Ian M

All I can say is that recently we have been notoriously slow starters in series. Wasn't it last Winter that we were absolutely humiliated in the first test in India before going on to get our first series win there in years?

Is settle for Cook & Trott scoring any kind of runs at the moment regardless of the pace they are scored at. Also, does Bairstow deserve a chance to show what he can do with the gloves next match? The experts claim he's not a good enough keeper to oust Prior but I remember a similar allegation being cast at Geraint Jones last decade and his runs (& partnerships with Freddie) were instrumental in us winning back the Ashes in the first place whilst his lack of keeping expertise didn't exactly hamper us.

It all went quiet over here

It was a dig that in the above example against India it was Australian batsmen, plural, that failed to walk. So not at you

Not walking is not cheating. Claiming a catch you know you have not caught cleanly is; the same goes for claiming a bat-pad catch when you know it was nowhere near the edge. The difference is that in one you are leaving the umpire to make his decision, in the other you are openly trying to deceive him. (This was a quote from the editor of cricinfo, discussing the issue of Australian batsmen not walking against India, 5 years before Broad did the same against the Aussies)

Did the umpire ask him if he hit it so that he could act dishonestly? It wasn't his decision to make. A cheat is someone who breaks the rules. Show me which rule (or law) Broad broke and I will agree he cheated. Incidentally when Australian batsmen were "guilty" of not walking in the second test against India in 2008 did the Indians accuse them of cheating? Nope.

But Glenn McGrath had the mental fortitude to continue picking up wickets, even if he didn't like the replies. Think back to the last tour down under. Mitch absolutely capitulated under the treatment dished to him by the Barmy Army. The clearest example of a team having the fans as their 12th man! I remember in particular the fairly unimaginative but highly effective "He bowls to the left, he bowls to the right, that Mitchell Johnson, his bowling is shite!" I'd love to see his first deliveries given the traditional goalkeeper treatment "wooooooooooooooh, you're shit, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

Hoping the Barmy Army give Johnson dog's abuse. He's got previous for falling apart under the kind of treatment dished out to Broad and if the Aussies are happy enough to dish it out it would be churlish of us not to reciprocate

Long may it continue, especially seeing as Broad has admitted he enjoys it Stoopid convicts Our recent superiority over them definitely makes conversations with that side of my family more enjoyable than it was in the 90s!

It's a bit like when a referee does not award a goal even though everyone saw it cross the line. Does the defending team ever say "hang on a minute ref, that was a goal" or do they just carry on at the behest of the people officiating the game?

Massively regretted staying up all night around midday today but a few coffees later and I'm planning to do the same tonight. C'mon England!!!

You can't help thinking the Aussies might reflect on today and realise they picked on the wrong guy!

And I answered that point on the last page.

Let's just win the second half 4-1 again like we did last time away from home. Come on JET!

Very audible on commentary with many occasions of "advice" being heard to be offered....even whilst ahead 1-0.

I don't quite agree with those who say he failed at Championship level. Any manager worth his salt will do a bit of research and note in his two spells in the Championship, he had one at Doncaster where he played in between midfield & attack and impressed & one at Ipswich where they stuck him out the way on the wing & by-and-large he failed to impress. Back in his correct position, playing between midfield & attack, he is now showing exactly what he can do & I think it's naive to think there isn't a lot of Championship clubs that could accommodate him in a 451 or as a deep lying striker in a 442. If they sign him to stick him on the wing then they deserve the P45 that will one day come their way.

Part of which is conducting interviews with the press?

Well as others have mentioned, not use photos of fans committing a criminal offence for publicity to show the passion of the fans. I'm sure if I was arrested for simply entering the field of play I would be arguing that the club turn a blind eye to it on occasion and promote it on others and it requires a consistent approach for the charge to stand. Something or other about precedent. But in the first instance I'd ask my brother for some free advice.

Have you ever been on the pitch at the end of the season? If so you should follow the club's wishes and ban yourself for life too. Looks like I will be saving myselfa shed load of money!

Lifetime ban? I admit I went on the pitch after the Rotherham game and shall hereby ban myself for life from Ashton Gate.

Someone on my road got a "knock" this morning around 10am. That's what it was, a riot van turned up, 5 officers piled out, I shouted out to them they were all at work and they knocked on the door anyway & left when there was no answer. I suspect the OB are publicising it in the vain hope that it puts other people off repeating these actions the next time a needle match takes place. This won't happen though as I think everyone involved knows that if you commit a "crime" at a football match then you will have the book thrown at you. Why they then go and do it anyway is anyone's guess. (Probably the alcohol hey redeye?)