A good friend has recently spoken highly of The Spinners.

I love the Stone Roses music, and I went to Spike Island-It was an event I will never forget-As was the guy who had hooves for feet. But I cannot be doing with them as a `Concept` now, and never felt like going to any of the new gigs. The only one I would have loved to have gone to was the warm up one in Warrington.

Your welcome Mick!.

Far too young to pass away. RIP Howard Kendall.

If anyone's got the chance to see Prince I would strongly recommend it. An unbelievable show, two and a half hours of perfect pop and rock. The guys a star, plus his band are very easy on the eye also. We got in early and stood right at the front.

Got tickets to see PRINCE on Friday night at Manchester Arena. Trouble is last train leaves Victoria at 23.23, which may be too soon to see the full gig etc(He has a track record of playing long sets) Anyone else going who could offer two people a lift back to Chorley after the gig at all? Happy to share fuel costs. PM if so.

Message From Majiball "RIP mate, you brought me many a laugh with your unique wit, you will be missed. My thoughts are with your family"

Tashors posts were great, On the evidence of those contributions, I imagine him and I would have got on very well if we had ever met. They jumped off the page and shone out among an ever increasing gloom of juvenile, repetitive posts, and his contributions will be missed-but nowhere near as much as he will be by his family and friends though.

5-0, and England lucky to get nil. I`m just glad Johnson is 32 and not 22 as he clearly has a mental grip over the England batters. Big difference has obviously been Johnson and Haddin, take these two out and it may have been a more even contest. Lehmans made a difference too, gone back to the old school of in your face aggression and raw power cricket, rather than the over analytical laptop based preparation of recent years. The pre match guessing of the England line ups was a smart move too, putting mental pressure on Cook/Flower before each test.

Going slightly OT but I remember seeing Franklyn Stephenson in the UK for both Notts and also at our place pro-ing in the Northern League. He was an awesome all rounder. http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/player/52949.html

Effectively two down with three to go, England are down, and virtually out in this series already. The re-emergence of Johnson as game changer has swung what was a finely balanced contest into a procession now. Englands top order are walking wickets, the lower order bereft of any nerve, barring Broad. The England side side built around the runs of Cook-Trott-KP-Prior, and the bowling of Anderson-Broad-Swann, of whom the only serious contribution so far has been a fifty from Cook and a clutch of wickets from Broad on day one of Test one, which seems a long time ago already. The only hope England have now is if Mitchell Johnson turns his ankle over in the warm up tonight...

Crap batting-as usual in first Test. But what has happened to Jimmy Anderson? Admittedly I have not seen much of this test, but his figures since the first test at Trent Bridge are not great. His bowling in that amazing game last summer was virtually unplayable, he took ten in that game. Since then apart from four in the first innings at The Oval he`s done nothing of note. To win tests we need to take twenty wickets, and Broad wont do that on his own.

Expensive (By my standards these days) pub food last time I went, but good quality. Plenty of good ale, but its a small pub and can be a wait when busy.

Very moving piece from Laurie Anderson on Lou Reids death, esp the end http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/laurie-andersons-farewell-to-lou-reed-a-rolling-stone-exclusive-20131106?page=2

Indeed. Some of things I`ve heard said on the cricket pitch would make Lehmans comments sound like a birthday card insert from his Granny by comparison. It is, well just cricket. No doubt if Broad hadn`t walked and Aussie had won at Trent Bridge, and Old Trafford, and Durham...then he would have said exactly the same

I wouldn`t say cracks PG, just a worrying lack of form in Cook, Trott and Prior. All class acts, but in poor nick.

I think today is a crucial day in these back to back Ashes series. England need to wake up, and play to their potential ASAP. We have retained the Ashes despite ourselves, and over this last Test and a half, Australia seem to be realising that the English are there for the taking. IF they go on today to make a substantial lead, I reckon they should be able to push on and win this Test. The Oval then sees England on a slippery slope down, while the Aussies are on the way up. Not the way we want to be going into a five test series down under, and I can see us struggling to retain.

And the project bike Paul?

Hope the actual cricket hurries up and starts...

Australia have declared, and play will start at 1130 BST.

Woke up to heavy rain in Lancs, not looking good for play.

Cheers PG. What sort of financial cpmpo can you offer me if it does?

Third Test at Old Trafford. Eight years since that massive day when thousands were locked out. My biggest fear is if England bat first and end up say 130 all out, and somehow the Aussies get a big lead and win the game. At 2-1, but with some momentum the series suddenly comes very much alive, and the way England have actually played this series you just have to wonder what mat happen next. But I suppose this is just the scars from many a beating being picked at by my paranoid brain.