Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

Good old fashioned test so far. I feel England are just edging this at the moment (at 160/3) partly down to the fact that Root is still there. One more wicket could swing things though. Really looking forward to how this unfolds.

Edit: I should've kept my mouth shut.

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

Oh Tom, what have you done

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

A bit worried when Cook went early but the new boys seem to have done alright. They haven't put England in a winning position by any means but we don't have our backs pinned to the wall either.

Big day tomorrow obviously, hope Root's cunning plan of batting Bairstow down at 7 doesn't backfire.

I understand they think he can manipulate the tail better but I would hate to see him left high and dry or getting out to a reckless shot as he runs out of partners.

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

Very even so far. I just wonder if the turn will continue throughout the match or if the pitch will dry and harden for the Aussie batsmen. A gutsy effort by England so far with quality bowling particularly by Lyon.

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

Agree about Bairstow, i'm just about ok with him at 7 when Moeen and Woakes follow him. But when its just Woakes then Broad, Bairstow could potentially be wasted. Hopefully Broad, Ball and Anderson put up more fight than i expect.

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

A really good day's cricket, with disciplined bowling and batting on a surprising pitch.

England's fringe players got really stuck in, and if they can carry on like that they will be fringe players no more. I agree that day 2 is pivotal, especially the first hour: from where we are it could be 300 all out, which would be a potential disaster; or we could push on to 400 and beyond, which you'd fancy us to do with Stokes instead of Ball.

I was pleasantly surprised by the BT commentary. Vaughan and Ponting stuck to cricket, where their expertise shone through, and with Swann to provide some fun - as well as expert analysis - the whole package was excellent and well balanced.

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

Stoneman and Malan looked admirably gritty but Vince looked superb at times.

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

And i don't think anyone expected Lyons to bowl so many overs on the first day..
I think Ali could be our match winner with bat and ball..

Nov 23-27, 2017 - 1st Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball
AUSTRALIA: Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, Handscomb, Marsh, Paine, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon

Live Scorecard
Live Commentary
Mystery of the Ashes Urn

THE ODDS: England are the 3-1 underdog in places for the first Test, with Australia well fancied at 4-5. You can get 4-1 on the draw. For the series, it's 17-5 England, 4-7 Australia and 17-2 the draw

Vince really looked the part and Stoneman showed what we know he can do from several years of county cricket. Great to see the discipline they showed in a gripping first session. I had feared them winning the toss & piling on the runs like last time or us being several down by lunch and a painful watch for 7 weeks.
The BT sport commentary was so refreshing after the Sky team, most of whom seem to think it's about them rather than the cricket. Particularly impressed with Ponting, especially in contrast to Warne. Everything he said was thoughtful and knowledgeable and this set the tone for the rest of the team. Interesting in that I liked Warne as a player but wasn't fond of Ponting. Swann's suggestion that Lyon's pre-match rant/sledge was so unlikely that he had probably lost a bet was interesting.
350+ and the same weather could see us put them under real pressure especially if Mo (+ Joe & Malan?) can extract as much turn as Lyon.