You said it mate, the World's worst winners. Plenty of ability as players but no class as sportsmen.

Prior's not on his own Jim, he's just one example. Do you think Bairstow would be an improvement all in all, probably not in my view. I had a lot of time for Clive Lloyd up to that game, with him playing for Lancashire. We were talking the other day about the sporting line in cricket you don't step over. Lloyd and his team crossed it that day. They were seriously bowling to knock people out not get them out. As I said every over had about 4 or 5 bumpers ( this was in the day when you could bowl what you liked ) and the odd yorker. No real chance of scoring many runs, just head high stuff. Close and Edrich braved it out but how somebody wasn't seriously hurt I'll never know.

Yeah, that's the game were the fans touch the ball more than the players.

We need to grow some balls here. Facing fast bowling isn't pleasant but with the amount of modern protection equipment available to batsmen these days it should be do able. I remember Clive Lloyd letting loose the West Indies dogs of war when John Edrich and Brian Close were batting for England. Five bouncers an over, no helmets, just caps. In the papers the next day the photo's of Close in particular were awesome. You could see about 15 ball marks complete with seam lines on his torso, he didn't flinch. I'm not saying for one minute Johnson has stepped over the line with his bowling, he hasn't , but the Windies did that day. I lost a lot of respect for Clive Lloyd in that match.

Thank God it's not on steam tv. I haven't seen any of it, reading about it's bad enough. Following England and Rovers at the moment is like a bad dream. Too many players in both teams have got inflated ideas of their own ability. I'm not picking on one bloke but what has happened to Prior ? Even the wicket keepers who couldn't bat a lick ( Bob Taylor, Jack Russell etc ) did better than this. I can't remember an England player ever having such a bad run of form and still getting picked. Since Jim bigged him up earlier this year he's done nothing !

Me thinks you are being a bit economical with the truth.

Yeh Jim, you're right. Without style we'd just be err, Australians !

Exactly, this is cricket. If we lose the element of sportsmanship that cricket has we might has well pack it in. When I played you clapped opposing batsmen to and from the wicket. Yeah, Peter Sellars , very funny. It's 2013, well it is here anyway.

Wiser councils than Clarke an co need to get a grip on this ASAP or one of the World's greatest sporting institutions will be permanently damaged. This latest incident with the announcer in Alice Springs thinking he was the first Ausie comedian is a disgrace. If this tour carries on like this I shudder to think what will happen when Australia tour here next time.

Mm, Aussie Comedian - isn't that an oxymoron ?

I think last Saturday's games will have taken more out of the Kiwi's than the Aussies. I'd love the Kiwi's to win but it'll be tough. A B A for me as usual.

Yeah Warne's just playing to the gallery, he must be smarter than that. Great bowler but his comments are usually rubbish. As for Somerset Rover, he's taken from that guy who talked himself into a ban.

Do you actually know anything about cricket ? Plenty of players have had their their arms, hands , fingers broken . That may mean nothing to you but when you rely on those bits of your body to earn your living it's another story.

There's giving it large and then there's spouting the sort of keans Clarke did. I don't remember an England captain threating to " Break Johnson' s Fecking Arm " . There's a sporting line in cricket and in this Test some Australian players, egged on by the captain, have crossed that line. I don't mind bad losers, I was one myself and nobody likes losing but bad winners I despise. I'm afraid Australia in most sports are the Worlds most ungracious winners. On the Trott saga people obviously try to fight depression and the stigma attached to it means they tend to keep quiet until it's too late. I've read Trescothick's book and it seems Trott is suffering from the same thing. I'm just reading the biography of Robert Enke the German International goalkeeper who committed suicide a few years ago. Depression among pro sports men is more prevalent than you think. It seems the thoughtful, quiet, intelligent types are more prone to this ailment so Warner should have nothing to worry about.

Bit too much mongrel in my opinion ( and that of the match referee ). There's a line in cricket that a real sportsman wouldn't step over. Some of your guys are stepping over it.. Trott and Prior. I can't remember an England wicket keeper having such a bad run with the bat. Even the non batsmen did better than this.

Mm, it was a strange decision for Tomkins to go to New Zealand but he'll be a bit in the shadows there. Maybe that suits him. Wigan will bring along a replacement before too long. Kids live and breathe Rugby League there. Oxford had a decent team in Hornets league last season and Coventry Bears have been around a long while and could be admitted to the League soon.

Yeah You know how to pick your games Norbert ! It's not like that every week but normally it's pretty exciting at a Rugby League game. I was recovering from a football injury ( broken leg ) years ago when a friend suggested I went to a game at my local Rugby League club. One game and I was hooked ( we won though ). I was blown away by the speed and aggression out there. I'd say there was more excitement in any 5 minutes of that game yesterday than all 180 minutes of the last two England games at Wembley.

One of the best games of Rugby League I've ever seen yesterday, just a shame we couldn't see it out. Still the sport in general has been a massive winner this time.

Mm, not been a great weekend if you're a British Rovers sports fan. The Test has been a fiasco and the other England team managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Rugby League World Cup Semi Final yesterday against the Kiwi's. We were winning with about 10 seconds left on the clock and blew it. Plus Rovers are still playing like drains and the dingles got a draw. Still the sun came up this morning and I'm off for a pint at teatime.

I've been before and the service was always truly Kean also, the food was pretty authentic though. I tried to book a table for my wife and myself a few weeks back and they wouldn't accept a booking for two ! They can kean off as far as I'm concerned.

I never thought Johnson was a trundler, on his day when he consistently hits his line he's as dangerous as any quick out there. Trouble with him has always been that on a bad day or an un-responsive pitch he can be all over the place and go for 0 for a 100. I agree about the last series,it was closer on paper than the 3-0 scoreline suggests. Winning the toss was crucial to the outcome in each game. People are saying that in this latest test it was a good toss to lose but I don't agree. If I'd have been Cook I would have batted first, no problem. I can't agree with you about our preparation though. It was totally inadequate. Would you have been happy coming over to England and facing scratch teams bowling with a tennis ball ?

Well, not much to say about that is there. Barring a miracle with the weather this game has gone but we need to put down some markers for the remaining games. All I'll say is we were totally under prepared for this game. Maybe we should offer the Aussies a couple of games against Lancashire League second teams before the First test when they next tour England. The contrast between the degree of preparedness and attention to detail between our last tour and this tour is glaringly obvious.

" Shut up " is always good advice before and during the game / series. Say what you want when the dust has settled.

If you look at it like that everybody gets out to a poor shot.

It's say it was a good day for England. Haddin has been a thorn in our flesh before so no surprises there and Johnson's no mug with the bat either. If we can get them all out for close to 300 I'll be happy. I would have settled for that at the start of play. 350, I'd not be so happy. Great performance from Broad, lets hope they keep booing him. As a pal of mine used to say - " They don't bother booing bad 'uns ". A perfect reply to the pathetic, childish tripe he's had thrown at him. On another tack it's an absolute national disgrace that there isn't even the highlights on steam TV. I suppose we'll get 30 seconds on the news. Where are the next generation of cricketers and fans going to come from ?