180 All Out

That's what I texted to Stewart as England meekly surrendered their third wicket today.

'Bold Prediction' came the reply. It should have been crap prediction. We're not even past the first day and I'd already succumbed to those inner feelings of doom when we play the Australians and throw wickets away.

Bopara had spent most of his time at the crease looking like a startled rabbit whenever the ball came above waist high. Nasser Hussain and Bumble chuntered endlessly on Sky about '...tennis ball bounce'. Nasser had predicted it in his pitch report and they were delighted when it started to happen. Beefy picked over Mitchell's Johnson wrist action and confidently predicted that he '...wouldn't swing it'. All this after three overs.

Spot the ball...
Then KP and Collingwood dug in and something strange happened. There was no Shane Warne to toss the ball to. Ricky looked a bit perplexed. Hauritz and Clarke bowling in tandem let England accumulate and rotate.

Just as these two started to get going they fell foul to poor shots. Pietersen's I could do a Phd on. Appalling. Sometimes you have to wonder what goes on in his head. This is the friggin Ashes, not 20/20 slap and tickle stuff. It's about building an innings, batting all day. Sir Geoff went apoplectic on Test Match Special. No doubt my Dad did sat at home.

Freddie showed some flashes of glory as he and Prior started to take things away from the Australians. Prior in particularly was in superb form and they both punished the new ball. Late on Siddle dismissed both and the balance of power was, well in the balance.

If England can get another fifty then they will be happy but on a day when too many batsman got themselves out I reckon it's honours even.

So after all the hype we've finally begun. Day one has given us a glimpse at the summer ahead. Australia as we know are not the power they once were, you could see that when Clarke and Hauritz bowled in tandem. There were however glimpses of danger. The endeavour of Siddle, the cunning of Hilfenhaus and the ability of Johnson to slip up a gear unexpectadly. Both teams have put down markers. Neither has dominated.

Sky Quote of the day:

'...tennis ball bounce' ( Various )

TMS

'...that's the end of the Katich experiment.' ( Vic Marks )