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The blog is over for the first day of the Ashes. Rejoin us on Friday morning and stay all day to chew over all the action.

1847: faiweirafma, TMS messageboard
Hopefully a semblance of normality will return tomorrow. One day like this is great fun. Two would be excess. It's like eating sickly desserts.

1827: Bang La, TMS messageboard
Where is Boycott's mother?! Where is Boycott's mother?! SOS, SOS.

1827: Mighty TN, USA, TMS messageboard
It's about time modern bastman stopped playing rubbish one-day style cricket in Tests. what happened to good old-fashioned Test cricket where you played appropriate to the conditions?

Ian Bell is supposed to be technically correct, as is Vaughan, and their techniques today were abysmal. Gavaskar, Richards, Lloyd etc. would have all been nice and forward with no gap.

1825: Kevin Smith, USA, via e-mail
Time to dump Vaughan - what a pathetic dispay of Test match batting. The top five may just as well have handed their wickets to McGrath at the start and saved him the trouble of marking out his run up.

1814: Phil Tufnell, former England spinner, Radio Five Live
England will be kind of satisfied. They had a great morning and showed their intention but were very disappointing with the bat. McGrath hauled Australia back into the match kicking and screaming and he is one of the best we've ever seen.

But Pietersen looked composed, didn't go blazing away and knocked the ball around nicely. It certainly wasn't a first-day pitch and the groundsman will be a little bit disappointed. It's not looking good for England - you wouldn't fancy batting last on that.

1814: Justin, USA, via e-mail
If you had offered England 90-7 when they were 21-5 I think they would have taken it gladly. it has to count as some sort of recovery.

1810: Blowers Fan, TMS messageboard
It seems that cricket is a much more interesting game when the ball dominates the bat. It's rare these days but very, very exciting.

1810: Mick Allen, Italy, via e-mail
I blame Hoggard for saying McGrath was past it!

1805: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
If anyone walks away from this ground disappointed they should be hit over the head with a cricket bat.

ENGLAND 92-7: GILES HIT WICKET B LEE 11

1758: Martin Michell, UK, via e-mail
All this from the first day of the series. What a beautiful summer, what a beautiful game!

1752: IRS Walker, TMS messageboard
KP - please don't let Warne peg you down or you'll be his bunny for ever. Skip down the pitch and batter him for boundaries every ball. You've got your eye in now, and he hasn't, so don't be scared.

1750: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
McGrath will still want nine wickets. The England bowlers dictated the rules and the Aussie bowlers will pepper the England tail-end.

ENGLAND 79-6: G JONES C GILCHRIST B LEE 30

1742: Ian Baksh, UK, via e-mail
You have to put your hands up and say that McGrath has probably just bowled the best spell for 25 years. You can't blame batsmen when you're up against that kind of bowling.

1740: David Worth, England, via e-mail
Great stuff - only an English team could turn a certain rout into a siege.

1737: Henry Blofeld on Pietersen pulling Gillespie for four, Test Match Special
He pulled that away, he dismissed it from his presence. The crowd have watched in horror since tea and now they're getting their larynxes working.

1731: Henry Blofeld, Test Match Special
Some people suggested Pietersen was just a one-day slogger but he's shown he can play Test cricket. No-one in the crowd is going anywhere - they are still glued to their seats. The excitement has been on the boil non-stop.

1730: Arup Vidyerthy, UK, via e-mail
Gents, fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be one hell of a journey. I have a feeling this series will be fought out like two hairy baboons. How dare you say Test cricket is dull!

1725: English Nick, USA, via e-mail
Dare I say it? Have we finally formed some sort of partnership in Jones and Pietersen?

1712: Mike Gatting, former England captain, Test Match Special
I don't think it's far off a certain Shane Warne having a bowl...

1707: David Harris, England, via e-mail
Two words: awful. I know it's only one, but they would probably not publish the first one anyway!

1707: Redaussie, TMS messageboards
Ok, enough is enough! Who are you and what have you done with the real Dizzy?!

1704: Oliver Brett, BBC cricket journalist
I reckon this must be the first time on a day of Test cricket that two bowlers on two different teams have got five-wicket hauls. What say you, Bearders?

1703: Samui Kevin, TMS messageboard
Our batsmen have got to sort this out. We can't keep playing Glenn McGrath like this. He's good but we're making him look like a genius.

1652: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent
Terrible shot from Jones. In fact it's so bad, I'm not going to describe it.

1650: Oliver Brett, optimistic BBC cricket journalist
It's not completely impossible for England to get a first-innings lead...

