ralphindevon

Going from memory this is already a higher first innings score than all but one test in the last Ashes series here.

We're loving Root's reverse scoops for 6 but if he got out to one we'd be cursing. It's a real difficult fine line that we won't always get right

Oh no Mo, another one where the risk was huge with the field back. Not sure that was worth it

We're not going to get that many minutes between this exciting days cricket and Somerset v Surrey. This is hard work.

Pre Bazball we would bat at about 2.5 - 3 runs an over on the first day of a test. So at tea we would probably be about 130-140 now, probably for the same wickets. Give me this any day

Love Bazball but would have preferred to see Stokes find the ball on the middle of the bat a few more times before playing that shot. But there, you can’t have it all I suppose

To think they’ve already started reducing the number of tests to be played over the coming years. Yet are increasing the tedious IPL. Am I missing something? This is so gripping how can you not like it?

FFS! We don’t need luck like that

Is it too early for a - Head drops the Ashes- line?

That’s very annoying. Once again the Ashes proving too gripping to miss, it’s a gorgeous day outside, I’ve got things to do and I’m stuck inside unable to miss a second

One of the reasons they chose Edgbaston as the first test, best chance to get off to a good start, certainly a lot better than Lords

COME ON ENGLAND!!

Yes I saw him with Joe at one of the last Leeds games at the Gate, they sat a few seats up from me. Probably one of if not the last football match Gordon went to I’d imagine as he wasn’t looking good. Joe was having to help him in and out and they left early. I remember the pair of them moving from Leeds to Man U, a great pair of Scottish footballers and a huge loss to Leeds, the hatred of Man U still exists at Elland rd

He’s there at the moment, which may have fuelled the rumours or may be there to sign.

There was something inevitable about this match from the moment Essex won the toss. They would score a shed load of runs, we’d struggle under the pressure of those runs then we’d bowl and bat much better but the game would already be lost. I think we’ve seen this pattern before a number of times but when we get a game where we start on the front foot then we’re easily capable of winning. Fair play to Surrey, that’s an incredible run chase.

True, though for those looking at the other end of the table a Kent defeat wouldn’t be a bad thing

Harmer and Overton having a longish face to face chat at the wicket. The commentator suggesting it was a friendly chat, I’m not so sure. Would love to have heard the convo.

I wasn’t at Northampton but remember it well, listening to either commentary or updates. It was a Sunday in September and we’d been picking apples. As you say, there was fight in the very youthful team and although it was a shock hearing us let in 7 it did feel at that time that we had already hit rock bottom and thing’s would improve. The two games that confirmed our phoenix like rise from the ashes for me were, one nil down two one up we knocked Rovers out the cup and Chester. I must admit after what we’d been through I wasn’t expecting to reach the top tier anytime soon but remember thinking how brilliant it would be being an established 2nd tier club. Well that’s what we are now and after over 40 years maybe it will be our turn to experience the top flight again……soon!

It’s funny you say that. I was living in Carcassonne in 2005 so well out of reach for any English radio. But during the 3rd test, I had a job at a house high up in the Black Mountains. After a couple hours there one day I got fed up with the station I was listening to and decided to retune. Imagine my surprise when all of a sudden I could hear a voice say “and Trescothic plays that back down the pitch to McGrath” It was a very dodgy reception that would come and go but at least I could keep up with the score. A French electrician working in the house thought I was mad listening to this barely audible radio. He was even more incredulous when days later he found me unsuccessfully trying to tune in again, asking if it was another cricket match I said no, the same one still going and it’s looking like a draw!

A tad before my time but John Shaw?

Me and a couple friends decided the night before we couldn’t possibly miss this match. So in a pub in Minehead, where we all lived nearby, we arranged to meet in the morning and my old car would be fine to get to Bristol and we’d get on one of the coaches. Nothing booked. luckily when we arrived at Ashton Gate Beryl (a real genuine City legend) soon sorted us out with some seats on the final coach, it was something between a mini bus and a proper coach, maybe 20 odd seats. We took up the back seat and radio 1 was playing some bank holiday best of the 80s or similar. Such a brilliant and exciting journey up. The journey home was just a party bus all the way home, I remember stopping at a service station which had a few coaches of Swansea fans, they didn’t know what had hit them when a dozen City coaches pulled in. If the days of your life are represented by pebbles on a beach, very occasionally you come across a gem. This was a gem of a day.

Yeah the 3 clubs below us that are olaying are all in top in their matches. I reckon we'll get enough points in the remaining games to maintain our record breaking stay in the top flight

Agree but as the Indians are the main offenders, they can’t even get a T20 match played in a reasonable time, I doubt much will change

Great to see both teams docked money, India 100% of their match fee, Australia 80% for slow over rate. Great interview with Tres just now on Sky talking about the 2005 Ashes. What a series that was, barely a boring session never mind day

I did have a lovely photo of Mark Gavin scoring a penalty v Walsall the day we won promotion in 1990. I was stood behind the goal in the open end. A very hot May day, promotion and a 4-0 victory but most of us were still in shock from what had happened a few days before.