[Crocker]

The ashes start in two weeks so I think we should start a thread for it.

So please can we keep all ashes talk in this thread

[Crocker]

Now that Wimbledon is over who is looking forward to the =ashes series over the next 6 weeks or so?

[Silleh Willeh]

I for one am I hope we don't get stuffed by the Aussies like we did in 2007, the problem the Aussies have is that they don't have a quality spinner Hauritz is shit and there pace attack misses the venom of McGrath. We missed a step here by leaving Harmison out the team as it looks like he has got in the head of the dangerous Phil Hughes. Putting Panesar in the team is a mistake seeming as Swann's a better bowler and Rashid's a better batter. The only problem I can see in the convict's attack is Lee who has been finding great form as of late.

[Mark~]

So many years, so many Ashes series, and still I fucking love beating the Aussies. Every wicket, every win, I love it, and can't wait for this to start now.

[Jay M. Punkster]

im not excited with Englands selection, being a Notts fan i wanted Sidebottom in.. also thought Foster deserved a cal up as W/K

[Kizza]

Siddle will absolutely fuck England up. First spell of 10/0 i'm predicting.

[The Phantom]

I work just around the corner from Sophia Gardens (home of the 1st test), it's going to be absolute chaos around here, so I'm taking a few days off!

I'm a casual cricket fan at best, so I will probably dip in and out of the series throughout the summer.

The weather here in Cardiff hasn't been too good the last few days, I'm not hopefull of 5 days play.

[The Phantom]

A gloriously sunny day here in Cardiff... the Welsh National Anthem was played before the game, it's now an Ashes Summer!

[Silleh Willeh]

A good opening day the Aussies were not bowling well at all apart from Brad H (can't spell last name
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) and Peter Siddle it's a mystery why they left Clark out. None of the English players made anything special most getting there 50's and giving there wicket away cheaply ie Colly and KP, 336-7 is a nice score to have, nice bowling from Siddle to get Prior and Flintoff right at the death of the day and James Anderson got a test record today by having not being out for a duck in 67 tests he has played.

Scorecard

In Play
England won the toss and decided to bat
England 1st Innings
336 for 7 (90.0 overs)

England 1st Innings




Runs Balls 4s 6s
Strauss c M Clarke b M Johnson
30 60 4 0
Cook c M Hussey b Hilfenhaus
10 25 0 0
Bopara c Hughes b M Johnson
35 52 6 0
Pietersen c Katich b Hauritz
69 141 4 0
Collingwood c Haddin b Hilfenhaus
64 145 6 0
Prior b Siddle
56 62 6 0
Flintoff b Siddle
37 51 6 0
Anderson not out

2 12 0 0
Broad not out

4 3 1 0
Extras
11nb 2w 9b 7lb 29

Total

336-7 (90.0 ovs)

Bowler O M R W
M Johnson 18.0 2 68 2
Hilfenhaus 23.0 5 61 2
Siddle 23.0 3 93 2
Hauritz 19.0 1 67 1
M Clarke 5.0 0 20 0
Katich 2.0 0 11 0

Fall of wicket


21 Cook
67 Strauss
90 Bopara
228 Collingwood
241 Pietersen
327 Flintoff
329 Prior

Umpires: Aleem Dar, B R Doctrove, J J Crowe, R A Kettleborough
England: Strauss (C), Cook, Bopara, Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior (W), Flintoff, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Panesar
Australia: Katich, Hughes, Ponting (C), M Clarke, M Hussey, North, Haddin (W), M Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Hauritz

[Kizza]

So, how bout dem Australians? 5/662. Great bowling from your no name shitters. Flintoff, what a superstar.