*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[Briony]

He disagreed with Howard's government over the boat people issue.

 

[Jono]

Pretty sure Chappelli has walked out of the Box when Howard has commentated before for C9 right?

 

[Briony]

Pretty sure Chappelli has walked out of the Box when Howard has commentated before for C9 right?

Yes, I think you're right.

 

[Hoggy31]

Big mistake by England not to get Swann on when Ponting first got to the crease, looks pretty set now.

 

[Jamee999]

Ponting is such a scary batsman.

 

[Burgey]

He disagreed with Howard's government over the boat people issue.

Pretty sure Chappelli has walked out of the Box when Howard has commentated before for C9 right?

Campaigned strongly vs mandatory detention iirc - led a protest at Woomera I think.

Also disagreed pretty strongly re aboriginal affairs policy I think.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Vaughany sitting next to Piers Morgan. WAC.

Piers not Mike.

Although if one knows a man by the company he keeps...

 

[Burgey]

Hundred up.

And they show Collingwood working on the ball. He picks his nose and appears to wipe it on the ball.

Obviously the new hiding place for the mints.....

 

[GIMH]

Looks like I was right about Freddie V Hughes, for once. Shall have to check that out tonight. Freddie so much.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Someone's calling Swann 'Swann Dog'

Yo! Give us some spin my white brother!

 

[Pothas]

Vaughany sitting next to Piers Morgan. WAC.

Piers not Mike.

Although if one knows a man by the company he keeps...

How could anyone sit next to that awful thing for a whole day??
Would expect Vaughan to be reconsidering his retirement after today if that is what is in store for him

 

[BoyBrumby]

Turn for Monty, but would be criminal if there wasn't on this track.

Would still rather have had Onions myself, if that isn't wandering too far into the realm of the bleeding obvious.

 

[TT Boy]

Turn is too slow to cause any real alarms.

 

[wpdavid]

Turn for Monty, but would be criminal if there wasn't on this track.

Would still rather have had Onions myself, if that isn't wandering too far into the realm of the bleeding obvious.

Dunno. I think Onions would have struggled badly on this track, whereas an above average spinner should be able to do something. Perhaps more in the 2nd innings tbf. Whether Monty fits that category right now is debateable of course, but I don't know who else we'd have picked.

Fabulous fielding by Anderson btw.

 

[TT Boy]

Swann bowling too short.

I keep thinking his playing against the Windies and should be getting a wicket every other over.

 

[zaremba]

Turn for Monty, but would be criminal if there wasn't on this track.

Would still rather have had Onions myself, if that isn't wandering too far into the realm of the bleeding obvious.

Yeah a little bit of turn but unsurprisingly Swann has looked the better of the two.

Now that Monty's been picked, I can look on the bright side which is that we do have an unusually well-balanced attack, and an unusually well-balanced team come to think of it.

 

[Jamee999]

Vaughany sitting next to Piers Morgan. WAC.

Piers not Mike.

Although if one knows a man by the company he keeps...

I believe it was Stephen Fry who defined "countryside" as the murder of Piers Morgan...

 

[Matt79]

Absorbing stuff at the mo.

But SBS showing one of only three different ads between every over getting grating.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Dunno. I think Onions would have struggled badly on this track, whereas an above average spinner should be able to do something. Perhaps more in the 2nd innings tbf. Whether Monty fits that category right now is debateable of course, but I don't know who else we'd have picked.

Hard to know for sure, 'cos it's a strange pitch. Onions hurried most of the Oz batters up in the Loins game (which Broad hasn't today, despite clocking in quicker on the gun) and, because he bowls from so close to the wicket, I don't think he'd have allowed Hughes his favourite cut shot quite so much. If he found some swing (and pretty much everyone else has at some point) I reckon his lower trajectory might've asked a few questions.

I believe it was Stephen Fry who defined "countryside" as the murder of Piers Morgan...

Golden. Stealing that.

 

[Steulen]

Absorbing stuff at the mo.

But SBS showing one of only three different ads between every over getting grating.

Not too much happening bowlingwise though. The occasional interesting ball (Broad just now with the first ball of his spell), but the batsmen are in control. Which does not make for the best viewing imo.