We need a rock in the middle order like Trott used to give us, such a shame what happened to the guy.

Service charges for groups baffle me, as surely the fact you are spending more money should put you more in line for a discount rather than a surcharge.

Seems a lot of money for test matches being played when the majority of the potential audience is asleep.

He's doing alright as a all-rounder type like Stokes to be fair. My worry is the batting, still too flaky for me. Ok on a flat pitch, but in difficult circumstances or on a pitch with a little bit for the bowlers we look like we could lose 3 or 4 wickets for nothing.

If they have been taking it easy, then thats a poor reflection on them as professionals. Would the Aussies do the same? Also, regarding T20 tickets where available up until today if you really wanted them Gav.

Hopefully this will serve as a reminder that England arent as good as the first 4 tests have led to believe. This must be close to being the most unbalanced set of tests in a series ever, every test has been a walkover so far.

Wouldn't worry too much about interstellar, starts off ok and gets badly worse toward the end.

Heathens. Brilliant!

Got a bit lucky there, totally took their eye off the game. Should have cruised that last 5 overs.

Thanks for the reply JH. I understand your position, my feelings are different in: The starting position - he took over a squad that was capable of easily staying in the league, but obviously werent being managed correctly. He has only had to sell 3 players (Dann, Cairney and Gestede), the others we have paid off with GB being allowed to bring in replacements - there's an argument that other managers may have got more out of some of those players. He's had resources to bring in 30+ players, so even if thats only 4m in transfer money, how much is it in signing on fees, wages etc, and a lot of that money has been wasted on people he has subsequently got rid off. Some he has spent well, but overall we are in decline. It's impossible to get a perfect comparison, as nothing is equal, and sometimes a manager can be a perfect or awful fit witha football club. I'd agree we should judge him on results. he seems to pull a good result out when he desperately needs one, lets hope he pulls a few out.

Palace who he got promoted too? Yes he did badly when they went up, and Millwall was a disaster, but then he had no funding either. Id contend your point saying we are looking upwards at the top 6 under Bowyer, I don't think we are. Its only the fact that he's had more money than most of the other teams in the league thats stopped the decline being worse than it could have been. Do you think we have in any way punched above our weight under Bowyer?

Yet being the operative word here. No matter what Holloway has done at his last 2 clubs, he still took relegation favourites in this league into the PL and played some great football whilst doing it.

That kinda was my point.

Both Burnley and Blackpool have been promoted from this league whilst starting as relegation favourites.

Having listened to the Ashes aftermath on TV Nasser Hussain was suggesting playing 2 spinners so that Rashid can be tested before the games against Pakistan in the UAE. Whilst I understand his point, I think we should push for 4-1 and keeping the team together. Chaddy, are you going to accuse anyone who disagrees with you of having a go, or can we actually just have a discussion?

To mention KPs misdemeanours is fine, but no one is raising the actions of others in the English dressing room at the last Ashes, where various team members where taking control of a Twitter account slagging KP off. It's too late for his return now given his age. Also every credit to the English team, but you have to offset that too against that this has to be the poorest touring Aussie team for decades. I still maintain they should have behaved like professionals, put the past behind them, and got the best team on the pitch. Root and Cook aside, KP is a better bet than any of the other batsmen.

He was talking about the cricket.

Well done boys!

Another collapse from the Aussies- can we have the Kiwis back, at least they made a game of it. Feel sorry once again for those who have bought tickets for DAY 3 (!), let alone Days 4 & 5. Maybe we should have a couple of impromptu 1 day games to entertain the fans?

Yeah Root is doing well, can someone check and make sure he's not from this side of the pennines, he's too good (& happy) for that lot.

Should have declared without batting and stuck them back in. Can you imagine the reaction that would have got in the Aussie dressing room.

Finn was laughing at the crowd chants of " Steven Finn is un-selectable"... Got a great reception. Shame we allowed them to get 121 ahead as it gives them a little bit more to take out of the game, however pleasd that those who had tickets today got to see a fair bit more action than they probably feared at 5:30 yesterday.

Great day after a few scary overs to begin with, but I feel really sorry with those with tickets for Saturday who wont see anything, those going tomorrow may only see an hours play too.

Set miself up for that one, didnt I Brilliant day, but ideal pitch for Jimmy and the breaks in play help the bowlers. Looking forward to my day at the test tomorrow, hopefully we'll continue to stick it to em.

Not convinced on the bowling to be honest, think Jimmy is struggling unless the pitch is set for him. Batting wise already said we could have changed 3 of the top 5, just not convinced that we have addressed that. Not sure Bell needed moving up the order either. Still, given its likely to be overcast the first couple of days at least, with the possibility of rain breaks, i think the toss will be important to win and bowl.