By Peter May

Click here for Peter May's view from day one at Edgbaston

CLOSE: England first innings 407 all out

1736: The Australia batsmen start to make their way to the crease and the rain starts to fall, bringing play to the day for a halt.

1726: England first innings 407 all out

1726: WICKET!
MJ Hoggard lbw b Warne 16 Hoggard tries to sweep across the line and misses the ball completely, is struck on the leg and plum lbw.

1724: Over 79 Jones drives the first ball of the over back over Gillespie's head for six and England move to 399. The bowler is unimpressed and responds with a bouncer but Jones evades. England then bring up the 400 with another high drive as Langer fails to get back to catch the mis-hit at deep mid-on and Jones moves off the strike with a flick off the legs. This brings Hoggard back on strike and he finishes the over with another cover drive for four.

1720: Over 78 Warne continues, even trying to tempt Hoggard with flight and air outside off stump. The Yorkshireman responds superbly with a perfect cover drive and another over eases to its conclusion.

1716: Over 77 Jones steals a single behind square and Hoggard also adds to the total with a push through cover off the front foot. England look strangely comfortable at present, giving cause for regret that Pietersen surrendered his wicket so cheaply.

1712: Over 76 Warne opts for two close catchers but also two men on the leg-side boundary as he tries to tempt out two batsmen happy to prod and push to the best of their ability. Jones and Hoggard are unmoved.

1708: Over 75 The returning fast bowler makes little immediate impact, feeling out his rhythm and allowing Hoggard and Jones a relatively easy ride.

1704: Gillespie replaces Lee.

1703: Over 74 Warne is beginning to exact some real turn from the pitch now, a bad sign for whenever England bat again. But Jones and Hoggard are not in the mood to gamble and scratch another over.

1700: Over 73 Hoggard begins the next Lee over with a disinterested swing of the bat outside off stump, he misses the ball by some 18 inches and three seconds. Lee makes him play at a couple, angling the ball into the right-hander but the pitch lacks the menace for even tailenders to be beaten simply by pace. Hoggard gets off the strike and Jones survives the over.

1655: Over 72 Left-hander Jones gets two runs for a genuine edge under the hand of first slip but of course remains on strike. Warne tries the googly but gets it all wrong and Jones smashes the ball over square leg for a four on the bounce. Warne responds with the slider and Jones takes a big step forward, missing the ball completely.

1652: Over 71 Hoggard edges Lee's first delivery between slips and gully to get off the strike. Jones leaves the first ball and clubs a second to cover with the bottom of his bat for a single. Hoggard plays out the over.

1648: Over 70 Jones plays out the over more by luck than judgement.

1647:WICKET!
SJ Harmison b Warne 17 Warne drifts his first ball out to leg and Hoggard gloves the ball past Gilchrist for four. Bowden signals leg byes but it's all runs on the England total. Hoggard then takes a grateful single and watches Harmison skip down the pitch and hammer Warne back over his head. But the next ball is a looping slider on off stump and Harmison is standing outside leg in anticipation of another thrash. He is clean bowled and Simon Jones is next up.

1641: Over 69 Lee sets a field for the bouncer to Harmison and bowls his first delivery accordingly but there isn't sufficient bounce or menace in the pitch and the batsman fends it off. Lee comes back for more and gets a proper bouncer in this time but a hopeful hook ends in the mid-wicket stand. Lee drops another one short and Harmison taps the old ball away for four through mid-wicket. The Eric Hollies Stand continues to earn its reputation for the most, ahem, atmospheric Test viewing gallery but they are disappointed as Lee learns his lesson and pitches the ball up for the second half of the over.

1637: Over 68 Hoggard tries to sweep the first ball of the over and plays about two feet over the top of the ball. Gilchrist's stumping appeal is rejected and Hoggard claims a minor victory in return by flicking the ball through mid-wicket for a single. Facing his first ball to Warne, Harmison takes a big stride up the wicket and executes a modest sweep round the corner for one. Hoggard then sweeps a ball from a foot outside off and gets away with it for two.

1632: Over 67 Hoggard, who crossed with Pietersen in the air, takes a single behind square on the off side and Harmison blocks out the final ball.

