in on 350, Rashid out for 66.