The Ashes.

[mickd1961]

What a bunch of inept t w a t s, a national embarrassment time after time in Australia.

Burns bowled leg stump first ball of the match.

Malan playing a ball above waist height with a forward defensive.......a cardinal sin at The GABBA, every man and his dog knows you can trust the bounce and leave it alone at that place but no......our idiot has to play a nothing shot and get out.

Unbelievably poor selection leaving out Broad and Anderson unless Anderson was unfit and then to choose to bat on that wicket was moronic.

Five minutes before it started I texted a young mate of mine and reminded him of first night Ashes nightmares of the past including Michael Slater cracking four fours of the first over on his way to a big hundred in the 90’s and Harmison’s first ball that almost killed fourth slip and went for 5 wides 15 years ago.

I mused on what the embarrassment level would be this time around, it wasn’t “IF we mess up” it was just a matter of how big a calamity it would be.

We have such an uncanny knack of making ourselves look like t w a t s in Australia.

Silverwood and the selectors need to p I s s off and a new regime installed and a new captain.

Only young Hameed showing any grit and determination at 38-4.

Pathetic, spineless, inept, w a n k e r s !

[Barrera]

Given we were 60-5 ... it’s amazing we got to 147. Absolute disgrace ..... we always seem to get rolled over at the Gabba ... but this is plumbing new depths ...

I watched until Root got out for 0 ... then switched off ....

[DaveP67 is back!]

Can’t believe no Broad in the team, Anderson I understand he apparently needs a bit of time and will be back for the second test, but Broad has skittled these lot out numerous times and it’s a seamers wicket, totally inept!

[TipperaryBaggie]

Forever the optimist, let's wait and see what happens when they bat. We'll either be confirming our worst fears or eating humble pie. Methinks the former is probably favourite.

[Leicesterbaggie]

No matter what happens in the rest of this Test, to win the toss and choose to bat made absolutely no sense at all. Anybody with the slightest knowledge of the game would look at the conditions and have a bowl. One of the greenest test wickets that I've seen in a long time with muggy overhead conditions. It was ideal for a seam attack and what do we do? We choose to bat. To compound matters, we leave out two of the best seamers this country has produced. Anderson could have an injury problem but Broad? The mind boggles!

[mickd1961]

The Malan dismissal really wound me up.

Every cricket fan knows you can trust the bounce at The GABBA so you either cut that ball for 4 or 6 or you leave it alone, the one thing you don’t do is prod at it!

Burns is useless and Malan is never a Test number 3.

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

The Aussies have their own batting problems v England. Warner averaged 9 in the last Ashes, Harris and Head were both dropped. That's 3 of their first 5. Let's make sure we include the bowler who caused them most trouble. Broadly speaking who would that be!

[Prando]

Can’t believe no Broad in the team, Anderson I understand he apparently needs a bit of time and will be back for the second test, but Broad has skittled these lot out numerous times and it’s a seamers wicket, totally inept!

Indeed. I suspect that Broad himself can’t believe it ! Very strange. I like Leach but sure how much he will be needed this Test.
(I hope I’m wrong and he takes 5 wickets each innings !)

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

Indeed. I suspect that Broad himself can’t believe it ! Very strange. I like Leach but sure how much he will be needed this Test.
(I hope I’m wrong and he takes 5 wickets each innings !)

I think the the only way Leach gets to take 5 in the 1st innings is if they get 350. And if that happens England won't bowl again.

[Barrera]

Well we’ve seen the Aussies bat ..... end of Day 2 almost 200 ahead with three wickets down. The match is clearly gone now ... even allowing for some heroics. Poor batting by top order. Poor team selection omitting Broad for Leach. Poor decision on winning the toss. At least two of those were avoidable.