1630: WICKET!
KP Pietersen c Katich b Lee 71 Pietersen is on strike to Lee and meets the first ball with typical panache, bludgeoning the ball high over mid-wicket for a magnificent six. But, as in the first innings at Lord's, he gets over-ambitious and tries the same shot again. He doesn't make a great contact and Katich runs in from the boundary to scoop a nice catch on his knees.

1626: Over 66 Matthew Hoggard begins with typically measured batting, blocking when necessary and exhibiting good judgement to leave the slower legbreak alone. But Warne has the breakthrough and Australia are back on track to limit England to sub-400.

1622: WICKET!
AF Giles lbw b Warne 23 Giles' dismissal has been coming and duly arrives with another ill-advised sweep across the line. He misses the ball and gets struck full on the front pad. Bowden raises the finger.

1619: Over 65 Pietersen takes the easy single to mid-on and Lee lines up Giles for some chin music. The batsman evades the first bouncer and hooks the second to square leg but some brilliant fielding from Kasprowicz keeps it to a single. Each batsman takes another single to leave Giles on strike.

1614: Over 64 Warne immediately applies pressure to Giles and gets the number eight sweeping. Some brilliant extra flight deceives and strikes the back pad. The decision is a straightforward lbw but umpire Bowden rejects the appeals. Warne then squares Giles up and pins him lbw again, but Bowden shakes his head again. A scrambled single sees Giles to safety and Warne's mood is not improved when Pietersen pulls a full toss for four.

1611: Warne returns at the City End.

1610: Pietersen 50: 65 balls, 8 x 4s

1610: Over 63 Pietersen brings up his half century with a deliberate pull across the line, dragging the ball from high over off stump and between mid-wicket and mid-on. He follows that with two powerful strikes square of the wicket on the off side to the delight of the crowd.

1607: Lee resumes at the Pavilion End, Gillespie making way for Giles' Lord's nemesis.

1607: Over 62 Pietersen continues to work in singles rather than boundaries as he approaches 50. Giles has no such inhibitions and smashes Kasprowicz for four. The Warwickshire bowler had plenty to say in the build-up to this Test but has followed through with actions so far.

1604: Over 61 Giles picks up a wide Gillespie ball and drives through the off side for four. Pietersen continues to look edgy and well he might with Warne and Lee both going through the warm-up motions. Pietersen is 45*, Giles 15*.

1600: Ponting is spied signalling to Lee to get warmed up. The paceman scared Giles into submission at Lord's and will fancy his chances of doing so again.

1600: Over 60 Another single from Pietersen, another series of blocks from Giles. The slow bowler gets out of jail from one superb Kasprowicz delivery, the sort of fast-rising ball which also did for Jones, as he edges through the slips for four. That brings up the 300 and three consecutive singles bring an end to the over.

1554: Over 59 Pietersen strikes another single off Gillespie and watches Giles batting out at the other end. Pietersen is beginning to look uncomfortable and who can blame him after the pathetic capitulations at Lord's. But he was out himself to a dreadful, unnecessary shot in the first innings and then saw Simon Jones and Steve Harmison bat for the best part of an hour. Giles may not have looked much of a batsman against Lee on that failing Lord's track but he remains capable of hanging around, as do the three men still to come, and the best plan for England has to be to bat time. At the rate they are scoring, runs will inevitably follow.

1551: Over 58 Kasprowicz gives Ashley Giles too much room upon his arrival at the crease and a square cut for four gets the new batsman off the mark.

1549: WICKET!
GO Jones c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 1 Pietersen gets off the strike quickly again with another single but Jones is struggling to get the ball off the square. Even a poor, short one from Kasprowicz in Jones' favourite off-side area does not get past Katich at cover and that discomfort is fully exposed with another probing off-stump line which Jones edges behind. The England batsman tries to stand his ground, prompting Billy Bowden to raise the index finger.

1545: Over 57 Gillespie pushes one through outside off, cutting in from outside off and only narrowly missing the inside edge of Jones' bat as he makes a wild slash. He continues to probe the batsman who looks every inch the man short of form.

1541: Over 56 Pietersen tries to hammer the first ball of the over down the ground, offering Kasprowicz a half-chance off his own bowling. The veteran gets one hand to the ball, preventing the boundary but failing to secure a dismissal. He keeps the scoreboard moving as does Jones, who is off the mark with a single.

1537: Kasprowicz begins at the City End.

1536: Over 55 Geraint Jones sees off the over but it is a desperately disappointing start for England, who of course lost two wickets in the first over after tea on day one at Lord's.

