No sizzle in the selection…..

After a morning of carnage and devastation from the England bowlers, the question on the mind of most watching, especially the Australians, is why the change in team dynamic? Dropping Marsh for his brother and bringing in a batsman for an all rounder has somewhat perplexed onlookers, especially with the way the test has gone. With Clarke having little or no say in the selection of his team and struggling for form, is this the end for the Aussie great?

No Gin? Beer will have to do.

Fancy dress is now part and parcel of a day out at the test match and the fourth Investec Ashes test at Trent Bridge is no different. From Batman and Robin to the Sky Sports commentary team, test match cricket brings all sorts of fancy dress out and this morning was no different as I stumbled upon four beefeaters queuing for a beer. “No gin”, they said “but plenty of beer”.

“Oh and plenty of Aussie wickets”, as the tourists slumped to 60 all out. What a day out!

Waitrose in the Whites

You will see supermarket, Waitrose, being advertised all round the ground. It is England’s kit sponsor and is ever present at test matches now. You can see their stand, which like most of the others, is behind the William Clarke stand.

Complimentary cakes have been on offer, as many people are attracted by the prospect of winning competitions and tickets to an England Test match. Many people took to the Waitrose stand in the lunch interval, with champagne served on the balcony. They will be serving other drinks and food on their balcony during the tea interval.

Lets have a proper brew

With the England team nowadays made up by so many Yorkshiremen and one of Englands’ sponsors being Yorkshire Tea, it felt fitting to go and speak to the Yorkshire company and hear about the northern touch that they were hoping to imprint on the Midlands.

The van they are serving piping hot tea from, known as the little urn, has followed the Ashes series to each ground so far. Their aim to spread their northern delights and building on the relationship they have with cricket fans and tea drinkers alike as the ashes heads through the midlands before concluding in London next week.

The freebies they are giving away are keeping everyone warm and refreshed and accompanying the cricket fantastically well. Anyone for a brew?