The Ashes Down Under...........

So the hype is over and the Ashes are about to start. No more talk, no more build up the toss has been won and England are about to bat.

With the Live coverage these days, it's a must to stay up and watch the first session of the first test, so having planned to work from home, it's time to hunker down and get ready for the midnight hour.

The first session, even the first ball, can set the scene and to go back 4 years to 2006, England were holders of the ashes and under the Captaincy of Freddie Flintoff it was looking good.

Having lost the Toss this time and Bowling, Harmison's first ball summed the series up. It was SO wide, Freddie took it at 2nd slip. It went downhill from there and England lost 5-0.

Poor Harmison, now working as a summariser in the studio has had to watch that ball about 10 times in the last half an hour!

Strauss facing the first ball...................good leave, second ball ditto.

Third ball and a short long hop outside his offside and 4 runs, great start. Only it does'nt go for 4, it's plucked out of the air by the Gully fieldsman and the Englan Captain is out 3rd Ball for a duck................here we go again!!!

Looks ominous and despite a recovery  of sorts at 86 for 2, the Aussies are on a high at the end of the first session.

Bed for a few hours and then back up for the final session and it's 194 for 4, good recovery, Bell going well, until Siddle the "workmanlike" Aussie Bowler dismisses the beligerent Cook for 67. Out comes Prior and he goes first ball, stumps sent flying.

Now it's Broad to face the hat trick ball and despite the review, he is out LBW to give Siddle his hat trick.......I wonder if I'd stayed in bed this wouldn;t have happened!

The collapse is ievitable and despite Bell's effort of 76 with the tail offering little support it's all out for 260!!!

Here we go again!!!