1532: WICKET!
A Flintoff c Gilchrist b Gillespie 68 Flintoff begins the over with caution but promptly tries to throw off the shackles, waving at a wild one and gifting a thick outside-edge at waist-height to wicketkeeper Gilchrist's right.

1530: Gillespie to start from the Pavilion End.

1529: The players return to the field.

1511: End of session
England 289 for four An even mid-session contest leaves England on top. The fall of four wickets in an hour, including the dismal dismissals of Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell, put the hosts in a hole but the much-anticipated KP and Freddie show has finally come to town.

Kevin Pietersen was initially the senior partner, looking typically invulnerable despite Andrew Flintoff's inability to pick Shane Warne.

But the Lancashire man rode his luck before accelerating impressively to reach 50 at more than a run a ball with his partner happy to hold up the other end.

The rates at which runs are scored and wickets fall in Tests make predictions devilishly difficult but the minimum target for the hosts must now be revised upwards to 450.

They will reach that by the close if these two stay together, but we should all remember the state of play at tea on the first day at Lord's.

1509: Over 54 Warne continues for the final over before tea. He bowls around the wicket with men positioned out on the midwicket boundary, no prizes for guessing the game plan but Flintoff isn't tempted and happily plays out the over.

1505: Over 53 Lee continues to keep Flintoff on the back foot but the batsman's eye is now better and his hook into the Eric Hollies Stand all the more convincing. The impression is somewhat tainted by a subsequent edge between second slip and gully for a very streaky four but it's all runs on the board as England edge further in front. Pietersen remains happy to allow Flintoff the spotlight and a beautiful drive square of the wicket brings up the 100 partnership at over a run a ball. Flintoff is now 68 off 55.

1459: Flintoff 50: 48 balls, 4 x 4s, 4 x 6s

1459: Over 52 Warne offers Flintoff a full, off-stump delivery and he rocks back onto the back foot before powering the ball away square on the off side to bring up his half-century. A single rotates the strike and Pietersen continues to impress, playing inside the line of a middle-stump ball and driving through cover for four. Warne is getting frustrated, feigning a throw at Pietersen's stumps from an aggressive forward defensive and the final ball does little to alleviate this as Pietersen edges just short of first slip.

1455: Over 51 Pietersen takes a single and Lee is quickly back onto Flintoff with the bouncer. Flintoff fends the ball off well but fails to pick the subsequent slower ball and is very lucky to avoid being caught with a weak push between mid-off and shortish cover. Lee returns to the chin music and Flintoff makes a powerful hook but again keeps the ball down, it bounces away wide of Langer on the square-leg boundary and the Australia opener makes an extraordinary run, leap and one-handed stop to limit the batsman to a single.

1451: Over 50 Flintoff continues England's policy of sweeping Warne, taking an early two down to Lee at long leg. A couple of plays-and-misses later and the England batsman looks vulnerable but he then clubs a full off-stump ball down the ground for six. This partnership is really imbuing the game with a ODI feel - every ball could bring a wicket or a boundary.

1448: Over 49 Lee begins with a shortish offcutter and Flintoff takes a hard-run two. The next is a well-directed bouncer and Flintoff cannot resist, top-edging a ball down to long leg but Kasprowicz cannot get around to catch. The following ball also seeks to test the batsman's weakness to the body-line bouncer and a panicked swipe flies over the square-leg boundary for six. Flintoff is looking vulnerable to Lee and should resist the urge but the 250 is up. A quick single keeps the score ticking over and Flintoff on strike.

1444: Over 48 Warne decides to test his club-mate's much-vaunted ability to read every delivery. He begins with three sliders in a row and Pietersen only picks one convincingly, looking glad to take a single and get off the strike. Flintoff looks keener to take the fight but a smash along the ground through mid-wicket is limited to a single. Pietersen has 33*, Flintoff 30*.

1440: Over 47 Lee bowls to Flintoff and he takes a quick single. Pietersen takes strike with sweepers on either boundary, a signal of the esteem with which he is held. He is limited by that, however, and can only manage a single.

1436: Lee returns to the Australia attack. It makes sense to change Gillespie who threatened to re-discover his old menace but ultimately bowled too many poor balls, but Lee has been an expensive option for Ponting so far and struggled to get much out of the pitch earlier in the day.

