OK, let's assume Taylor plays instead of KP.

Would you agree that, in this scenario, there'd be a case for moving Bell to 4, Bairstow to 5 and put Taylor at 6 with Prior staying at 7.

That would look a much more balanced batting line-up.

PS - I think this Test is crucial for Root and the opner position. All speculation about his ability to open the batting has gone following his sterling innings in the last Test. However, everyone has always known he has mountains of ability and that he could put together such an innings. The issue was - and still is - can he do this on a consistent basis as an opener? Facing the new ball and totally fresh bowlers is a different proposition to coming in later in the order (and, IIRC, his least effective innings at 6 were when he came in after the opposition had just taken the new ball)

He needs to back-up his Lords performance to convince the doubters (me included) that he's a long-term bet as an opener. What we really don't need is someone who gets out cheaply 3 innings out of 4, but once in can go onto a big score. We need consistency. I'd rather have an opener who almost always scores 30-50 and takes the sting out the bowling attack, than someone who usually fails, but scores a ton every 5/6 innings.

What more motivation will Root need than smahing runs all over at the home of Lancashire on Yorkshire Day  If England bat first of course.

As for KP, if he does play then a big step up from him is needed now, his lack of form / fitness is well known but he has two tests under his belt and time for him to contribute in the way we know he can.

Indeed, hopefully he can get his form back.

More importantly no Blowers on the TMS team for this test I believe ! Who is going to say ' and there was no run'.  Won't be the same without him.

Aussies 132 for 3 Swann bowling well. You feel that the Aussie batting line up could completely collapse any minute but they're hanging in there. Rogers played well though.

An annoying and very disappointing day for England so far. I was expecting us to be batting by now

FFS, England - we're supposed to be embarrassing this bunch of convicts, not letting them have some fun and build confidence.

Nothing short of 5-0 is acceptable.

Aussies on top, good century from Clarke

Indeed take a bit of a miracle to win it from here.

Don't worry, it will get much worse. Rumour has it that Billy Bowden will be called up in this series.

Bang goes the 5-0 whitewash some were hoping for , this has DRAW written all over it

Too early to call what the result will be. Australia could easily get say 550 and England could be bowled for 230sih yet and have a real fight to save the game. All depends on how quickly England can pick up some wickets in the first hour and then when England do bat we really need a good knock from Cook, we need a 100+ score from at least one of the openers.

Australia deff on top though and really shouln't get beaten from this kind of start, but Australia have found some unusual and interesting ways of grasping defeat from the jaws of victory over the last few years so we shall see.

The only time that this has been achived in the past was when Don Bradman was around in the 30's! That was also in Australia where the weather is much more reliable so after being 2 down there was every chance that the following 3 tests would be results. I think this place would go in to melt down if it happened, there would be a national holiday and a tiker tape parade down Geroge Street Sydney!

All Australia really need now is probably one more good morning session and they will avoid defeat in this test. The first hour is critical to England chances of winning, 3 or 4 quick wickets would throw it wide open again. I will watch the first hour tonight and if it looks like more of the same from Australia then I will switch off until Saturday night Aussie time when England will be closer to batting.