The Ashes: Brisbane.

[sussexpob]

I think I am going to bed after this session. Conditions looking set for a boring, high scoring test match unless one team throws it away with the bat.

Probably indicative of Test cricket in general. First day of an Ashes test at the Gabba, and the pitch is as dead as a dodo.

[backfootpunch]

I think I am going to bed after this session. Conditions looking set for a boring, high scoring test match unless one team throws it away with the bat.

If all the pitches are like this il be watching the series via the highlights

[GarlicJam]

I haven't see to much of it, how has Paine gone so far?

[sussexpob]

I haven't see to much of it, how has Paine gone so far?

Hes taken at least 5 x 88-90mph bouncers as they dropped to his ankles.

[backfootpunch]

I haven't see to much of it, how has Paine gone so far?

Catching bouncers by his ankles nicely

[sussexpob]

Might be England being bowled out cheaply meaning a few refunds on tickets in past years, but this is the pure definition of a chief exec wicket.

Not a good spectacle for test cricket that session. There is nothing there for bowlers

[bigfluffylemon]

Might be England being bowled out cheaply meaning a few refunds on tickets in past years, but this is the pure definition of a chief exec wicket.

Not a good spectacle for test cricket that session. There is nothing there for bowlers

Never bet against an England collapse, no matter how docile the wicket appears.

[bigfluffylemon]

Lyon with a bit of turn.

England would definitely take this for the opening session. Looks like it is going to be a slow scorer all day, but just gotta dig in and graft away, and the runs will come as the ball gets old and the bowlers tired.

[Dr Cricket]

Is there any surprise about the crap pitch considering in the last few years Australia have produced the most flattest decks in most of the test matches.

Wouldn’t say most test match are like this in the world considering most nations are starting to produce bowler decks.

So not sure how this is indicative of test cricket in general.

[bigfluffylemon]

Vince reaches 40.

The nick outside off will be due any ball now

[bigfluffylemon]

Shot. Maiden test 50 for the Hampshire man.

Highest test score, but when your previous highest is 42, that's not a lot to crow about. Still, it's better than I expected from him.

The Australian quicks are being used in short spells, with Lyon already up to 10 overs, on a day 1 Gabba pitch!

[bigfluffylemon]

100 partnership.

This is going well. Too well. Long way to go to a decent total, and England can always collapse in a heap, but so far, so good.

Someone on twitter has just pointed out the damning stat that this is a higher partnership than any England managed in the first innings in 2013-14. Indeed the only century partnership for England in that whole series was 111 - Root & KP, second innings, Adelaide. Wow. Australia, by contrast, had 9 - two in every game apart from Melbourne, and including one 200.

[yuppie]

Great start for England, looks llike a long couple of days for the Australian bowlers. If it is going to be as flat a pitch as some are mentioning, then Australia are defiently a bowler short.

[bigfluffylemon]

And we're past the 111 partnership now as well

I see the muppets on the cricinfo feed are complaining about the run rate already

[Arthur Crabtree]

Quite an impressive knock from Stoneman (always allowing there's not much in the pitch). Vince still looks as if he's getting his feet in the wrong place for me, but you can't argue with the runs.

Going to be tough for England on this pitch with the ball, without much pace or a front line spinner.