1435: Over 46 Pietersen works an early single to bring up the 50 partnership in less than half an hour. The nation has waited some time to see these two bat together and finally there is some end product. Pietersen makes a point of walking back down the crease to shake hands with Flintoff, a signal that he signs up to the Fletcher-Vaughan doctrine of team ethic. Flintoff steals a leg-side single to finish the over and England are edging back in front as they go in search of a total of at least 400.

1431: Over 45 Gillespie pushes one wide after seeing a ball in the previous over dragged through mid-on from outside off. But Pietersen administers the punishment nonetheless, hammering the ball square of the wicket for another boundary. He then takes a single and Flintoff enjoys his respite from Warne, whacking a poor shortish ball over midwicket to the boundary. Pietersen has 29*, Flintoff 27*.

1426: Over 44 Flintoff continues to take the fight to Warne, picking up a leg-side ball on the full and hitting high into the mid-wicket stand. Warne fights back with some better balls but Flintoff continues to edge towards parity in this pivotal contest.

1423: Over 43 Pietersen picks up the first ball of Gillespie's over beautifully, driving off the back foot and through cover for four. He then alternates between blocking the better ball and more boundaries, hitting once through cover and once across the line and down the ground through mid-on. The Hampshire batsman really is an impressive cricketer, if only Flintoff can get into touch as well then England can get back on top in this game. Five per over is a fine run rate, but it is essential the hosts bat three more sessions.

1418: Over 42 Flintoff continues to scratch around against Warne, who clearly senses the batsman's awkwardness. But a rare aberration, a full toss to the legs, allows Flintoff a cheap four over Martyn at mid wicket. Freddie follows this up with a huge on-drive for six, but the momentum in that duel remains with the bowler.

1414: Over 41 Pietersen remains watchful for the most part as Gillespie gets through more and more of his repertoire but one loose ball on middle and leg tempts Pietersen into the front-foot pull and, in stark contrast to his captain, he executes with aplomb to bring up the 200.

1409: Over 40 Flintoff continues to play Warne with a mixture of luck and ignorance, edging one ball through his legs and missing another. Pietersen is also frustrated in his attempts to hit out, the much-vaunted combination of England's five and six still failing to fire.

1405: Over 39 Gillespie continues to improve in confidence, even finishing a solid over with a brilliantly disguised slower ball which Pietersen picks at the last second.

1402: Over 38 Andrew Flintoff gets on strike after Pietersen works a single. Warne immediately out-thinks him and draws a mis-hit chip to cover but the ball just clears Kasprowicz for four. There is promptly an archetypal Australia appeal after a play-and-miss from Flintoff hits the pad and is caught by Katich at short leg. Bowden rightly rejects the appeals and has a word with Warne, who was similarly OTT in his behaviour at Lord's.

1359: Over 37 That wicket brings the end of the over.

1357: WICKET!
MP Vaughan c Lee b Gillespie 24 Gillespie begins by trying to find his off-stump line only to take a wicket with an awful bouncer after Vaughan attempts a hook, skying the ball to Lee at fine leg and he takes a difficult, high catch very well.

1354: Gillespie comes back on at the Pavilion End, a tough sentence on dual wicket-taker Kasprowicz.

1351: Over 36 Vaughan bats the first delivery back before sweeping a second round the corner for a single to bring Pietersen on strike. The Hampshire batsman is lucky to avoid a dismissal off the first ball he faces, inside-edging the slider past short leg for one. Vaughan looks no less uncomfortable once back on strike, missing one that shoots on, hits the pad and is pouched by Katich to a solitary, half-hearted appeal.

1346: Warne returns at the City End.

1344: Over 35 Kasprowicz strays down the leg side and Kevin Pietersen gets off the mark straight away with a flick for four. Two no-balls don't help his rhythm and the newcomer scampers a single. Vaughan relishes his return to the strike, picking up a wide one on the offside and hammering to the boundary before another single keeps the scoreboard ticking over.

1341: Over 34 Gillespie finds his line nicely with the mood of the players palpably changed by those two quick wickets. He peppers Vaughan with good deliveries on and around off stump, conceding only a single run.

1335: Over 33 Two-wicket over from Kasprowicz, comfortably the pick of Australia's seamers, finishes with the dismissal of Bell.

