Yesterday, Crikey Sports reader Glawen Clattuc, when commenting on our open thread asked:

When will the axe go through the Australian camp and a fair dinkum re-building effort begin where young players are picked not 30 somethings with dodgy knees and suspect batting techniques?

You’d hope it wouldn’t be long now with England at 2/317 — and the Ashes slipping away from Australia as each insipid session is completed.

But it’s not just our batting that’s the problem; Australia’s bowling is transparently inadequate. I could probably makes runs against them and I have scored five runs from three innings for my park cricket club this summer.

Anyway, let’s make a list of things more dodgy than Australia’s bowling attack:

  • The FIFA executive committee
  • The USA’s diplomatic cables
  • Charlie Sheen
  • News Ltd columnist [insert name here]

It’s going to be a long day today…

Crikey predictions:

Leigh Josey: I’m going to go out on a limb here — Australia will take a wicket today. I’m not sure when, it could happen at the start of play or towards the end — but it will happen. We will take a wicket. Rest assured dear reader England won’t bat all day without losing a wicket. They might come close but an Australian bowler will get the better of the Englishman on at least one occasion. It will probably be Marcus North.

The best writing around the place:

The Crikey Sports Ashes archive: