Quote ="PAUL M"Anyone staying up tomorrow night? Think I will do the first session. I think the first Test is crucial, if the Aussies win it then it gives them a huge physcological lift bt if we win it then the pressure is really on them. I think it could be a drawn series with England retaining the ">Ashes.'" As long as Anderson doesn't feel like copying Harmison, I'll stay up and watch as much as possible. I still can't help but feeling well nervous though. Everything seems to be going [itoo[/i well so far.

Quote ="PAUL M"Anyone staying up tomorrow night? Think I will do the first session. I think the first Test is crucial, if the Aussies win it then it gives them a huge physcological lift bt if we win it then the pressure is really on them. I think it could be a drawn series with England retaining the ">Ashes.'" As long as Anderson doesn't feel like copying Harmison, I'll stay up and watch as much as possible. I still can't help but feeling well nervous though. Everything seems to be going [itoo[/i well so far.

Quote ="The Penguin"I've seen very little from Rashid to suggest he merits an international place. Lest we forget, when he has played internationally, IMO he has hardly covered himself in ">glory.'" Rashid is a serious prospect in all formats IMO, and potentially a genuine Test all-rounder. Long term: Rashid? Tredwell? Yardy? etc. He deserves faith and perseverence. I feel Rashid should be blooded properly while we are in a position of strength spin-wise, i.e. while Swann is in his prime, rather than waiting until we're in sudden need of a spin-bowling messiah, as the Aussies are right now. The very fact that Rashid is an excellent batsman and useful fielder makes it even more of a no-brainer.

Quote ="The Penguin"I've seen very little from Rashid to suggest he merits an international place. Lest we forget, when he has played internationally, IMO he has hardly covered himself in ">glory.'" Rashid is a serious prospect in all formats IMO, and potentially a genuine Test all-rounder. Long term: Rashid? Tredwell? Yardy? etc. He deserves faith and perseverence. I feel Rashid should be blooded properly while we are in a position of strength spin-wise, i.e. while Swann is in his prime, rather than waiting until we're in sudden need of a spin-bowling messiah, as the Aussies are right now. The very fact that Rashid is an excellent batsman and useful fielder makes it even more of a no-brainer.

Quote ="PHIPPS"*bang* There goes my irony meter ">again.'" Ah! So in fact, in your roundabout way, you're trying to tell us that you do actually consider Test cricket to be the finest form of the game. Good. We have some common ground. I do wish you would make yourself absolutely clear in future instead of talking in riddles.

Quote ="PHIPPS"*bang* There goes my irony meter ">again.'" Ah! So in fact, in your roundabout way, you're trying to tell us that you do actually consider Test cricket to be the finest form of the game. Good. We have some common ground. I do wish you would make yourself absolutely clear in future instead of talking in riddles.

Quote ="Prince of Denmark"Ah! So in fact, in your roundabout way, you're trying to tell us that you do actually consider Test cricket to be the finest form of the game. Good. We have some common ground. I do wish you would make yourself absolutely clear in future instead of talking in ">riddles.'" So are you one of those people who like to dress up in funny outfits at the test matches, pay money and be in the so called 'Barmy Army'? Do you sing highly original and amusing songs like 'Brett Lee takes it up the arrrse' or 'Salman and the 2 Mohammeds might end up in jail la la la la la'** ** Or similar icon_smile.gif" alt="icon_smile.gif" title="Smile" />

Quote ="Prince of Denmark"Ah! So in fact, in your roundabout way, you're trying to tell us that you do actually consider Test cricket to be the finest form of the game. Good. We have some common ground. I do wish you would make yourself absolutely clear in future instead of talking in ">riddles.'" So are you one of those people who like to dress up in funny outfits at the test matches, pay money and be in the so called 'Barmy Army'? Do you sing highly original and amusing songs like 'Brett Lee takes it up the arrrse' or 'Salman and the 2 Mohammeds might end up in jail la la la la la'** ** Or similar icon_smile.gif" alt="icon_smile.gif" title="Smile" />

There's a documentary on BBC 4 for those interested about the Afghan team's qualifying campaign for the World Cup in South Africa at 10pm tonight called [iOut Of The Ashes[/i. Supposed to be good.

Well as the Ashes themselves are long over, and the mammoth tour itself has finally come to an end, I suggest we move world cup related debate to the cricket world cup thread and, if anything else comes up, new threads can be started when needed.