Phew! What a scorcher!

[Burney]

Did you see much of Stone yesterday? Haven't seen him at all but sounds quite promising with the obvious caveat of the opposition

He's sharp. Not in the Archer or Wood pace range, but lively and 90-ish. Bowls a very good bouncer.

[Luis Anaconda]

He's sharp. Not in the Archer or Wood pace range, but lively and 90-ish. Bowls a very good bouncer.

Just watched the ball to bowl Balbirnie (don't try saying that out loud) yesterday. Decent. Looks a bit like the love child of Broad and Plunkett though

[Ash]

Roy at 3 for the Ashes? Might as well sack off the openers

Send the bowlers in first to try and block the new ball imo. None our our 'batsmen' seem to able to survive it often.

[Luis Anaconda]

Send the bowlers in first to try and block the new ball imo. None our our 'batsmen' seem to able to survive it often.

Leach has just reached our first innings score

[Ash]

Aaaaand ... collapse.

[Burney]

Aaaaand ... collapse.

Inevitable without the solidity of Leach to underpin the innings imo.

[Tony C]

Cleaned up.

Went back in on Ireland a couple hours back at 25/1

Just cashed out at 9/2.

[Burney]

Cleaned up.

Went back in on Ireland a couple hours back at 25/1

Just cashed out at 9/2.

Anything under 150 is gettable. Anything more and Ireland are Finnish.

[Luis Anaconda]

Anything under 150 is gettable. Anything more and Ireland are Finnish.

Confident about that? Is there a bit of cloud about?

[Burney]

Confident about that? Is there a bit of cloud about?

I make England solid favourites, I'm afraid. Ireland struggled to get to 207 in the first innings. I don't see life being any easier for them in this.

I'd like to be wrong. They deserve to win for having made a game of it, but I fear England will be too strong for them.