Hi there

about time we started on first test.

Cricketbet have prices as

First Ashes Test - Lords Starts Thursday 7.30pm (Melbourne time)
England Draw Australia	5.35 2.88 2.02
Draw Not a Draw	2.88 1.50

Think aussies arent great value, seem to always get blows in running first day and a half , might have small bet on england early on and go from there

I suppose if you bet early you could even get a change of odds after the toss

i will be backing big on the aussies - they're just too good in tests. I have also put money on series results 3-1 and 4-0. $2.02 is Overs!

I also am betting on the Australians. Centuries to Martyn, Langer and Ponting will boost confidence.

According to ukweather.co.uk, the forecast will be Thurs - Partly Cloud, Fri - Partly Cloud, Sat & Sun Scattered Showers, Monday - Mostly Cloud.

Read into that what you will.

Hmmm, yeah. Don't trust the English weather. If it's dry and hot for this series it will suit the Aussies. Cloudy and cold will suit the poms.

is anyone having a go in the www.dreamcricket.com ashes fantasy comp? I much rather this method of picking than the other types.....

just click on "register" (which is free) in the top left hand corner, then either go to "ASHES 2005" or "Create Team" and go from there. My team is called "Chuck's XI"

Im with you on this one sportz and I wouldnt mind being proved wrong but I dont think this going to be a walk in the park for the aussies ......However this is REAL Cricket and were pretty damn good at it .....conversly the Poms arent as atrocious as they used to be and the weather could be responsible for any number of draws ....a lot of that has been negated by the changing of the laws to allow for making up time for play lost BUT it is ENGLAND...Im looking around for some silly odds on the aussies (series bets or somesuch)so I can bet against it. It may be the weather that has the aussies at evens (betfair ) Gamebookers in england has them 1.85