1645: Judderman, TMS messageboard
I think Australia would have been bowled out in 40-odd overs whatever happened. The fact they scored 190 is down to the way they play cricket. This defensive rubbish England batters play is boring and fails nine times out of 10 when playing against them.

1643: Samui Kevin, TMS messageboard
It's great to hear the Brits gloating - but it's even better to see them having to eat humble pie. Maybe they'll reach 50!

1635: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent
Every ball McGrath bowls is an ordeal. It will be very interesting to see how Pietersen plays - his natural game, or settle down for a defensive innings? Crash! That just answered my question!

1635: Jim, England, via e-mail
Geoff Boycott would tell you that with all Twenty20 and 50-over cricket, our batsmen (and theirs) have forgotten how to bat seriously in a Test match. And he'd be right!

1632: Martin Stanton, Australia, via e-mail
I'm glad Australia's future isn't resting on the shoulders of a one-day wonder on his Test debut!

1630: Scott Montgomery, Wales, via e-mail
Will there be an inquiry into the state of the pitch after all these wickets falling in a day?

1628: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent
A disastrous spell by Henry Blofeld on behalf on England - four wickets for virtually nothing!

1625: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
Most batsmen like to feel bat on ball when they come to the crease - Glenn McGrath doesn't give you that opportunity.

ENGLAND 21-5: FLINTOFF B MCGRATH 0

1620: Simon, Scotland, via e-mail
I bet the whole of the England selection committee are wishing they had picked a certain Graham Thorpe right now!

1615: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
Having Pietersen and Flintoff at the crease together is not an ideal situation.

ENGLAND 19-4: BELL B MCGRATH 6

1606: Ank, Hong Kong, via e-mail
Vaughan gone! The best day's cricket I ever watched was Australia v West Indies at the Gabba with Lillee and Thompson v Lloyd, Greenidge and Richards: 330runs and 11 wickets. This day is even better already. And I can only listen.

ENGLAND 18-3: VAUGHAN B MCGRATH 3

1601: Mike Gatting, former England captain, Test Match Special
Bell has played the short ball well and followed up with a lovely cover drive. He has a very sound technique.

1558: Redaussie, TMS messageboard
Congratulations Glenn McGrath. 500 Test wickets is a monumental feat. He deserves his place in the upper echelons of cricket immortality. It has been a pleasure watching his career.

1550: Troy Wright, UK, via e-mail
Well, at least we've avoided the follow on!

1540: Martin Gough, BBC Sport at Lord's
Has McGrath no sense of etiquette? Was still queuing for tea when he took his 500th and 501st Test wickets!

ENGLAND 11-2: STRAUSS C WARNE B MCGRATH 2

1532: Judderman, TMS messageboard
I don't rate Trescothick against the Aussies. That's one failure - how many do we give him before we drop him? We can't keep on ignoring his record against them. This Test could be over in a couple of days.

ENGLAND 10-1: TRESCOTHICK C LANGER B MCGRATH 4

1532: Graham Gooch, former England captain, Test Match Special
England's plan of bowling short and roughing up the Aussies worked. If the Aussies were worried it wouldn't be a competitive series, they won't be worrying now.

1518: Uncle Slippy, TMS messageboard
Any Australia fan who can make contact with Mr Ponting, tell him that this is how you should approach opening an innings against a quick seam attack. See off the new ball first, then open your shoulders when Gillespie comes on to bowl.

1514: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
There's enough to suggest so far that the batsmen are having a few problems.

1506: Martin Gough, BBC sport at Lord's
Cries of "no-ball" greet Brett Lee's first delivery and the crowd are getting more confident by the minute.

1503: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent, Test Match Special
You can almost touch the excitement and anticipation at Lord's - it's almost bursting through the commentary box window. McGrath is clinging to his youth with highlights in his hair.

1500: Alex Putt, England, via e-mail
It's with juxtaposing feelings of caution and edge-of-the-seat excitement that I now watch England's reply. We'll see if our batsmen have what it takes against some of the best bowlers in the world. You can't but be happy with the start they've given themselves - let's try to drive home the advantage.

1452: Chris Bell, England, via e-mail
What England must not do is try to score too quickly. Australia seem to forget that this is a five-day game and not Twenty20. Heads down boys, heads down...

1448: Steve Graves, England, via e-mail
Let the sledging begin. The Australians will really get into Trescothick and Bell. We need Strauss to hold strong and Vaughan to step up to the plate. Make no mistake, 300 will be a good score.

