The Ashes 2006/07: The Perth Test Thread - Day Two.

[Mike]

In hindsight, Pietersen didn't need to give his wicket away because Monty can hold up an end. He bats intelligently and has enough skill to keep out the quicks as well as take runs off Warne. Harmison has got two shots - the pull and the sweep. He got out because he tried to pull Clarke which is not easy when it's pitched up.

Pietersen's blazing innings at the end was a great spectacle while it lasted. Smashing Warne and pulling Lee. Worth the price of a ticket alone. England's batsmen need to stop giving their wickets away. Jones had even played himself in when he went after a wide one. Undisciplined batting, IMO.

There's still plenty of bounce in this wicket so I expect England to take a wicket or two after Tea. Earlier Dennis Lillee, the WACA President, said that over time they'll try and restore the fast, bouncy WACA wicket of the Seventies. At the moment, Warne's straight ball is gripping and turning too much. So, the pitch is taking too much early spin.

[Mr Hutt]

Perfect Start from england.... ponting now... they need to get his wicket quick.

[greg]

Hoggard shows once more that he is one of the best new ball bowlers around.Vital breakthrough as Langer is the right type of player for this pitch.Just needs to get his bunny now.

Decent shout for lbw but for once Koertzen gets it right,if it had been Strauss no doubt it would have been given.

[John]

Whats the logic of Flintoff bowling 3 overs and coming off?

[Irish Left Armer]

Hayden's looking a bit more settled here. Starting to move his feet better than before in this series.

[Aussie-Yank]

Watching Hayden batting this innings, he looks in the same mold as he did against England in the last test when he made a century.

He looks very committed to staying in there.

[Aussie-Yank]

Here we go, Ponting verus Monty

[Mr Hutt]

Panesar to Hayden, no run, ooh risky, swept off the pad, the ball ballooning to Jones who makes an utter hash of it, and he parries to the slip

From cricinfo live commentary


*Sob*

[Aussie-Yank]

Ponting racks up another 50

[Irish Left Armer]

England's body language in the field is poor. They appear to be just letting the game drift away from them. Flintoff needs to do more, try and lift them, keep everyone going.

Too easy for Australia at the moment.