And so begins the 2009 Ashes series. What an absolute joy it is to know that for the next few weeks we will have the opportunity to nip out and grab a lunchtime pint whilst watching a few overs, leave work at bang on 6pm to get home in time for the Channel 5, 7:15pm highlights show and listen to the joys to TMS on Radio Five Live.

So far today England have steadily gone about their business despite a bit of a nervy opening and the loss of three pretty early wickets. I watched Cook dismissal and to be honest it was a pretty handy catch. Bopara will learn from over exuberant start. His shot reminded me our very own Tom ‘Northern Fist’ Partridge. He too, like Bopara, was relatively in-experienced when he came into the 49ers side. He’d shown much early promise in the nets but his first couple of games showed his lack of maturity in front of the stumps and his shot selection, though bold, was not always correct. Now look at him.

Alongside Nick Heath, TNF proved he’d taken everything on board from his previous two innings and ended up hitting a very nifty 22 during our recent 20/20 win against Calypso.
I believe that Ravi is actually going to be speaking to Tom tonight to get some tips.

Strauss meanwhile was playing like all great captains and managed to get himself out for 30. To be fair, it was a pretty nasty ball by Mitchell Johnson and Strauss didn’t have much time to react but things weren’t starting to look so good for England as they went in for drinks on 90-3

Thankfully for England, it was the turn of KP and Collingwood who struck up a lovely partnership (though Collingwood has just been caught for 64). KP’s being quite subdued, hitting 69 J from 138 and has just been joined by the Priory.

So England currently on 240-4 off 69 J … it never fails to amuse me.

Not a bad day so far all round for England. The Aussie bowling attack ain’t looking that great, Ponting still looks a little bit like an in-bred dwarf who’s been stretched between two small donkeys (he is from Tasmania to be honest … so is Ed’s mum incidentally), and Bret Lee is probably still pissed off.

KP just gone (this really is up-to date) …but it does allow me to say he has gone for 69 J

WILMAAAAAAAA!