1440: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
That is a magnificent effort from Steve Harmison. He was aggressive all the time and bowled lots of wicket-taking balls. It's probably not the best he's bowled but he deserved his wickets and he's ended up with a five-for at Lord's.

AUSTRALIA 190 ALL OUT: GILLESPIE LBW B HARMISON 1

1435: Redvale, TMS messageboard
If England had batted like this they would have got a complete kicking in the media. It seems to me that only Katich tried to get his head down.

1430: Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Test Match Special
The Australians are being watched today by three members of their 1948 "Invincibles". Arthur Morris, Neil Harvey and Sam Loxton are all in attendance and seem to be in fine form.

AUSTRALIA 178-9: LEE C G JONES B HARMISON 3

AUSTRALIA 178-8: KATICH C G JONES B HARMISON 27

AUSTRALIA 175-7: WARNE B HARMISON 28

1414: Mike Gatting, former England captain, Test Match Special
Getting Gilchrist out was a massive blow to Australia. He's the best wicket-keeper batsman ever and if he had stayed in you could still have been looking at 370 or even 470. They could still get 270 but I'd rather Shane be in than Gilly.

1406: Tony Field, Piraeus, Greece, via text
When Glenn McGrath said 5-0 maybe he was right in his prediction, he just got it the wrong way round!

1350: Aadil, Trinidad and Tobago, via e-mail
Haven't you people been following Australian cricket over the last decade? This sort of start has occurred on numerous occasions and there has always been one result: an Australian massacre. Wake up people! Australia are not going to relinquish the Ashes to England.

1350: Jim Maxwell, Test Match Special
You'll get giddy watching this! This is two teams who have stored up a lot of emotion for so long and it's all bubbling over in this arena here today. It's like two heavyweight boxers slugging it out.

1342: Martin Gough, BBC Sport at Lord's
There were a few boos as Warne emerged from the pavilion and an expectant crowd cheered Flintoff in to bowl. But the England all-rounder stepped over for another no-ball.

1340: Gogs, UK, via e-mail
It's a great start - but let's not get carried away yet. We still have to finish off Australia and put in a solid batting performance.

AUSTRALIA 126-6: GILCHRIST C G JONES B FLINTOFF 26

1328: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
England need to be aggressive but focused and get the ball in the right spots. At the moment, Australia are getting too much to hit.

1315: Ed Compton, England, via e-mail
Consolidation is the key - England must press home the advantage and destroy the Aussie self-belief. This could be the most crucial session of cricket for years.

1312: Merv Hughes, Australia selector, Test Match Special
England haven't bowled that well - but they have bowled wicket-taking balls.

1255: Richard McCarthy, England, via e-mail
The boys have started brilliantly, but we have a habit of letting teams off the hook. Getting rid of Gilchrist is vital and we must then clean up the tail.

1245: Martin Gough, BBC Sport at Lord's
There were seven men in the slip cordon for the last ball before lunch, reminiscent of Steve Waugh's tactics on his last trip here.

1241: Steve Hickson, UK, via e-mail
Hang on - I remember this feeling from the first Test at Edgbaston in 1997. Butterflies, excitement and a sense that England's time had come.

1235: Phil Tufnell, former England spinner, Radio Five Live
Only Warne to come after Gilchrist and then we're into the tail. We'll be batting by late afternoon.

1222: Oliver Brett, BBC Sport cricket journalist
"That was a shot of pure lunacy!" On Gilchrist's wild cut over gully in the last over before lunch.

1222: Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Test Match Special
With that trigger arm, umpire Rudi Koertzen wouldn't have done very well in the Wild West!

AUSTRALIA 87-5: CLARKE LBW B S JONES 11

1221: Brad Flynn, Australia, via e-mail
This is typical. You Poms think you have the Ashes after two hours. Don't count your chickens just yet - there's a long way to go.

1211: Martin Gough, BBC Sport at Lord's
A helicopter is circling the ground with a banner which reads: "Qantas sale now on". Surely a bit premature...

AUSTRALIA 66-4: MARTYN C G JONES B S JONES 2

1209: Jim Maxwell, commentator, Test Match Special
Clarke takes a look round the pitch: "Where are they? Are there 11 or 15? There seem to be England players everywhere..."

AUSTRALIA 66-3: LANGER C HARMISON B FLINTOFF 40

1201: Burmese, TMS messageboard
Great toss to lose - well done Vaughany! Have seldom seen so much aggression from an English attack. Keep it going boys. My Ausssie friends have gone a bit quiet!

1150: Simon Moule, England, via e-mail
A little over half a session gone and the Lion is roaring. The lads are pumped, and they have the belief. We have arrived!

