Amazulu

England were pathetic

On a flat pitch - prepared on their orders - they couldn't bat but Australia had no problem

Root's run out was schoolboy stuff. No fight. What a joke

Momentum most definitely with Australia. England will struggle to come back from here

Beoz

Really? Don't forget this is the same team that beat Australia batting first days before and won one the last Ashes in England on the back of batting first.

Amazulu

Australia turned up to play. England didn't

Same result either way

Beoz

We will never know.

OzTennis

I read what you are saying and I know English conditions are different ffs; this is our number 1 bowler and public enemy number 1 for English batsmen and you would have Johnson carry the drinks in Cardiff - that's what I'm addressing for the umpteenth time. It's like saying Nadal doesn't play as well on grass courts, don't bother turning up at Wimbledon (he adapted and won it incidentally; Johnson ditto). Class is class and fear is fear in English batsmen's eyes and technique, Johnson every time and Johnson first pick. I'm glad you aren't an Aussie selector, you'd be dropped for dropping Johnson.

In my paper today the cricket correspondent said England have 6 things to address before Edgbaston - Johnson was one and how to deal with him was specifically mentioned, not Starc, not Hazlewood, not Lyon (livelier pitches, Lyth to leave balls outside off, change the batting order with Root higher up and Bairstow in were amongst the others).

End of discussion please on Johnson, he's in and in to stay and bowling a little better than you expected.

OzTennis

Stokes run out (not important).

To put things in perspective Andy Murray took 3 hours and 22 minutes to win the deciding Davis Cup rubber against Gilles Simon whilst England were dismissed in under 3 hours (I was flicking between the two and the golf).

Beoz

I don't know who Nadal is. Probably some boring tennis player.

Your paper has an easy answer to that. Roll a Cardiff pitch. And that's why your blinkers are on when it comes to selections. Out until someone with a clue comes along

DeadVim

And 1 day shorter.

OzTennis

Well the paper said England should go for livelier wickets even though that could backfire and give even more advantage to Johnson and co. The rest has been done to death, I know your position and you know mine, c'est la vie.

Johnson incidentally is on 299 test wickets and will take his 300th at Edgbaston; providing the selectors don't consult you and take your advice to leave him out for Siddle or Cummins or bring a crocked Harris out of retirement.

Beoz

...... or roll another Cardiff, which is what they would do if they were smart. You forgot that one didn't you clever trousers

OzTennis

Clever trousers? Supposedly a sports afficionado and hasn't heard of Nadal - of course you were trolling I forgot.

OzTennis

Some bedtime reading:

Ashes 2015: England must change after devastating second test defeat | Sport | The Guardian

"England were terrorised by Mitchell Johnson"

Ashes 2015: Michael Clarke always backed Mitchell Johnson

Ashes 2015: Mitchell Johnson earns redemption at Lord's after previous struggles - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

"Was it possible his 2013-14 aura had vanished in the space of an innings? Like Fox Mulder and the existence of aliens, those with vested interests wanted to believe it to be so.

Yet from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon Johnson rejected the story of his demise in the most forceful fashion, returning to the peak of his powers right when he was needed most.

While in the first innings he beat Gary Ballance with full swinging pace and Joe Root with bounce, on Sunday's second time around he won the war with classic brute force."

Ashes 2015: Mitchell Johnson kills the laughter with short but explosive spells - Cricket - Sport - The Independent

"A former England Test opener told me last week that it is the “extra two per cent” that a tired bowler can find which separates the good from the great at this level. That extra quotient comes from depths unknown to sports science – Ashes motivation being beyond the wit of academics to quantify or explain – and it is what has made Mitchell Johnson so dangerous in this Test, which has revealed how steep a mountain England have to climb."

Beoz

Not as bad as a cricket afficionado ignoring differing conditions between Oz and Eng. Then again if you've never played on a turf wicket in either country you would have no idea right?

OzTennis

Since when is 'ignoring conditions' advocating that Johnson should play wherever we are? You were wrong about Johnson and won't admit it after his success but choose to bang on and on and on about why he shouldn't have been played in Cardiff (and I'd almost guarantee you thought he wouldn't bowl very well at Lords). I know your argument for the umpteenth time; I don't agree with it. Ask 100 Australian supporters before the Cardiff test whether Mitch Johnson should play or not and how many do you think would say no? (1? 5? I'd guess you would accuse the majority of being 'uneducated')

One thing which intrigues me (not knowing your background) is that you claim to be an Australian supporter but seem to be English. Explain your credentials.

Beoz

But you are wrong. Why don't you like admitting it? You give us Aussie supporters a bad name.

Now you've made me resort to Google. I don't like Google ....... makes be feel like someone who has never played on turf (Queens doesn't count) . I won't truly embarrass you by including the Johnson's horrible figures after Cardiff where I said he shouldn't play. I'll include Cardiff and Lords just to make it look a little better because I like Johnson.

JR Hazlewood (Aus) W-10 Av-22.00
NM Lyon (Aus) W-9 Av-24.88
MA Starc (Aus) W-9 Av-30.66
MG Johnson (Aus) W-8 Av-32.50