It’s snowing…. but important things first:

At tea Australia are 179 for 6! England won the toss and decided to field. Ponting was out for 12 (pictured). Only Hussey offered any resilience (out for 61). If England get the wicket of Haddin (and perhaps Johnson) before the close of play, we are well on course to retain the Ashes by the end of the weekend.

… well the Aussies are 268 all out, which isn’t great on a batting pitch. At close England are 29 without loss.

Besides listening to Test Match Special (which you can get in Denmark – so forget handball) I have been looking at Stirrup Strap Mounts found in Denmark. In 2007 I published a short note on a type (classified by David Williams as Class A Type 11a) which I believed to be Romanesque, not late Anglo-Saxon as previously thought (see Medieval Archaeology 51). This type appears to be commonest in South East England (which is where it may have been produced), though I did see one in Doncaster Museum (!) a few weeks ago. However, Anne Pederson (NatMus) has told me that this type is also found in Denmark, so this morning I have been searching through all ‘beslag’s on the museums database (which includes ‘detektor’ finds) to try and find them, with limited success…

This afternoon I spoke with colleagues in the prehistoric dept (pre 1000) about the administration of danefae, after which I gave a talk to museum staff about the PAS & Treasure Act – which I hope they enjoyed! It is the general feeling of people in Denmark (especially detectorists) that detectorists in England are only ‘in it’ for the money; I said I didn’t believe this to be the case for the vast majority.

Danish fact: lots of bank notes in Denmark show  images of archaeological finds, highlighting the public interest in archaeology. Maybe the new £50 note could include an image of the Crosby Garrett helmet – at least it then could be enjoyed by the public!!! [My Danish colleagues told me to say that…].

This evening I tasted Glogg (mulled wine), afterwhich Michael Anderson, Anne Pederson and Lisbeth Imer took me out for supper (aka tea). The first time ever a keeper has taken me out for lunch I am sure… and great company too…