Wrap - Ashes and Hashes

1. The First Test at Trent Bridge has been a cracker. Cowan's footwork was awful in the first innings. His judgement against that powerhouse world spinner- Joe Root - was appalling in the second innings. In England a flourishing shot maker at No. 3 who moves the feet is critical. Khawaja should have been chosen and Cowan should never have played. Khawaja is more fluid and fleet of foot.

Gee Usman must be good at cards by now. Cowan will be ended.

Gotta say with the gloves Haddin looks really slow and even overweight (?) His dismissal in the first innings was also simply terrible. How Paine is not there I'll never know. Hopefully the second innings will show us this as he powers us to victory! Starc and Pattinson showed us the difference between aggression and incompetence. Both have had Harmison moments, but we're not missing Johnson!

2. The Agar innings was superb. I must confess I jinxed him by sending a text to a couple of the lads when on 98..."Starc?" (Who got 99 v India). An awful shot really in the circumstances. Phil Hughes showed some uncharacteristic ticker. He was very solid, but back to his old tricks in the second innings (like Graeeeemeee Wood, another duck or a hundred man).

Let's consider this: Nathan Lyon annointed as the next team song man in Sydney by Hussey and has played one test since. Shortest reign ever. He is on the outer big time now. Clarke still ruling the roost.

3. Stuart Broad. Has a shocking record of behaviour and his effort in this test was appalling. Any chance of preferential treatment given his father is an ICC Match referee? Doesn't look good. Lucky Warner did not play - biff may have been on the agenda! Noticed that Michael Clarke didn't complain too loudly. He once stayed for a decision in Sydney v India in that Roebuck Test after nicking one to second slip!

Aleeeeeeeeeeeeeeem Dar is a shocker. Warnie once said to him when bowling after he quizzed him about overstepping: "Aleem, you are having enough trouble at that end. Leave this end to me". He is still having massive troubles.

4. Commentators Review. 'Bumble' Lloyd is superb. Botham ever tough and controversial. Strauss is whining and annoying. Holding is hard on the ears at time, but as brutal as he was when bowling. On radio, Blofeld is the quintessential comic Pommie, but rarely tells you the score - we have clouds, crowd descriptions...the cricket? Boycott is still a goose. No wonder Lillee wanted to knock his block
off. Can someone tell me why Graeme Hick is on Foxtel? He looks like Steve Menzies - but Steve scored more often at the highest levels.

5. Is George Burgess a fool? Throws a street sign through a car window then nude pics online? He must have taken too many knocks to the head. Time to go back to England. If he was an asylum seeker he'd be deported.

 6. Sandow sacked again to the park @ 550,000 per year! An absolute liability in defence..and if he approached the club wanting a release what would their answer be? Ricky Stuart's intolerance of halfbacks continues. No wonder no one wants to play at the joint. Noticed too that Ben Roberts missed six tackles too v Panthers. Talk about squandering an opportunity. Ricky is now talking about "good losses". Please.

7. GWS. Absolutely smashed. Getting worse. I mentioned Demetriou was on shaky ground a few weeks back. Nothing's changed.

8. What's happened to Cadel Evans? Hopefully the mountains bring his best out, but he is a long way back now.

9. Noticed that Mark Webber has retired from F1. He came a familiar seventh last week while Vetell carves them up. Maybe he saw the axe swinging. A greater ongoing saga than the bloody Block TV Series.

10. Reds and Brumbies have been good this year (bad loss to Force this weekend by the Brumbies). Waratahs have been better but if they can find a way to lose they will. Chances late amounted to nothing.

11. Origin this week. Can't help but think QLD will smash NSW again. No Gallen - no hope. The ongoing Origin series over a million weeks needs to be contracted. 32-0 over the Storm sounds impressive by the Bulldogs, but is hardly a good reflection. However, it does reveal that Melbourne have a soft underbelly once the big names are out, especially with the million dollar five eight Widdup, injured. First serious injury in years at the place. Astounding luck (?).