LOL, the shi t is about to hit the fan over allegations of cheating

As Pietersen has said on Twatter account, why cheat, given had he cheated it wouldn't have saved him from an LBW. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23598798

Originally Posted by: Essan 

Indeed, the claims are nonsensical - and the inventor of HotSpot has already explained that it may not always be correct in some circumstances.   Sounds like players on both sides are pretty peeved.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/9015005/Australia-England-in-DRS-cheating-claims

Originally Posted by: bowser 

An edge which leads to an LBW being overturned and a batsman declared in is far more likely to be from the inside edge rather than the outside, whereas an edge leading to a catch and the batsman declared out is far more likely to be from the outside edge rather than the inside edge. Therefore, it would not be impossible that someone could use some form of masking substance on one edge of the bat but not the other. Not saying that is true here but just a thought.

Originally Posted by: JHutch 

Precisely the same thoughts I had. Players are spoiling it for themselves by gaming the system, assuming its true.

Originally Posted by: Essan 

No, the media spoiling it for everyone by making up stories    IMO.

Originally Posted by: SEMerc 

Who to believe? None of them are really known for their honesty, are they?

England started superbly

3-0

So will it be 30-3 again in about an hour's time?

Getting a little bit annoyed with all these people claiming that they always know if theyve edged a ball or not. How do they know this? Do they have snicko at their sunday league games to prove whether they edged it or not?

Passed that little milestone

31-0

This pitch looks gremlin-free. I know C-L-S tends to be a 'result' pitch, but I sniff a draw.

Currently get 7-4, and am tempted (but, after having a safety-punt on Aus in the second Test when England were floundering, I think I'll keep my cash)

By England moving Root to opener, they appear to have ruined a prolific & reliable batsman

Standard England mini-collapse.

From 107-1 and 149-2, to 153-4

Are England just a lot shitter than the hype suggested? Or are they just trying to keep some interest in the series? I mean, FFS, Lyon hasn't just got a wicket - miracle in itself - but two of them.

Speaking of tulipplayers, let's see how terrified and inept Bairstow can look before he's out to a distinctly ordinary ball.

When England were about 80-1, you could have got 11-2 on Aus. Now they're 9-4, and still good value IMO.

This England team has just got worse and worse through the series. They're making the worst Convict side I can remember look quality. It's a ****ing disgrace.

Dont know why you are getting so het up, England won the first two tests by bowling Australia out cheaply, rather than posting big totals. In the tests against new zealand this summer the biggest score england made was 365, its not as if england have a top order which has continually been posting big scores.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/engine/series/566894.html

Australia might have lost 4-0 in india but before that they posted scores of 500+ in the first two tests against South Africa.

Edit: I did write that before bell got himself out. Not the first time he's done that  

yep, hopefully the bowlers can get us up towards 300 and then get amongst the wickets early in the aussie reply.

Been dodgy all the way through. The last four proper innings have seen someone get in and make a big score (Bell twice, then Root, then Pietersen) to mask this. No one has managed it this time though. 

Yes, thats been pointed out quite a lot in the media

I think i am right in saying that before this series Cook had turned each of his last 6 test 50s into a hundred. In this series he has got to 50 three times (50, 62 and 51) and not taken it much further. Really should have kicked on to make a decent 100 at least once, today offered him a pretty good opportunity.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

What is the matter with our batting?? We wont make 250, maybe not even 220. I do niot have great confidence on our backup bowlers to restrict the Aussies now that some of their batsmen have got some runs under their belts.

We are sinking fast, it would appear.

Australia must be kicking themselves that they batted so poorly in the first 2 tests, and that Lyon didnt play (yes I know Agar got that 98 in the first test...) This series copuld easily have been 1-1 at the very least, and now we are batting without any confidence against good disciplined Aussie bowling.

Our bowling was not  great at OT, and why oh why oh why is Bresnan playing again instead of Onions who should have been a shoo-in on his home ground.

OK, the Aussies have yet to bat on this pitch but I suspect they will get a lead of 100+

Old Trafford looks to have been a turning point, and I think this series will likely end 2-2 now. Give them a few months to gel further under Boof Lehmann and a series on their own pitches, and they will have the Ashes back by the end of the year.

From the cricinfo coverage

David: "Get Monty in - he'd be much better having a slash at the bouncer than Swann..."