So - with just a few days until the main (sporting) event of the summer kicks off, what are folks predictions?

Anyone getting excited?

Anyone going to 'do a Botham" and predict 10-0 to England?

Personally Im sticking to my overpriced and under-used subscription to willow.tv which I will use in conjunction with TMS (thank god no geo-blocking) along with scorecards from cricinfo.

As long as KP returns to full health and we dont suffer any injuries to Anderson or Cook (our two best players) I think we should do well in England.

Has anybody got any good suggestions about how to follow the ashes from over here?

http://www.wiziwig.tv/index.php?part=sports

And it begins...

Pleasant day for the wasting with TMS on the trusty old long wave radio in the sunshine.

<opens first bottle of the day>

After this "batting" display you might want to open a few more.

Came back strong though. If Broady was fit,think we would of grabbed one or two more.

Strauss is a terrible commentator btw

Anyone with a ticket for Saturday should probably make alternative plans for the day.

Anyone know of a decent free live feed?

Try the link Oink gave or

www.atdhenet.tv

He's dreadful. Can't see him lasting beyond this series.

well, that was an interesting last couple of sessions, even on the text commentary at work. Seems to have been some controversy about Trott's dismissal - anybody with access to the TV coverage care to comment?

And where the hell did they find Ashton Agar?

Exciting day's play.

Couldn't say who will be victorious at this stage although I think the Australian's still have their noses in front after that 10th wicket batting partnership.

If Cook and Pietersen can put in a good first hour at the crease in the morning then I think it will have swung back England's way.

I think it's a bit suspicious that he's called Ashton.

And Trott wasn't out. There'll be repercussions about that.

Trott hit the ball with his bat first. The on field umpire gave it not out, the Aussies reviewed it and the third umpire over ruled the on field decision without any conclusive evidence that it was out. The side-on Hot Spot wasn't activated because Sky Sports was still looking at the Root dismissal earlier. How the third umpire could over rule it beggars belief.

Plus, the third umpire was named Erasmus and given the fact my form had to spend many a summer's Friday afternoon studying The Praise of Folly amongst other dry works in our rhetoric class while the other lads were knocking cricket balls about or smoking does not lend me to be overly generous to someone named so.

Quite.

But it won't matter. Cook and Pieterson will have a 200 stand before lunch.

Honest.