The Ashes, baby!

[Sweder]

Anyway, test #2 starts very soon. At our favourite ground. That might well be a different story.

1934 ... last win for the Old Country against the Crims at HQ
The X-Factor is Harmy. Watch that first delivery - bumper to the noggin or catching practice for 2nd slip? I'll be behind the sofa Bubba, in full Doctor Who mode. If Flintoff does hobble out for the 2nd test it'll betray England's desperation. A half-fit talisman is a liability, there being no more ruthless exponent of weakness in world sport than a fired-up Australian cricket team. Stephen Fry posted news last night in the Twittersphere that he'd met Fred at a function where the Great Drinker had pronounced himself fit and certain to start. Flintoff's off-field judgement has been shaky at best in recent times; here's hoping those two more pragmatic Andrews, Messrs Flower & Strauss, rely on more informed medical advice.

Jason Gillespie, over here to promote indigenous Australian cricket, offered an even-tempered response to 'Glovegate', suggesting that he'd have been happy to do whatever it took to survive those final overs. Punters' outburst and the subsequent Pom-like wailing from the Southern Hemisphere simply reflects bitter frustration at failure to secure what looked like, at the end of day four at least, a nailed-on 1-0 lead.

In my view 'Glovegate' saved Pontings blushes. Negative field placings (first Engand innings) and strange bowling selections (last two sessions of the last day) cost Australia the match, not some dubious dithering at the end. Collingwood's vigil and last wicket heroics nothwithstanding England did their best to throw it away but, as with Warnie at the Oval in 2005, the toursists failed to hold the catch.

Gently smouldering discontent from the powers that be at the R&A this week.
Seems The Open (Golf Championship) is always played on the third weekend of July (has been for the last 30 years), yet the ECB slotted a Lords Ashes test in for the same period (both start on Thursday), dividing loyalties amongst the sport-loving public. Given England's woeful track record against Oz at St Johns Wood perhaps the decision was both deliberate and understandable