It kicks off tomorrow, with - between the Botham 10-0 to England and Merv Hughes 10-0 to Australia - most pundits predicting a comfortable win for England.

But here my pessimism, honed by decades of sporting disappointment, kicks in. I'm not used to this "We're British and we're winners" thing.

One thing is for sure, Australia will fight hard for every hour of every session. They will look for any weakness in England (and the England side are very good at complacency) and they will sink their teeth in and hold on for grim death.

The Aussies are not the best team and they have had problems on and off the pitch; but they will love being the underdogs - it gives them carte blanche to play with daring and freedom. England will be torn apart by the media if they lose and barely congratulated if they win effectively but unattractively. Added pressure.

I really hope that England win, but more than that (no wait, almost as much) I hope that the cricket is skilful and tough, that the games are close and that both sides emerge with honour: I hope it's a proper, worthy Ashes.

Then let's see what the winter in Australia holds...

Come on Cook and Root - can't miss this. The TRUE start of an English sporting summer........

England's morning - if they can bat the rest of the day and post over 300 they will be in the box seat. Swann must be licking his lips (and his fingers) at the look of the pitch and all the Aussie left-handed batsmen (six in total).

It's been reasonably well-balanced. I'm glad Root got a few - if he'd failed totally it might have put a seed of doubt in his mind for the Aussies to nurture. However, despite the fact that he appears to be 12, I think he's an incredibly tough character.

The run rate isn't bad either for the first morning of such a big series.

Pietersen. Meh. I think the Aussies rate him higher than me.

>wobble<!

Wow, Siddle is on fire!!

>WOBBLE<!

He is on fire!

Well, well, well...

What was I saying about underestimating the Aussies and England being terrible when favourites?

I feel more comfortable now, knowing that we will still have to come back from a difficult position.

I hope the England attack can get as much from the conditions...

Oh, that's nice!

Oh, I say!

And great to see Bell come in and make a decisive score. To think he stays in and Compton was dropped

If Australia had won the toss and batted they wouldn't have got 150 against Anderson and co. Poor bowling in very helpful bowling conditions and some poor shot selection by the batsmen.

What a ball from Jimmy to remove Clarke?!? Chris Rogers is showing why he has been an overseas player of choice for a decade.... great technique on a poor pitch reminiscent of Chennai. With Broad off the pitch Swanny will be on VERY soon....

If the conditions are favorable in the first hour I'd like to think England will have bowl the convicts out before lunch. But if it's sunny and we're still a bowler down, it could be a long day....

Broad has passed a fitness test, just remains to be seen if it's wicket-taking Broad or useless Broad that shows up.
Apparently it's a cloudless sky in Nottingham. Calling Graeme Swann...

I predict that the Aussies will stick around and be in until tea with a lead of 150-ish. Frustrated England will then lose 2 before stumps.

Looks like Broad is not happy; doubt he'll bowl.

Hmmm...! 2 in quick succession, that'll hopefully unsettle the Aussies.

Make that 4...

Jimmy Anderson.... another five-for. Wonderful bowling

I hope the last pair don't linger too long. We don't need frustration creeping in.

Still, doesn't look like we'll miss Broad too much in this innings...

I knew this would happen. England cannot take 10th wickets!

I do hope the Aussies don't take a psychologically damaging 1st innings lead, but the signs are all there!

D'Oh!

Holy crap! Now I feel sorry that Agar didn't get the century he doubtless deserved!

Nonetheless, it ought to be an anomaly and England should just dig in on what ought to be a batting wicket.

Cue collapse to 43-4...

I don't think young Mr Agar will bat at number 11 again.... good luck to the young man. Although I wanted him out I wouldn't have begrudged him two more runs. A beautiful innings, although I still thought he was out stumped on 6.

Game on... no swing and no seam, so England just need to go out and bat (and bat and bat, etc).

Twenty wickets down with one and a bit sessions left on day 2. England will have to get a lead of at least 300 to make a game of it. That said, I do think that last partnership was an anomaly (well, it was), so England should focus on what went before. We should be able to bowl the Australians out more evenly in future, even if the total score is higher (if that makes sense).
Anyway, we need a captain's innings, but what will we get?

Ah.

Where was the side-on hot spot? From front on it looked like Trott got a huge inside edge on his lbw.

Just heard that the side-on hot spot had technical problems.....

Doesn't matter now; look in the score-book!

Well, hopefully England won't completely forget how to bat on a reasonably friendly wicket and we will at least have a game tomorrow. Would be looking for alternative weekend entertainment if I had a ticket though...

Looks like it's just you and me Jim

What a day...! Some proper old-fashioned Test match cricket in the last hour. All square I guess.