I think the average first innings score at the WACA in Tests over the last ten years is around 330; significantly lower than at any other Australia Test ground.

Hussey & Haddin dig the Aussies out of a hole yet again. Finn a bit expensive again, but he's just taken teh wicket of Johnson for 62. Tremlett made an instant impact and took three wickets at not much more than two runs an over. My main nagging doubt right now is that Johnson making runs with the bat might raise his confidence and give him a boost when he comes to bowl. On the whole though it looks like we're carrying on where we left off at Adelaide.

I thought the same regarding Johnson, it wil definately help his bowling. Over 250 now, I think the aussies will think they are not to far away from par here. We have let them off the hook I feel and should we lose a few early wickets then they will be in front. Lest not forget they have 5 seamers too to share the work around, think this Test is very much in the balance now.

Vaughan said he felt the pitch looked a belter from lunch onwards and that the grass from the morning session was just about burned away.

268 all out. After having them at 201/8 it looks like they got 40-50 more than they ought to have done.

Twelve overs for us to bat this evening I reckon. I hope Strauss doesn't continue his recent habit of leaving the ball around the top of off stump!

268ao

I hope the England batsmen can stem the flow of optimism that might be with the aussies after the tailenders fightback. We can't afford to lose early wickets now.

Johnson & Siddle made batting look quite easy. Survive the new ball and fill yer boots?

I suppose when the tail wags like that, it's best to ask yourself 'would we have been happy with them all out for 268 at the end of day 1?' My initial thought would be yes, so it's a good day for England

29/0 at stumps from twelve overs. Solid start and a good opportunity to press ahead tomorrow.

totally agree.

Agree also that Engalnd would have taken this at the start of play.

Strauss took a calculated risk in putting the Aussies in and it worked a treat - should have been tighter in the afternoon (my fault - i got up at lunch to listen!) but will still take that score given the form of England's batsmen.

Should get a good lead and be forcing the Aussies to have to score big to stay in the game - big thing (and possibly why Strauss decided to bowl) is that the Aussies don't have a spinner for the last innings. Keep them out early tomorrow, and England could bat well into day 3 with the Aussies losing all confidence. You get the feeling that if they don't get anything in the first hour, they could fall apart.

I think so too. My logic is that if you choose to bowl first in a five day Test Match with a clear weather forecast you expect to be batting yourself before the end of the first day, and that is what happened. The fact that they put on 199 for the last five wickets encourages me to think we'll have the best of the batting conditions on days 2 & 3, hopefully with another big score from KP to go with Tremlett's impressive comeback. (Get a couple of Surrey players into the side and suddenly everything starts looking up!)

It was 99-5 when I switched on. The mystery for me was how the aussies had lost 5 wickets so cheaply on that wicket rather than why their tail scored so many. Surely if we can get a good start in the morning we should be good for 450+

We wont know the par score for the pitch until both sides have batted, but when you bowl a team out for less than 300 on day one, then you put yourself in a good position.

You'd expect the aussies to produce some kind of comeback, especially with Hussey and Haddin in form. Though in the past, they would've had someone score a big hundred and convert 70-5 to a score of 350+.

First hour tomorrow could decide the test match.

It's all about our first innings now, bat well tomorrow morning and we will be a very very good position. The par score on first innings seems to be around 330-360.

Good to survive those 12 overs, stay in for the first hour tomorrow and whne the sun comes out the pitch should be a belter.

I was slightly disappointed we let them off the hook a little but as many have said, I would certainly have taken that before play began!

I bought the December issue if Wisden today. In it some journo has compile his all-star Aussie post war Ashes team. No Ponting, no Steve Waugh and no Border

and what might that team have been?

Good start to the first half of the session, but three quick wickets have fallen and Australia could be back in this if they snatch a quick fourth.

And as I type Strauss has edged it to the keeper for 52. Not what we needed after Trott and Pietersen went cheaply. We need a strong fifth wicket partnership or the good work done yesterday will be undone.

1. Bob Simpson
2. Matthew Hayden
3. Sir Don
4. Greg Chappell
5. Neil Harvey
6. Keith Miller
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Ray Lindwall
9. Shane Warne
10.Dennis Lillee
11. Glenn McGrath

It's all going Pete Tong!!!

101-5

normal service resumes .. come on aussie ..come on.. come on

Our first really bad day of the tour, how we react will tell us everything about this team.

History suggests 350 ish might be gettable batting last, but can we restrict them to make that a target?

Not what I was hoping to wake up to, that tail wag does look expensive now

Australia playing very watchful now. I think the aussies tail wagging yesterday was the start of the turnaround in the series. Australia will take this match and then it's down to the last two.

350 is about gettable I feel but I think the aussies will get about 300ish in this inngs and we won't score 400 batting last on this pitch, not with the swing Johnson was getting. Who has the longer tail now eh!

Not so watchful now Finn's on, 14 from his first over.

Said after the last Test I would drop him. I'd have brought Tremlett in for him and either Bresnan or Shazhad for Broad. He takes wickets but is far too expensive.

If he continues to get smashed around in this innings then his place has to be in doubt.