The selectors have decided not to panic and make wholesale changes to the England team.

So they make No changes

Chairman of selectors David Graveney told BBC Sport: "We met on the Monday after the first Test and the performance of the side was very vivid in our minds.

"We have managed to become the second-ranked team in the world by being as consistent as possible with selection.

"There has been a lot of debate about those under pressure in the team and the outstanding form of Paul Collingwood but we decided that we wanted to stick with the same 12 and didn't want to shake up that squad."

WHAT??????

If they had batted well, if they had bowled well, if they had fielded well, if they had chosen a team that can actually play cricket.

Not if you play as badly as he did in the first -*test*-('").

What is going on? I agree that there is no point in unbalancing the team, but do we have to go 2-0 down in the series before changes are made?

Be the Selector - Pick the England Team

by the looks of things................ YES




i've said it before..... THORPE'S OMISSION will return to haunt England.

I know

They've asked him to reconsider and are now saying it doesn't matter if he won't go on the winter tour

If it didn't fecking matter why did they make it such an issue in the first place?

I keep saying there is room for Pietersen and Thorpe in the same team

Be fair..our bowling in the first innings was excellent.

But I agree, changes need to be made in respect of batting and fielding, the latter of which is hopeless.

I'm getting ready to pray for rain again.


Vicky

maybe you need to do one of them rain dances..

Weather prediction is no rain for the whole 5 days

Ah well, Collingwood's addition to the squad will keep people quiet






















Until Thursday

Collingwood's been added.....

WOW... what a matchwinner

I know - shows they don't know what they're doing.

Bring back Thorpe I say

And now Vaughan is doubtful, and the pitch is screwed......


It's all looking so good.


Vicky

England are batting well though a couple of chances have gone down. The loss of McGrath for Australia is a great help for England. Kasper is a great replacement but he is not McGrath.

No surprise Ponting sent England in but the ball doesn't seem to be doing much and batting last may not be great for Australia. England need to keep their heads down and get a big first innings score. That would put Australia on the back foot if the ball starts to move.

No McGrath = England uncorking the champagne


England have started quite well though.... wonder when the collapse will start??

Warne takes the first wicket, Strauss plays a poor shot to a great piece of bowling. England are still on target, Vaughan often loses his wicket to McGrath so maybe a big innings here is on the cards.

Got to go to bed soon, work tomorrow, but England have got themselves into a good position to build a big score. When the alarm goes off in the morning and I hear the sports report on the 'The Big Sports Breakfast' I would love to hear England have gone on and made a match of it. Both batsmen seem settled so maybe we will see the England that has promised to emerge against Australia.

Just watching England are batting really well, may stay up a bit longer.

Two quick wickets and suddenly England are 3-170. Vaughan needs to play a captains knock. Might stay to watch Pieteresen for a while, hope I don't sleep in tomorrow.