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

1820: The Beast, UK, via email
The rain may save England at Lord's, but, as Matt Hayden said, it's all about Australia. If both teams play to their max, Australia would win 9 out of 10.

1814: Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent
The fact is that when you are playing against the best team in the world, you can't have a wicket-keeper who is a liability.

1811: Paul, UK, via email
Let's hope the rain drenches the outfield so much on Sunday that play will be impossible on Monday.

1805: Prabudha Singh, USA, via email
Unless Kevin Pietersen and Geraint Jones do a 1981-Headingley turn-around, there's only one winner for this Test.

1758: Alec Stewart, BBC Five Live
Realistically, it's gone for England. We can hope for rain but Australia have done more than enough to win this game.

1750: Kevin Hurst, England (in Italy), via email
Pietersen to score 200 on Sunday and a ton from Jones. Simple game really!

1747: BBC weather
Sunday: heavy rain. Monday: Sunny spells, showers.

1745: Angus Fraser, BBC Five Live
You have to give credit to Australia. England are a good side and they're improving but Australia are a great side. If they to their potential, England will always struggle to live with them.

1743: Phil Tufnell, BBC Five Live
England bowled fantastically in the first innings but as today showed, you've got to do it every ball, every session. Otherwise Australia will make you pay.

1739: Oli Matthews, UK (in France), via email
Maybe if it rains all day on Sunday and Monday England might stand a chance of a draw...!

STUMPS: ENGLAND 156-5

1734: Henry Blofeld, Test Match Special
It's getting murkier by the minute at Lord's.

1733: Stephen Ryan, Ireland, via email
After yet another England batting shambles, it's time for Ed Joyce to be introduced into the side.

1729: Angus Fraser, BBC Five Live
The one thing that has stood out today is Shane Warne. With him, every ball is an event. What sort of hole will he leave when he retires?

1727: BBC Sport
And finally, the promised rain has arrived at Lord's. Play continues for now.

1724: Matt Wright, TMS listener
It's raining in Maida Vale...

1721: Pat Murphy, BBC Five Live
Geraint Jones is off the mark at last with a sweetly-timed boundary.

1700: Ben Pace, UK, via email
It's looking like an all too familiar collapse for England. It's painful to watch as an Englishman but credit must go to the Australian attack, Warne is irresistible.

1656: Phil Tufnell, Radio Five Live
Flintoff is looking edgy on the crease. He's a player who likes to feel bat on ball and Australia haven't given him the chance.

ENGLAND 119-5: FLINTOFF C GILCHRIST B WARNE 3

1651: Simon Reader, TMS listener
I thought you'd like to know it's raining in South London.

1644: samuikevin, TMS messageboards
Vaughan out bowled twice in the match. Scored less than half the runs McGrath got, and McGrath wasn't dismissed. Not a great performance by the former world number one!

1640: Phil Tufnell, BBC Five Live
Michael Vaughan played that down the Bakerloo - completely the wrong line. The captain's bad trot continues.

ENGLAND 112-4: VAUGHAN B LEE 4

1635: Legendary Aussie paceman Dennis Lillee, Test Match Special
Shane Warne is definitely the best leg spinner of all time - maybe even the best bowler of all time.

1633: Peter, England, via email
Graham Thorpe v Ian Bell?? Against the best country in the world you quite simply have to put out your best side.

1627: Paul Grunill, BBC website cricket editor
This puts me in mind of the old Hazel O'Connor film 'Breaking Glass', in particular the song 'Have you seen the writing on the wall?'

1625: Henry Blofeld, Test Match Special
England are in some considerable trouble now.

ENGLAND 104-3: BELL LBW WARNE 8

1622: Mike Gatting, Test Match Special
Ian Bell has decided to take the attack to Shane Warne. It'll be interesting to see what Shane does now.

1615: Harish, India, via email
Mr Hoggard - Aussie bowlers are like wine, they get better with age.

1606: Peter Baxter, Test Match Special
Watching Warne today is almost as good as watching McGrath on the first day. This is genius at work. The way he got Trescothick out was brilliant - bowling all those leg breaks and then pitching one in just the right spot.

ENGLAND 96-2: TRESCOTHICK C HAYDEN B WARNE 44

1558: Christopher Morley, via email
Strauss shouldn't have been out - Lee grounded the ball.

ENGLAND 80-1: STRAUSS C&B LEE 37

1546: Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Test Match Special
Shane Warne is the biggest appealer since Dr Barnardo.

1543: Alan Hudson, England, via email
England's batsmen need four things; application, application, graft, and application.

1536: guapojugar, TMS messageboard
If nothing else it's been great cricket. Pity I can't actually see it here in Spain. The bar owners here are loathe to put it on as no one from Real Madrid is there!

