It’s also amusing when a country which prides itself on its egalitarianism goes weak at the knees over a monarch who lives on the other side of the world 
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Not surprised that they’ve decided not to pick the young spinner but it does surprise me that they haven’t gone with Woakes who has a fantastic record at Lords and can hold his bat. No Wood either makes it all look a bit samey again but I guess they have him pencilled in for the next two tests.
Doesn’t really fill me with much confidence that team.
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Would like to have seen Jimmy given a rest to be honest. Can’t see him playing all five and he’s at his best up north.
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Yeah I’m with you on that one. Tongue will be facing a different calibre of batsmen compared to Ireland. Maybe Woakes would have been a better choice? Wood is still not 100%prepared so fair enough. (He’s starting to sound like our midfielders)
I suspect the groundsman has had zero contact whatsoever with England management and selection. No sir, not a chance.
Had the chance to punt them in the 1990s and fucked it up…
Fucking stupid bogans.
Really.
Need to sort the flag too.
OK, Aus to win the toss and bowl. We’ll declare on 400 giving them the last 30 mins.
“ This cheerily contained antagonism is what we live for’
Gideon Haigh in the Australian discusses the special rivalry between England and Australia.
"As much a part of the soundscape of an Ashes summer as willow on leather is the mutual baiting and back chat of the rival camps. Perhaps it is a little riper than usual, given the kulturkampf of Bazball v CumonAussie. But in a game where the wait is almost as much a part as the play, this cheerily contained antagonism is what we live for.
"It seems to me that this goes to the very heart of the Ashes’ appeal – the relishable freedom to treat what’s ultimately quite unimportant as a matter of life and death.
“Perhaps most of all is it in every huff and puff of rival players and fans in the Ashes tradition, on the brink of permissible rudeness, but with a laugh blessedly never too far away, and a pleasure in the ease of pushing each others’ buttons.”
Green pitch, overcast. Australia put in. Anderson and Broad opening. We’ll be batting by tea 
Another good toss to win. Marny not knowing the anthem lyrics: “we are one and free”.
More just stop oil protests. Not made it to the pitch at least! Delays to play
Have at it @Klopptimist
With the petrol air blower! Hahahaha! 
Wonder if Stokes thought “Running over and decking one of these might not go down too well”
Personally I’d have liked them to have had the shit kicked out of them very publicly.
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I would like these protestors, when caught, to be covered in their own orange paint, and made to walk round the perimeter of the cricket ground…lets see how much support they get…
Bring back the stocks and the birch?
Seriously, the match was held up for five minutes and no one was hurt. Compared to the destruction of the planet it’s extremely minor.
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They’re not helping themselves though, almost everybody hates them. Does nothing for their cause.
Anyway, slow pitch, little movement and swing. Hmmmmm. Did the groundsman not get the message? BTW, he is a groundsman, not a groundswoman. Or groundsperson.
Batsman……
I’m off to Lord’s to protest against England’s crapness.