I'm surprised so many of the English are so quick to bag out their own players and team

Not the players; their performances.

First the appalling fielding errors; how would things have turned out if just one of those dropped catches in Australia's first innings at Brisbane had been held?

Then the batting. Each one of our top 6 is capable of a big score, their records show this; but after 4 innings even those who have played themselves in, Prior being the latest example, have not gone on to do so but got themselves out to stupid shots.

England are talking about personnel changes for the third test; but these changes will do no good unless people put in the performances they are capable of.

England hasn't won at the WACA since I was at High School ... and knowing BookMan ... since he was at Primary School ...

Get that Fat Lady to warm up ...

England to buck the trend and give the Ockers a good old thrashing ,what ,what!!

England hasn't won at the WACA since I was at High School ... and knowing BookMan ... since he was at Primary School ...

Get that Fat Lady to warm up ...

That was also World Series Cricket years and Australia had its B team on the field.

Weather wise ... I'm not sure about any rain forecasts for Perth and the WACA ... BUT ...

They are predicting at least one 35^o day and the possibility of a 40^o day ... ouch!

Weather wise ... I'm not sure about any rain forecasts for Perth and the WACA ... BUT ...

They are predicting at least one 35^o day and the possibility of a 40^o day ... ouch!

Let us hope England is fielding that day

England hasn't won at the WACA since I was at High School ... and knowing BookMan ... since he was at Primary School ...

Get that Fat Lady to warm up ...

Yes, my home state, cannot wait for this one.

Have seen some sensational cricket there.

Glen McGrath's hat-trick in 2000.

Roy Fredericks 169 off 145 balls for the WI in 1975

against Lillee and Thommo.

My favourite though, is the 1977 Gillette Cup Semi-Final

against Qld (sorry David48). Qld had Greg Chappell, Viv Richards

and Thommo playing for them. Qld won the toss and put WA in a green top.

Qld blasted us out for 77. I've never seen a faster spell of bowling from anyone

since Thommo that day. One bouncer hit the sightscreen on the half volley.

WA, led by Lillee, destroyed Qld for 62. Lillee bowled 5 bouncers in a row

to Richards in the first over of the day and then bowled him for nought on the 7th.

Sorry for the digression guys.

^ I was at the WACA that day, incredible stuff!

Currently reading "The Ashes According to Bumble" where he tells, yet again, the story of being "hit in the knacker by the cracker at the WACA."

Here he is telling it onstage with the man who inflicted the damage:

England hasn't won at the WACA since I was at High School ... and knowing BookMan ... since he was at Primary School ...

Get that Fat Lady to warm up ...

That was also World Series Cricket years and Australia had its B team on the fie

That was 1978-79 England won by 166 runs at th WACA.

Also, England where with out some of there key player to ,,but they still won the series 5-1.

The heat will be a problem 40c.....hot.

If i remember right Ian Botham was England captain in1981 gave up after the 1-2 tests ..no pressure,rest is history.

as Chicog said an England problem,but who could do the job,or want the job.

You know ... everyone was saying that Adelaide will be a draw ...

Everyone is saying, no way can England survive the heat or cope with the bounciness of the WACA pitch.

England is due for a win of the toss and a few batters getting a start and going on with it.

Love it.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cukAdBEpMs

You know ... everyone was saying that Adelaide will be a draw ...

Everyone is saying, no way can England survive the heat or cope with the bounciness of the WACA pitch.

England is due for a win of the toss and a few batters getting a start and going on with it.

I go into every test expecting the worst.. I still expect England to go home with the Ashes and for me to never hear the end of it..

Love it.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cukAdBEpMs

Thommo was just plain scary.

I wonder why no one has ever tried to copy his action.

Faulkner fracture puts more focus on Harris

After reading the article, Harris seems in real doubt.

Wonder if they will give the spot to local boy Coulter-Nile or

Douggy Bollinger if he doesn't get up.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013-14/content/story/699475.html

Oh well, 3 for 107 at lunch. Early run out of Rogers and late dismissal

of Clarke didn't help.

Now the acid will be on Smith and Bailey to see if they're up to it.

Got up early (6 am) to see the Aussies at 144 for 5; only Warner (60) performing well. Great!

Now an hour and a bit later at tea................220 for 5.; not so good.

England need to get Smith or Haddin out, preferably both, quickly after tea or they are going to face a massive Australian first innings score; again.

Smith gets a life on 80 as Carberry loses a skier of Bresnan against the crowd.

260 for 5.

England need to get Smith or Haddin out, preferably both, quickly after tea or they are going to face a massive Australian first innings score; again.

Well, they got Haddin, eventually, for 55; but Australia 326 for 6 at the close, with Smith 103 not out.

England dominant at first, then lost it. Depressingly familiar for this series.

The Aussies royally gimped England in the Summer just gone. They targeted Finn as the biggest threat in the English attack and gave their lower order catre blanche to go after him which they did (with aplomb) and drew England's focus of Finn's ability to take wickets onto his utterly unimportant economy rate. England's two 6 and a half foot quicks were causing the Aussies concerns so they removed them from the equation.

Masterful strategy from the Aussies....

^What?

Heat wise ... it will be hotter a little bit more each day, only starting to drop again on Monday.

I wonder how much energy and drive was sapped out by a whole day in the field by England, getting off to such a good start then faltering and knowing that tomorrow, maybe after lunch, they have to face Johnson on a sympathetic pitch.

England need to get Smith or Haddin out, preferably both, quickly after tea or they are going to face a massive Australian first innings score; again.

Well, they got Haddin, eventually, for 55; but Australia 326 for 6 at the close, with Smith 103 not out.

England dominant at first, then lost it. Depressingly familiar for this series.

Excellent isn't it! I so miss the gloating.

The Aussies royally gimped England in the Summer just gone. They targeted Finn as the biggest threat in the English attack and gave their lower order catre blanche to go after him which they did (with aplomb) and drew England's focus of Finn's ability to take wickets onto his utterly unimportant economy rate. England's two 6 and a half foot quicks were causing the Aussies concerns so they removed them from the equation.

Masterful strategy from the Aussies....

Absolutely spot on. Totally nailed it HD.

Good start from the openers but they have to do it all again now after the lunch break,make or break day for the English team today the pair need to take there time and bat there way in and match the Aussies first innings minimum.

Good test match this is and the England openers hold the key to it.

Actually, a warm nod to the soap dodgers ... good start by the Pommie openers.

A bit of luck their way, but they are probably due for it.

As we say ... game on!

Keep going lads,,,,and leave the hooks and pulls out of it!

62-0 16 overs

Cook 35

Carberry 25

Keep going lads,,,,and leave the hooks and pulls out of it!

62-0 16 overs

Cook 35

Carberry 25

Thanks for the score updates !! What are they chasing ??? Cheers !

^^^^^

385.

Now 79 for 0; Cook 38, Carberry 39.

If you want to keep up to date, and can't watch or listen, try Ashes live from the BBC.

385.

Now 79 for 0; Cook 38, Carberry 39.

Thank you sir !