Shouting from the Hop

Four years ago, after Nasser Hussein won the toss and put the Australians in, the first ball of the Ashes series was crashed to the boundary by Justin Langer for four runs. This time round, Steve Harmison made sure that Langer couldn't score any runs off the first ball - he bowled it so wide it went straight to Freddie Flinotff at second (yes, second) slip! Message sent; tone set. Australia finished day one of the first test at 346-3, with skipper Ricky Ponting scoring an unbeaten ton.

England picked Giles instead of Panesar - a very negative move in my opinion - and though he bowled reasonably well, picking up one wicket (Martyn), he just does not look very dangerous on a turning pitch.

In fact, the pitch started to turn quite sharply later in the day, but it wasn't the left-armer who found this, but Kevin Pieterson, with his occasional off-spin. He beat the bat (Ponting and Husssey, unbeaten and past 50) several times late in the day, and could easily have claimed his second test wicket with more luck. By then though, Ricky Ponting (left) was well past a hundred and the game was slipping away from England.

Both openers had earlier been prised out by Flintoff - Haydn for 21 and Langer for a breezy 82.

Stranger things have happened, but I don't think England can find anyway back from this first day beating. The Aussies will bat well into tomorrow, and should post a score well above 600. It will then be Englands turn to try to use the pitch while it stays reasonably good, and get as far past the follow on target as possible (if they can). Whoever has to bat last on this pitch will find it hard - at the moment it wil probably be England, as they will either lose by an innings, or have to try to bat to save a draw and this may be beyond them if Warne is in any sort of form.

Four years ago, batting last, they mustered only 79 runs; I don't think they will be that bad this time round, but another Brisbane defeat does look on the cards.