The Ashes - warning: contains Silly Point

[A-Ro]

I was disappointed that we lost the toss, i'm not so bothered now.

3 for 3 is a brilliant start in anybody's language.

Trott's running out of Katich was exquisite, one stump to aim at, brilliant.

[ty cobb]

Came back from Arcade Fire and they're 3 down for not very much, not a lot happening since, will go to bed soon - expect a flurry of wickets.

[A-Ro]

Or a flurry of runs, I ought to get some sleep as I've got to be on my way to work at 05:00.

If you are out first ball it's called a Golden Duck and it turns out that Katich was out for a Diamond Duck i.e. he didn't face a single ball.

[Yankee Clipper]

Or a flurry of runs, I ought to get some sleep as I've got to be on my way to work at 05:00.

If you are out first ball it's called a Golden Duck and it turns out that Katich was out for a Diamond Duck i.e. he didn't face a single ball.

From back in my playing days we always called it a platinum duck. It's such a rare bird (only the 2nd ever in Ashes history) not sure it has a definitive name!!

[A-Ro]

Or a flurry of runs, I ought to get some sleep as I've got to be on my way to work at 05:00.

If you are out first ball it's called a Golden Duck and it turns out that Katich was out for a Diamond Duck i.e. he didn't face a single ball.

From back in my playing days we always called it a platinum duck. It's such a rare bird (only the 2nd ever in Ashes history) not sure it has a definitive name!!

That was the TV pundits opinion so who knows. I was chatting to one of my fellow travellers on the way in to work and he reckoned that a Diamond Duck is being bowled on the first ball of the innings so Platinum sounds more likely.

Strauss has just this second avoided a Diamond Duck.

[SteMerritt]

Or a flurry of runs, I ought to get some sleep as I've got to be on my way to work at 05:00.

If you are out first ball it's called a Golden Duck and it turns out that Katich was out for a Diamond Duck i.e. he didn't face a single ball.

From back in my playing days we always called it a platinum duck. It's such a rare bird (only the 2nd ever in Ashes history) not sure it has a definitive name!!

That was the TV pundits opinion so who knows. I was chatting to one of my fellow travellers on the way in to work and he reckoned that a Diamond Duck is being bowled on the first ball of the innings so Platinum sounds more likely.

Strauss has just this second avoided a Diamond Duck.

Diamond Duck to me has always meant first ball of an innings.

[BigCrompy]

Agree with A-Ro - Katto bagged a diamond duck today.

Always known it is such since my heady days of Oxfordshire under-14s.

Never got one myself, of course.

Too busy getting golden ducks.

[Joey's Toe]

Came back from Arcade Fire and they're 3 down for not very much, not a lot happening since, will go to bed soon - expect a flurry of wickets.

What were Arcade Fire like? I'm seeing them in Cardiff next Thursday.

Awesome performance so far in the cricket. If England &amp Wales can bat for five sessions now, get some runs on the board and generally p*ss off the Aussies, it should make for a good finish.

[BigCrompy]

Awesome performance so far in the cricket. If England &amp Wales can bat for five sessions now, get some runs on the board and generally p*ss off the Aussies, it should make for a good finish.

Not sure Tony Lewis made this particular touring squad, did he..?

[ty cobb]

Came back from Arcade Fire and they're 3 down for not very much, not a lot happening since, will go to bed soon - expect a flurry of wickets.

What were Arcade Fire like? I'm seeing them in Cardiff next Thursday.

Awesome performance so far in the cricket. If England &amp Wales can bat for five sessions now, get some runs on the board and generally p*ss off the Aussies, it should make for a good finish.

They were fantastic, make sure you get close enough to be able to see all the different things going on and instrument swapping. If the Aussies don't bowl us out here then you wonder what they'll do for Perth.

[John Byrne's Underpants]

Cook and Strauss need to play like they did in Brisbane in the second innings and build a decent platform. Don't want to see any of the kamikaze batting that we get all too often with England these days. The Aussie bowlers are poor at the moment and we really should put them to the sword.

[SmileyMan]

They've got all the time and skill required to win this now. If we can stay out there for the best part of two days, with the Aussies sweltering in the field as our bowlers sit in the cool pavillion, we should have them done and dusted on Day 4, with maybe a hundred runs to knock off for Day 5.

Of course, this is England, so expect some serious snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory tomorrow.

[SteMerritt]

Of course, this is England, so expect some serious snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory tomorrow.

Bloody hope not, the scars from our last visit to Adelaide are still way too fresh...

[Joey's Toe]

Came back from Arcade Fire and they're 3 down for not very much, not a lot happening since, will go to bed soon - expect a flurry of wickets.

What were Arcade Fire like? I'm seeing them in Cardiff next Thursday.

They were fantastic, make sure you get close enough to be able to see all the different things going on and instrument swapping.

Will do my best - although Mrs Toe prefers to skulk at the back with a cider and black like the miserable indie kid she used to be... Plus Cardiff International Arena is about the most soulless venue on the planet, which always makes gigs a bit of a disappointment. Hopefully AF will still put on a good show though.

[Paul Cooper]

A long way to go.

We should get a decent lead, but as Boycott always says you don't know how good the pictch is until both teams bat on it.

Then of couerse can we bowl them out a second time? Won't get 2 stupid run outs a second time I would bet.

But if we get a decent lead lead will be very interesting to see how the Aussis handle the pressure- they sure look rattled at the moment.