2nd Ashes Test: Edgbaston, 4-8 August: Day One

[greg]

132-1 at Lunch.I know which dressing room will be happier.Bring on the afternoon session.

[Trescothick]

What a morning!! Aside from a brilliant ball by Warne we have dominated...

It was nice to see that last over go for 18 runs, and how about that six over Warnes head!!

We still need to bat for a long time, we need Tresco to go on and make a big century and plenty of support from a couple of Vaughan, Bell, Pietersen, Flintoff or Jones..

Brilliant by England and this is more like what we wanted... Kaspa has bowled extremly well though, was hard to score off him!

[Pabs]

Just caught the last half-hour before lunch. Some observations:

1) The wicket is a bowler's nightmare. Crazy decision to field first - even if the ball had swung, the surface is so dead that batting is a doddle. Dunno if it was some kind of psychological ploy - 'our top bowler's injured, the pitch sucks and we're STILL gonna bowl you out' - but it certainly looks to be backfiring.

2) Warne is bowling with more variety than at Lords, where he basically just had to put it on the spot to get wickets. The ball that got Strauss was a ripper - quicker and flatter and turned about a foot out of the rough.

3) Trescothick is in the zone and could make a seriously big score.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by greg

About time we had some luck against them with all the injuries we have had over the years.

Yes but is it good luck, McGrath has never dove well at Edgbaston, we may have been better with him in the Australian side.

[yubeingfunny]

We really need to push on from this position though, Vaughan and Bell need to provide support for Trescothick (who my old man claimed "would not score 40 all summer") and if they do so then we can set a platform for Pietersen, Flintoff and G Jones to come in with a licence to take the game away from the Aussies, this next session could determine the result of the test.

[greg]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Yes but is it good luck, McGrath has never dove well at Edgbaston, we may have been better with him in the Australian side.

I think the stats lie.He has only played there twice and the first time was in 97 when he bowled dross and admitted after Lords he wasn't ready in the first test.

[greg]

164-2.Trescothick out to a naff shot.Bell in and no doubt Warne will be on soon.

[yubeingfunny]

Nnoooooo Tresco!?!!! Why!?

[DaveGillespie]

Bell gone too. This is rather silly.

[English_Al]

Aaaww, Trescothic's dismissal was so disappointing. A blinding innings finished with a lame bit of catching practice, I reckon he was on a bigg 'n otherwise

As for Bell, just played the wrong line I think, I dont think the ball did anything, again very lame.

We need some really solid stuff now, no silly shots. This pitch is a blinder, if we dont capitalise, Australia will...