Ha. Turned it off 90 minutes ago thinking it was all done.

Great, now Friends is on.  One gut-punch after another.

Great game, one of those where I wouldn't have been so distraught if the Aussies had won, bearing in mind the splendour of Agar, Haddin and Pattinson's innings. Finn was useless, Swann wasn't as effective as we'd hoped or expected, Broad played the secondary bowler role well and Jimmy was great. Bell showed he can grind fantastic innings when it really matters. 

Clarke's giving his media briefing now and he comes across a fantastic guy. Hope he gets a load of runs in this series, sublime cricketer.

What's this talk about the British cheating? I'm seeing it pop up on the fb newsfeed. Just whinging Aussies?

It was not an ideal way to end it but it was entirely legal and correct.

1) Australia were saved twice from crashing defeat by 11s. This will not happen on a regular non docile 5th day pitch.

2) why did cook go to Finn @ fifty runs to go. Moronic.

3) England need a bowler who can scare the batsmen that isn't Anderson (who is amazing).

4) the walk/don't walk issue is a complete nonsense. Stand your ground wait for ump to decide.

5) Erasmus has got to go.

6) root should go back to six, imo.

Root's only had one game opening and he was unlucky to be given out in the second innings so it'd be hasty to drop him back down to the middle order so quickly. Compton was painful to watch in his last few England games, too terrified to even play a shot. Bairstow doesn't fill me with confidence at this stage of his career but I'd still play him rather than tear up the batting order by bringing in Compton.

Getting rid of Finn would be the only change I'd make and I wouldn't even be too sure of that, even though he was awful it wasn't a pitch he was ever going to make that much of a contribution on, Lord's might be quicker and have some decent bounce for him.

Nah. He's excellent when people are swinging (like in one dayers) but is too expensive unless the pitch is favourable (v.similar to Mitchell "which way" Johnson).

I don't like brez. He's done well but recently I just see him as someone who punts it down with a lot of effort and picked mostly for his supposed batting. Onions seems a better dealer of the ball to me. (batting looks woeful though with Anderson and onions at the end, but I guess not much worse than Finn).

I like root but I think the jump from worn out old ball attack 5/6 to shiny new all opener is too steep, there's no shame in a number six batsmen. Compton, scores runs slowly buuuut he spends enough time to kill the threat of the new ball for when the really good batsmen kp and bell come in, and he's scored runs off the aus. I reckon he was dropped too harshly after getting a lot of runs in NZ (albeit few runs v NZ here). I could see compo in the Watson mould of someone who averages a 50 ish but only by getting 50s.

Also my tip is Australia might go balls out aggressive next test with Warner replacing Cowan.

Curse you jimmy anderson for making this happen if indeed it does.

Did I hear correctly that England's lineup is unchanged for T2?

Lineup unchanged, and I have to reckon that swapping out Finn for Onions on Finn's home ground is unlikely.

Right then!

Good start: we won the toss and decided to bat. Good work chef!

Ambivalent about: Finn being dropped, Bres in. It's his home ground, he'll have been desperate to make up for his poor showing at Trent Bridge, he's got a great record at Lord's, and he's, for my money, a clearly more talented bowler than Bresnan and Onions.

Win this and it's all over, I reckon, however much backbone the Aussies may have. Any biters?

As Pony as Finn was in the last test it does really surprise me that he has been dropped on his home ground.

Weather looks good for 5 days of fun.

Oof, after losing the toss?

My money's on a Cook century and a Root half.

As in seriously, I've bet a couple of quid on it.

WOOP