England V Australia: First Test: Honours Even

Tipped to be an incredibly tight series, day one at Cardiff today has given firm evidence to this being just the case. England ended day 336-7 after Andrew Strauss won the toss and chose to bat. Honours are very much even after the first 90 overs, England will undoubtedly be pleased to score 336 runs in the day, however, Australia will be buoyed with their 7 wickets having been asked to field.

The day’s play was full of peaks and troughs for both sides, and the balance of power swung dramatically throughout the day, which this is surely a sign of things to come.

Alistair Cook and Captain Strauss began the innings with ease with the Aussie attack causing few problems. Inevitably it was something extraordinary that broke the monotony as Mike Hussey’s flying catch at gully saw an end to Cook. England from here struggled to the lunch break as Strauss and Bopara also departed, victims to Mitchell Johnson who bowled cleverly to dismiss the pair.

After lunch however, Pietersen and Collingwood began to repair the innings from 90-3 to 228-4. Pietersen’s innings was typically flamboyant after initial nerves while Collingwood also typically battled his way past 50. Despite now seeming on top a loose and unnecessary sweep saw the back of Pietersen as spin took its first wicket of the test. This rejuvenated the tourists, but this was soon dampened as both Matt Prior and Andrew Flintoff played aggressively taking the score beyond 300. Shortly before the close Peter Siddle was reintroduced and bowled both Prior and Flintoff to claw Australia back.

Tomorrow England will be hoping to press toward, and hopefully beyond, the 400 mark. Australia on the other hand will hope to clean up the English tail cheaply and make a solid start to their first innings.

Player of the Day – Matt Prior

Moment of the Day – Kevin Pietersen’s dismissal