AUSTRALIA 55-2: PONTING C STRAUSS B HARMISON 9

1143: Mike Gatting, former England captain, Test Match Special
If Hoggard had been a bit more on the ball England might have been in a better position than they're in now.

1135: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent, Test Match Special
If the Aussies didn't think they were going to be in a contest before today, they know they're in one now. This first hour has lived up to everyone's expectations - and they were high.

1132: Darwoose, TMS messageboard
I realise it's the Aussies getting hit, but I seem to remember that the idea is to hit those little sticks just behind the batsman. I'd prefer to see Harmy doing the business the old-fashioned way. That would really hurt them.

1122: Merv Hughes, former Australia bowler, Test Match Special
It was a half-hearted pull shot by Ponting off Harmison and it looks to be a fairly deep cut. He was beaten for pace and the physio looks concerned. But Harmison's hit Langer, Hayden and Ponting - but he hasn't got a wicket to his name.

HARMISON HITS PONTING IN THE FACE WITH A BOUNCER.

1119: Merv Hughes, former Australia bowler, Radio Five Live
Pietersen dropping Ponting on zero could be very costly for England...

1112: Martin Gough, BBC Sport at Lord's
The cheer in the press centre following Hayden's dismissal lasts less than a second before the Fourth Estate regains its impartiality.

AUSTRALIA 35-1: HAYDEN B HOGGARD 12

1106: Judderman, TMS messageboard
I have not seen Hoggard for a few years but to me he still looks as naff as ever. So this is the man many of you thought would be the man-of-the-series...

1054: Blenkinsop, TMS messageboard
I am absolutely disgusted by the ECB's decision to allow England's kit manufacturer to mess around with the pure white Test shirts. Once again, the greed of the ECB seems to have got in the way of tradition.

1032: Martin Gough, BBC Sport website at Lord's
Australia's Simon Katich and England wicket-keeper Geraint Jones were the last two players out of the nets less than half an hour before the start of play.

1028: Martin Gough, BBC Sport website at Lord's
It's a sellers' market on the streets of St John's Wood, with everyone desperate to buy tickets. Seven hundred pounds should see you right...

1015: Ricky Ponting, Australia captain
The wicket's good, it's quite dry and hopefully the boys can do a good job with the bat. There's been a lot of anticipation in the lead up and it's time we got down to it.

AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN RICKY PONTING WINS THE TOSS AND ELECTS TO BAT.

1005: Judderman, TMS messageboard
We needed to win this toss. The Aussies will pile on the runs and the pressure will be on us again. Luck has deserted us!

0934: Pat Murphy, cricket correspondent, Radio Five Live
Jason Gillespie has got the nod to start for the Australians ahead of Michael Kasprowicz and he will line up with Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee in the visitors' pace attack. England need to win the toss and bat first, it's a crucial toss. It's brilliant sunshine and it's supposed to be a lovely batting track out there.

0922: Kevin Pietersen, England debutant
I spoke to Graham Thorpe earlier in the week, he was very good, gave me some really sound advice. It was fantastic of him, very special. He told me to go out and grab the bull by the horns and just enjoy myself. He said I'd earned my place in the team which meant a lot.

0907: David Clayton, Australia, via email
As an Englishman living in Perth, I am really looking forward to this series. It will be fantastic to silence the Australian media who so far have given us little, or no, credit for our one-day performances. We have to intimidate the Australians with fiery, consistent bowling, and measured, confident, aggressive batting. Whisper it quietly, but we could just win this series.

0859: Howard Leigh, Thailand, via email
The day is dragging here in smoggy Bangkok as I eagerly await the first ball via broadband internet. I really think England have a great chance but they must get off to a positive start in the first session of the series.

0844: Mike Gatting, former England captain
If the Aussies are sledging you it just means they respect you more. I remember Merv Hughes coming off the pitch once having taken seven wickets and he was asked what he'd learned from the day. He said: "The more you sledge Graham Gooch, the better he plays".

0840: Mark C, New Zealand, via email
Being a Kiwi cricket fan, I get far more enjoyment out of watching the neutral games. You get a much better appreciation of the talents on display in both teams without the patriotic one-eyed nationalism. The Ashes is the ultimate for a fan like me. I'm no fan of those dam Aussies but I don't care too much for the Poms either. But in all seriousness I think it's going to be a cracking series.

0836: Australian fast bowler Brett Lee
This is the big occasion, it's at the home of cricket and before the first ball is bowled, whoever is bowling it, you will be able to hear a pin drop in the crowd. It gives me goosebumps just to even think about it.