1529: Sukh, England, via email
I hope England win but I think it will be the same old. When one wicket goes the rest will come.

1516: Australian PM John Howard, Test Match Special
It's more comfortable for Australia at the moment but England are fighting back and I'm very impressed by Andrew Strauss.

1512: Jonathan Agnew, Test Match Special
Umpire Aleem Dar is the most popular man in Lord's because he kept his finger in his trousers when Australia appealed for lbw against Trescothick on the last ball before tea.

1510: burmesedays, TMS messageboards
The penultimate over before tea by Brett Lee was an absolute snorter! Real pace and hostility. Strauss and Tres have done well against quality bowling.

1503: Jonathan Agnew, Test Match Special
The Aussies are appealing for lbw off Shane Warne against Marcus Trescothick. Matthew Hayden is jumping up and down in the slips like Max Bygraves singing a last encore.

1450: hairygoat1, TMS messageboards It would be nice if the Poms made a series out of it. Winning is great, but a close Ashes series would be nice for change.

1446: Richard Stilgoe, legendary pianist/singer, BBC Five Live
Cricket is very important for people in show business because when you're out of work, you're really out of work and cricket can occupy you five days. No other sport can do that.

1443: Johnny Borrell, lead singer of Razorlight, BBC Five Live
England only seem to spill catches when they're playing Australia.

1428: Henry Blofeld, Test Match Special
Both Strauss and Trescothick have been more positive in their defence than they were in the first innings. They haven't been caught on the crease so much.

1415: thebight, TMS messageboards
Vaughan must have a decent innnings, Pietersen and Geraint Jones also need to make a few. If Jones makes any less than 50 I reckon he can kiss his place goodbye. They've all got a point to prove, what a great scenario.

1405: Merv Hughes, Test Match Special
The pace has gone out of the pitch but the bounce is still variable and Brett Lee has proved they can still get through a bit.

1350: Martin Gough, BBC cricket journalist
Remember the second Test against South Africa two years ago? Flintoff's brilliant ton? England fans may have some entertainment to come - but it will probably be in vain.

1358: Phil, France, via email
What can stop us getting 420? Apart from McGrath, Lee, Warne, poor shot selection, an erratic pitch, too much pressure, the English weather, and of course the fact it's never been done before?

1350: Paul Grunill, BBC website cricket editor
The technique of batsmen against short-pitched bowling these days is diabolical. Keeping your eye on the ball is the first rule of batting. How do they expect to avoid being hit when they turn away from the ball?

1348: Alex Walter, England, via email
It's been a disappointing morning for English cricket. The Aussies must be laughing at our pre-series optimism. England bottled it in the field.

1347: Jonathan Agnew, Test Match Special
Every single England run is being enthusiastically applauded - a sign of the tension in the crowd.

1346: Bobby, England, via email
Geraint Jones' performance today has been laughable. He couldn't catch a cold and he should be dropped.

1342: Steven Dawson, England, via email
Time to make history England. Let the Lion roar instead of squeak. BRING IT ON!!

1335: FlInToFf-FaN, TMS messageboards
My dad said: "It's better they've got these runs to score. That way it will be a better comeback." Poor dad. Blind optimism in the face of a thrashing.

1332: Mike Gatting, Test Match Special
England have got to give themselves small targets. Trescothick and Strauss will look to get over McGrath's first spell, then think about being there at drinks, then tea-time and so on.

AUSTRALIA 384 all out: KATICH C JONES B HARMISON 67

1323: Henry Blofeld, Test Match Special
We musn't be too disparaging about England's fielding, but it really has been very inglorious today.

1313: Harish, India, via email
England should try to tire out McGrath by letting him bat for couple of hours more. This is the only way to delay Australia's victory.

1308: Phil Tufnell, Radio Five Live
The lunchtime entertainment at Lord's isn't up to much. There's some random schoolchildren in leotards walking round the boundary.

1303: Hoovermyer, England, via email
Is there any point in having Ashley Giles in the team? As a spinner he's very average. I think they'd be better accommodating another batsman and relying on Vaughan or Pietersen to share any spin bowling.

1252: Steve Sims, Australia, via email
Shane Warne will bowl Australia to a very comfortable victory. The "expert" commentators don't seem to be aware of his record as I haven't heard his name yet in their prognostications. Where have they been the last decade?

1232: Mike Gatting, Test Match Special
It has been interesting the way Katich has been prepared to take runs when available rather than trying to protect the tailenders. That has given Gillespie and McGrath confidence. England have been a little bit ragged and Australia find themselves in a very, very good position.

