Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval, day one:
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By Paul Grunill
0905: While travelling in on the tube an interesting comment caught my eye from Alastair Cook’s column in the Metro newspaper. Talking about England new boy Jonathan Trott, Cookie said: “The pressure is off him really because no-one will expect him to score a century”. No-one except a few million people around the country, perhaps!“My mouth is watering so much, my desk resembles the Edgbaston outfield of a few weeks back. Hard to believe the Ashes summer is coming down to these next 5 days. Love it.”
**Paul, Ealing, in the TMS inbox **0855: Anyway, stop talking about last night’s football. Put down your bacon sarnies and tell me what you think is going to happen at The Oval. Is Freddie’s body up to another inspirational performance in a Test match he has described as “the biggest I’ll ever play in” 0850: You may be asking the question: 'Who is this Grunill bloke And what’s he doing on the Ashes text commentary" Well, don’t worry, I’m just the warm-up act - my esteemed colleague Mark Mitchener will be ‘at the helm’ for the next five days of what hopefully will turn out to be exhilarating action. 0845: After the shambles of Headingley, the odds appear to be heavily against England but as the sage Henry Blofeld tells BBC 5 live’s breakfast show: “Cricket is a game where logic applies very seldom.” All England fans hope he’s right. 0840: Morning all. Well, what a mouth-watering prospect we have in store. One-all, the Ashes at stake and Freddie Flintoff set to take centre stage for the final time in a Test match. I can hardly wait.