but you poms did it

And the terms irony and hypocrisy clearly mean nothing to you.

Go on GT – tell Fredie to look them up in a dictionary.

He'd have to learn the meaning of the word 'dictionary' first.

Nathan Hauritz admits that he'd have done the same as our last 2 batsmen...blimey, that's not very sporting now is it Mr Right & Holier Than Thou Ponting is it???

touché

[size=59i have probably just confused the hell out of Fredie now with that word

[/size

Yeah but it's a "European" word so he'll probably love it

You know what the best thing about Fred retiring will be? It'll mean Harmison will probably follow suit.

I mean, who'll hold his hand and read him a bedtime story on tour now?

Harmison should never pull an England shirt on again.

Thats him gone for the second test, how dare he go against the spirit of the game.

Likewise if it affects their performance in a negative way then surely?

cut the shonkie tactics out. play in the spirit of the great game

Stuart Broad holds on to his place. I can only assume he is being kept on simply for his batting.

At least Onions has replaced the spinner who is unable to spin the ball and who's only 'change ball' is a wide, long-hop.

Maybe it's nostaligia, but IMO international bowling attacks are generally very poor at the moment. Most international bowlers appear to be slightly quicker and more aggressive versions of Derek Pringle.

Decent start 65 without loss England having won the toss and batted.

Pitch is another flat, slow pudding apparently, which with the weather scheduled to take a turn for the worse overnight and into the weekend would point towards a draw.

As a sidenote, Mitchell Johnson - one series wonder?

Not wanting to temp fate but he could not spray it any wider if he tried. If this was Harmison people on here would be running out of socks!!

According to Aggers on Tiwtter he's been speaking to the groundsman, some bloke called Mike Hunt, and he says there is some life in the pitch.

Is there a relevance between the groundsman and the statement?

[i"Have you seen Mike Hunt?!"[/i

I'm surprised the Aussies only managed to bowl 29 overs in the first session. They seemed to be getting through their overs much quicker than that on the final day in Cardiff.

At the risk of tempting fate I thought Mitchell Johnson looked the weakest of the Aussie seamers in the first Test. He's got a very round arm action and seemed to struggle to keep his line.

Very nice start. Please England – build on this.

125-0 at lunch, I'll settle for that!

Obviously it'll lead to a collapse just after lunch, but let's enjoy it while we can. I fully expect Johnson to get the majority of the wickets, seeing as the BBC text service tell me he's been bowling like an absolute drain.

His arm is lower than it was in South Africa where he was so successful, he's also changing his wrist position on delivery so the ball is coming out with a scrambled seam as well.

Puts a lot more pressure on Hilfenhaus and Siddle to take wickets when their assumed "strike" bowler in Lee's absence is leaking runs all over the park.

lets all

Oh dear.

Hauritz back in the pavillion after Strauss belted a ball right back at him and rather clearly dislocated or broke a finger.

Well that could be trouble for the Aussies, Hauritz puts down a caught and bowled chance and has to leave the field with damage to the middle finger of his bowling hand.

BBC text are saying Sky even used Hot Spot when showing replays of that incident. Is this correct? Rather over the top I'd have thought.

I can't wait to see that on the highlights