I hope Aleem Dar is feeling suitably shamed right now. Had he given Hussey out for LBW when he was plumb with the score on 227 then this match would look very different right now. The bocs added just another 31 runs after the sixth wicket eventualy fell with the score at 450.

I agree but it's a case of swings and roundabouts....hopefully we'll get a decision or two going our way that will change the course of a match.

I think we can only hope for rain and then manage to bat for a whole day.

What's the chances of that? Slim I suspect.

No point worrying about what might have been. Great to see Hussey find form and he and Haddin punish what was really a lacklustre Pom attack with not much depth to it.

Swann seems to be having problems with the Kookaburra. OK the track is still a pretty good batting track after 3 days, but the lack of wickets for most of yesterday was absurd.

Interesting statistical point; both Hussey and Haddin scored 114 runs yesterday.

Talk about an England fightback:woot:

Good to see Strauss get a ton after recent performances, and it looks like Cook could easily get 200 if he doesn't do anything to rash. If England add another 250 to the score we'll have one hell of a finish to the first test.

Now that is what was needed....the English Lion to roar :cool:

A couple of our batting line up to show their true potential and now we'll expose the frailties of the Aussie bowling attack :sunny:

Till the next test :doh:

This one looks like heading for a draw.

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/692/ecblogo1.jpg

That it does:nope:

The boc attack looks toothless and clueless, looks like they might escape with a draw though from this one.

Agree on the draw, I didnt think Englands bowling was bad, Anderson gave hussey a particular hard time with good length line and pace they were just that tad unlucky that they couldnt get that one breakthrough. The rest of the aussie line up broke up once the Hussey Haddin seal had been broken.

So, 15 mins before tea and Strauss declares on 517 for 1.
Australia need 297 off i think 30 odd overs and they are currently 11 for 1

Katich, the only batsman to hit the dirt so far today.

Shane Warne is a bit critical of the Aussie Bowling lineup.

Could we see an Aussie collapse of biblical proportions and allow the poms to take the lead on the first test?

Na, im still betting on a draw but big questions being asked of the Aussie selectors and Ponting.

Ian botham has been comenting on the fact that many people around the world dress up for these tests, he says the Australians have today mostly dressed up as plastic seats in the stands. The Gabba is empty except for the die hard barmy army

Draw. Nice batting by the poms but it was to pie chuckers and dropped chances on a great batting pitch, so they were given every chance to put up a big score. I think Johnson will have to go. A very poor day in the field by the Aussies. Definately a draw in all senses. Good to see Punter get a few not out before the end.

Looks like the bocs have been written off by their own fans already, a shocking turn out. The gulf in class between these two sides is now becoming evident.

Well neither side will now get a 5-0 whitewash, England's in a strong position right now, so bring on the second test and lets get 1-0 up in the series.

Who are the bocs? Its not a term I'm familiar with.

^ I was going to ask the same thing; it's a term badhat17 has used a few times. The only "bocs" I'm aware of are the RSA "Boks" that play Rugby Union. :hmmm:

IMHO poor tactics by the Poms in the end - they should have batted through to the end to really play mind games with the confidence of the Aussies (and tire them out before the next game in a few days). As it is, the Aussies took the opportunity to come out and prove, at least to themselves, that it wasn't superior batting by the Poms, but moreso a crap pitch that made the real difference*. On that pitch, even a blind man knew that there was no chance the Poms would bowl the Aussies out before stumps.

Had the game been unlimited time wise, I think we'd be playing for another two weeks before we got a result...

*Although we really need to get some bowlers with balls.

I meant to post that earlier....how very embarrassing for the home side, they deserved a lot better from the very supporters they have given so many good memories to :nope:

At least us Brits proved we're not simply 'fairweather' supporters....especially as seeing how many thousands some of them will have paid for travel, tickets and accomodation :DL

I've recently found out that a friend of my brother-in-law booked through the ECB travel scheme and the cost for staying in the same hotel as the team and 3 tests amounted to £5500.

Now if it were not for the new posting (commenced Sept this year) and add a travelling companion I would have tempted me :hmmm: