Day one: England/Australia on top (delete whichever applicable)

Ton-up star Andy: you can shut it now Warne
- Headline, The Sun, London, 9.9.05

Warned: Shane turns on his magic
- Headline, The Advertiser, Adelaide, 9.9.05

It's a sign of the times that 319 runs in a day can be considered a disappointing effort from England. Despite a great knock from Andrew Strauss and a pretty darn good one from Andrew Flintoff, I think Australia have their noses in front right now, although this is almost singularly due to the genius of Shane Warne.

Australia's problem from here, however, is that it is going to be difficult to get a result inside five days. Australia's other problem is with a selection team that doesn't know when to let go - but any chance of assessing the fringe players has been stifled by an absurd tour schedule. Whatever made them agree to have just a single two-day game in the nine days between the final two Tests is beyond me. And this on a flat track fittingly named these days for a car manufacturer (ie, the Ford County Ground at Chelmsford) - presumably because of the highway of a pitch they have created.

Australia's third problem is that the management culture of John Howard (admit nothing, blame everyone, be relaxed and comfortable) is permeating the management team of the touring party. If Ricky Ponting seriously believes that it is OK to tell the world on the eve of a big game "I would hate to think if we lost this series it is only my fault," then history can get ready to look back on his captaincy, not in the same breath as Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh, but in the same breath as Kim Hughes and Graeme Yallop.

It's a pity Michael Clarke's not quite ready for the captaincy yet.

Squillions of reports and analysis of Day One at The Oval at The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, The Independent, and CricInfo, plus excess bloggage from The Corridor of Uncertainty and Sightscreen, and the usual superb action photography at theashes.typepad.com.

Midwinter-Midwinter points for Day One: 3 pts - Shane Warne; 2 pts - Andrew Strauss; 1 pt - Andrew Flintoff.