BBC SPORT | Cricket | Ashes 2005 | Jonathan Agnew column
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By Jonathan Agnew
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England produced an enthralling innings on the first day of the second Ashes Test before being bowled out for 407 at Edgbaston.
KEY MOMENT
When Glenn McGrath stood on a cricket ball during his warm up, and tore ligaments in his right ankle.
This was a dreadful blow to the Australians, and one can only imagine how much it boosted England's morale.
If he is ruled out of the series, which must be a possibility, England's prospects of winning the Ashes will have seriously improved overnight.
It was no coincidence England's openers played with great freedom as a result of his absence - it is hard to believe they could have got away to such a flying start had McGrath been bowling at them - and that momentum was sustained throughout the day.
McGrath's absence was felt most by Brett Lee who found himself combining the role of strike bowler with the need to keep an end quiet.
He was horribly expensive, conceding 5 sixes and 14 fours as his 17 overs cost 111 runs.
TALKING POINT
Ricky Ponting's decision to field first after winning the toss certainly raised a few eyebrows.
Under normal circumstances, you would aim to bowl out the opposition by mid-afternoon having put them in to bat.
But from the moment Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss embarked on their scintillating opening stand of 112 in 25 overs, it was clear that his decision had backfired.
With England dismissed before the close well short of the total they had seemed destined to post when they were 164-1 and 290-4, Australia might still have the last laugh.
But there is a chance that the pitch will become increasingly tricky difficult to bat on as the match progresses.
PLAYER OF THE DAY
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Trescothick took the attack to Australia when the visitors were looking to seize the initiative
Seldom can there have been so many contenders.
Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen will probably grab the headlines after their storming partnership of 103 from only 105 balls that produced such a memorable afternoon.
Flintoff was in outrageous form, and even managed to hook Lee for six with his eyes firmly shut. Steve Harmison and Simon Jones even managed to hit sixes.
But my player of the day is Trescothick, who set the tone for the day with his excellent 90. Full of beautifully timed drives, and a wonderful flick for six over third man, he took the attack to Australia when the visitors were looking to seize the initiative.
PROSPECTS FOR FRIDAY
Australia seldom bat quietly, so we should be in for aggressive batting.
But with 407 on the board, England's bowlers have the opportunity to dismiss them cheaply and secure a first innings lead.
It would, however, be unadvisable for them to bowl as short and aggressively as they did at Lord's. This is a slow pitch that requires accuracy.