LUNCH

1229: Graeme, Australia, via email
I would suggest that Mike Gatting has forgotten that England were 5/21 in the first innings.

1223: Nigel, England, via email
Poor, poor cricket from England this morning. I imagine the Aussies are finding the whole passage of this morning's play highly amusing.

1210: Mike Gatting, Test Match Special
If there's any hope for England, it's that Katich and Clarke have shown that batting isn't impossible on this pitch. England should have the time and ability to get somehere close to the score.

1201: Paul Grunill, BBC website cricket editor
That ball from Simon Jones kept a bit low. England fans shouldn't celebrate too much.

AUSTRALIA 376-9: GILLESPIE B JONES 13

1157: David, Manchester, via email
Doing my best Manchester rain dance as we speak!

1149: Jonathan Agnew, Test Match Special
I can't think why Geraint Jones went with one hand for that catching chance off Jason Gillespie. It was as if he was fielding it rather than trying to catch it. A very bad miss.

1147: Jonathan Agnew, Test Match Special
Ashley Giles is stretching at the moment - is he thinking about a bowl? The ball is still fairly new but Gillespie looks pretty much at home against the quicker stuff.

1142: aidan11, TMS messageboard
If we can lock McGrath in a cupboard somewhere before we come out to bat we might have a chance. Better do the same with Brett Lee as well.

1125: faiweirafma, TMS messageboard
This ninth-wicket stand should put the game beyond doubt, but the weather may yet spare England's blushes. It's only that or truly diabolical bowling that can prevent an Australian victory now.

1113: Merv Hughes, Test Match Special
It's an interesting pitch. There's patches of grass which is why it's a little bit two-paced and there's been some variable bounce. Australia will be pretty pleased with this morning, while the English bowlers have been too full and too wide.

1111: Steven Dawson, England, via email
I think England's best hope is that the weather over the weekend turns nasty and they hold out for a draw on the final day.

1100: Mike Gatting, Test Match Special
Jason Gillespie is looking to get forward which is very difficult for someone with not a great deal of batting talent. But he's making the most of what he's got and giving Katich good support.

1058: thebight, TMS messageboard
Michael Clarke's innings was classy, but extremely selfish and impatient. He had the chance to put the game well beyond doubt, but chose to play silly shots. The blame for Martyn's dismissal can be put at his feet. I hope he learns something from that innings.

1050: BigBirdKiwi, TMS messageboard
I forgot Giles was even playing until then.

AUSTRALIA 289-8: LEE RUN OUT (GILES) 8

1039: judderman6, TMS messageboard
We will lose whatever but anything over a 350 lead and even the most optimistic England fan would know it was over.

1017: Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Test Match Special
I'm happy to report it's not raining at Lord's - but there is a threat in the air.

1017: Martin Gough, BBC cricket journalist
England have only successfully chased a total of over 300 three times, twice against Australia, most recently at Headingley three years ago.

1009: Mel, Australia, via email
Working in an Aussie country town, this Pom needs England to keep focused. And to Kevin Pietersen, please take the sunnies off.

1001: Nick Gee, England, via email
The test now is for the English batsmen, Its time to prove that they can compete with the best in the world. There is no reason England should not be able to chase a target of 350 to win.

0955: GK, India, via email
As in the case of most of Aussie victories, the Lord's Test should be over by the third day - of course, in favour of Australia.

0945: Chris, Somerset, via email
Our batters have to learn the lesson - defend, defend, defend, until the ball loses its shine, by which time the seam attack will be knackered.

0935: Pat Murphy, BBC Radio Five Live correspondent
There's a glimmer of a chance for England if they roll them over early, and especially if Kevin Pietersen goes daft at the crease again.

0933: Justin Langer, Australian batsman
With Simon Katich still at the crease, we will be looking to add as many extra runs as possible in the morning.

0910: BBC Sport
The weather at Lord's is overcast with an hour and 20 minutes until play begins. Showers are forecast later.

0900: Snarler, Brazil, via email
Let's keep Australia to under a 350 lead and then bat like our lives depended on it. Scoring one or two runs an over is fine if we are not losing wickets. McGrath and co will not be able to keep going for two and a half days and the pressure will ease, the more tired they become.

The Ashes is one of sport's greatest contests.

So over the course of the 2005 series, we'll be doing our best to convey all the colour and banter from the grounds by running a daily blog during each of the five Tests.

You can read updates from our reporters and Test Match Special commentators, but we want you to join in too.

• Contribute to the general match debate with fellow fans by posting on our TMS message board and we'll include the best posts in this blog.
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• Use the e-mail form on the right if you have specific information which would be of interest to other readers. Otherwise, please use our message board.

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