FIRST TEST, DAY FIVE

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Flintoff - plenty to think about after defeat.

0149: Ah well. Never mind, eh?

Of course it's a terrible thing to be beaten so badly, but there are of course a number of positives to come out of the first Test for England.

The most promising of which for me actually has nothing to do with the form of either team, but in that wonderful old nugget of the mind game.

Sure, England have quite frankly been spanked, but the way Australia played throughout the first Test has confirmed to me that, for all their bluster, they are a very mentally suspect team.

They may bang on about 'backing themselves' (and boy do they bang on), but Australia have shown again that they take criticism to heart an awful lot.

The main gripe from most Aussie commentators/critics in 2005 was that the aggression had gone out of the side, that they were too pally with England.

This time, almost all Australia's actions have been a sometimes implicit, but more often than not explicit attempt to dispel these criticisms, despite insisting all the time that they don't let criticism affect them.

Ricky Ponting's laughable decision not to enforce the follow-on exposed the Australia captain as not so much a man out to win, but a man out for revenge. He wanted to humiliate England, to grind them into the ground, to crush their spirit.

However, all he succeeded in doing was to look a bit silly, and then hurt his back. He got away with it this time, but how long before one of these decisions comes back to bite old 'Punter'?

The Aussies in the field have also done everything they could to seem nasty and uncompromising. To prove they're tougher than these soft Poms.

From Langer's little clenched fists before he caught Flintoff on day four, to Warne trying to stare out most England batsmen.

The coup de grace however, was Shane damn near braining his good bud Pietersen on Day Four by throwing 'at the stumps' when the England batsman was clearly and firmly in his crease, hitting Pietersen in the process. I mean, come on Warnie, you couldn't be more obvious if you gave KP a wedgie and stole his lunch money.

The oh so subtle cryptic message here was 'Look mate, if I'll even do that to my mates, mate, then I must mean it, mate.'

Quite frankly, grow up lads. Here is the finest spinner in the history of the game and a batsman with an average of over 100 this year reducing themselves to the role of playground bully.

The Australians are far too good to lower themselves to this level. Ponting and co should just play.

That way, they'll probably win while not looking quite so daft. Nick Miller

0003: That's that, then.

1155: Hmmm. No signs of those thunderstorms. Over to you, KP and Jonesy...
It would be wonderful if England can make this a nervy final day for Australia, and I reckon Duncan Fletcher might even allow himself a small smile if his picks Geraint Jones and Ashley Giles bat like heroes and snatch a draw.
My prediction: Steve Harmison answers his critics with battling four not out off 88 balls as England play out the day.
My real prediction: Australia wrap it up by lunchtime. Dave Tickner