0825: Nigel Davies, England, via email
I woke up at 0400 BST this morning and couldn't get back to sleep in anticipation of the Ashes starting this morning. I've been watching cricket avidly for 25 years and, a few individuals aside, this is the best England side I can remember. The toss is important this morning and I would imagine whoever wins will bat first. Hopefully that will be England. Good luck to Michael Vaughan and the rest of the lads.

0820: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent
This is fantastic. I was walking home from a restaurant last night and saw something I've never seen outside Lord's before - people camped out overnight. I did a Queen Mother-style visit to boost morale for those hoping to grab the 150 tickets available on the gate. I've never known a build-up like this - it's so exciting. England's coaching staff are already here, while the players will still be having breakfast after a sleepless night. I'd be surprised if anyone's slept more than three or four hours.

0811: Lord's
MCC members are already gathering at Lord's, most with newspapers under their arms. The hub of excitement is further added to by a number of fans, most of them seemingly Australian, who camped outside the ground last night in a bid to get their hands on the 150 tickets available at the gate on the day.

0804: Dean Jones, Former Australian batsman and BBC Sport columnist
Before the one-dayers, I didn't think England had a hope, but they have every chance now. They know how to get themselves out of trouble and they're mentally tough enough to beat Australia. Playing at Lord's, though, is the pinnacle of any Australian. It's every young cricketer's dream. I remember when I played there and the long walk through the Long Room. You'd bump into people going to the toilet and MCC members getting their pints and gin and tonics, and they'd be shouting at you, calling you a colonial etc. All you wanted to do was get out there. Today it'll be no different.

0752: David Graveney, England chairman of selectors, Radio Five Live
I was pretty relaxed until I walked through the gates. I'm nervous but more through expectation. I know the players will want to just get out there and start playing. We had a difficult selection decision to make to leave out Graham Thorpe, who has been a fantastic servant for England. But Kevin Pietersen is something different. The way he has played limited-overs cricket in South Africa and this summer has been outstanding. It was, however, a close call. Looking ahead of today's play, Australia are the number-one ranked team but we are confident about our team. The first hour of play will be crucial.

0745: Geoff Lawson, Former Australia fast bowler
Australia are a little bit more worried than they have been for a while... and that's understandable. This is the top-of-the-table clash - the top two taking each other on. As a result I expect high-quality cricket. That's what we want... and tense cricket.

0740: Jonathan Agnew, BBC Sport cricket correspondent
The talking is about to stop, and the playing is about to begin for the most precious prize in cricket. England start as underdogs but they can understandably start with confidence following recent results. It helps that five of the team have never played against Australia in a Test before. They have no fear of playing them, just respect. And for me, the key battles will be Glenn McGrath against Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss, and Brett Lee versus Kevin Pietersen.

0721: Mark Pougatch, Radio Five Live
I'm standing in the Long Room, the last room the players walk through on their way to taking the field. There are high-backed chairs and paintings throughout the room, depicting players past and present from WG Grace to Shane Warne. It reeks of cricket nostalgia.

0650: Greg Matthews, Former Australian spinner, Radio Five Live
I've lost a series in England before but England haven't won at Lord's since 1934. That said, this England side is far superior to any Australia have faced in the past decade, but it'll still be an uphill battle for the tourists. The key for England is Steve Harmison - he has to be more consistent and have a great series, which he hasn't had yet. The other important factor is Kevin Pietersen, who has an ego to equal any of the Australians. He's the best straight driver of a cricket ball I've ever seen and is exactly what England need - they need to have him to have any chance of winning.

0638: John Kettley, BBC Weather
It was 1884 that England and Australia first played each other at Lord's. I have no idea what the weather was like on that day but I have a clear idea for today. It's a beautiful morning at the ground. There is a smoggy start to the day but that should clear, with temperatures of around 26 for the day.

0624: Iraq
British and Australian troops are gearing up for their own Ashes battle - five, 20-over-a-side games throughout the summer. Game one starts at 1400 Iraqi time on Thursday. And Robin Matthews, commanding officer of the Light Dragoons and captain of the England side, told Radio Five Live: "Like Michael Vaughan, I'm confident of the win. It's expected to top 52 degrees for the match and rain is definitely not forecast!

0612: Mark Pougatch, Radio Five Live
The covers are coming off at Lord's with six groundstaff out there and a hoover going at full blast in the Long Room. The main event that is the Ashes is not long from finally getting under way, but it's worth noting that England have not beaten Australia at Lord's since 1934.

The Ashes is one of sport's greatest contests.

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