1335: WICKET!
IR Bell c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 6 Bell gets off the mark with two and follows that with a trademark cover drive. But he gets drawn out to play at one that moves away and edges to Gilchrist to bring an early end to his first Test innings on home turf.

1332: WICKET!
ME Trescothick c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 90 Trescothick flicks one off his legs for a tight two to Gillespie at fine leg but waves late and lazily outside off at the subsequent ball, feeding a straightforward thick edge to Adam Gilchrist.

1332: Over 32 Gillespie also improves his line, almost drawing Vaughan into a false shot with a couple of decent off-cutters. The England captain looked imperious against the real dregs after lunch but continues to appear vulnerable once the heat is on. England end the over 162 for one, with Trescothick 88*.

1327: Over 31 A tighter start from Kasprowicz who keeps Trescothick pegged back with a tight offside field. But Langer then allows a cover drive through his hands for two and the left-hander promptly takes four more to move to 88. Even when Australia begin to find their rhythm they cannot seem to exert any pressure.

1322: Over 30 Trescothick begins Gillespie's over in the same vein, flicking the ball off his legs for a boundary down at fine leg. He then takes a quick single square of the wicket on the off to move to 82*. Gillespie offers Vaughan a short, wide-of-off delivery as an introduction and the England captain rocks onto his back foot before hammering the ball away for four backwards of square. Two further loose balls, one to his legs and one well wide of off, go unpunished but there is a startling lack of discipline on the tourists' bowling without McGrath.

1317: Over 29 Vaughan continues to bat in confident style, getting onto the front foot and pushing the ball through cover for two straight away. He then considers taking a single to Clarke at point but sends Trescothick back and the Somerset batsman is well in his ground by the time the youngster takes a pointless shy at the stumps which misses and, with no-one backing up, gifts Vaughan a boundary. Vaughan follows this up with a textbook off-side drive for four and sees out the over with England's run rate now over five per over.

1314: Kasprowicz comes on at the Pavilion End, Ponting obviously unforgiving of Lee's profligate end to the morning session.

1313: Over 28 Vaughan is on strike and watchful after facing only two ball prior to the interval. Gillespie pitches a series of deliveries outside off stump and the England captain leaves alone. But a leg-stump ball offers an easy three through midwicket to finish the over and keep the strike.

1309: The players return to the middle with Gillespie set to return at the City End.

1230: End of session
England 133 for one Two pieces of misfortune for Australia allowed England the chance to take charge of the second npower Test at Edgbaston, and it is one they have taken magnificently.

Glenn McGrath's absence through injury was always going to be a handicap to Ricky Ponting, but it is one exacerbated by the Australia captain's decision to field after winning the toss.

After all the talk of an erratic, untrustworthy surface that has now proved a Cadmean victory with Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss taking advantage of a feather-bed pitch offering little to Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.

Shane Warne removed Strauss in the penultimate over before lunch, but Trescothick remains on 77* after showing expert judgement in waiting for the right ball outside off stump.

After the turnaround on day one of the first Test, overt celebration would be desperately premature but there is no doubt that England have provided themselves with a magnificent opportunity to get back into this series.

1230: Over 27 First ball of the over is beautifully played by Trescothick, the opener opening the face of the bat and using the pace of Lee to take a four over the slips. The bowler's response is a short, wide one and Trescothick again responds cleverly with an open-face shot over point for six more. The third ball is again short and Trescothick looks less comfortable fending off the body-line delivery, but the batsman then gets back on top with a drive through cover-point for four. A dot ball is followed by a fourth boundary, a decisive front-foot drive to take the match to lunch.

1225: Over 26 The over concludes with Michael Vaughan getting off the mark and Trescothick also taking a single to keep the strike.

1222: WICKET!
AJ Strauss b Warne 48 Trescothick picks up a slow, full, wide one and draws the best out of the brilliant Clarke at point. England take a single and Warne introduces Katich at short leg to put further pressure on Strauss. It works as a quicker, flatter ball pitches well outside off before spinning in through the gate to take out middle and off as the batsman tries to cut the ball.

1218: Over 25 Lee still cannot find his top speed and Trescothick bats one away for a single square of the wicket. Strauss cannot get the ball off the square and continues to scratch around on the brink of a half-century.

1214: Lee returns at the Pavilion End.

1212: Over 24 Trescothick begins the over with a decisive pull through leg for four and then pads up. The next delivery is a googly, rarely seen in this day and age, and Trescothick drags across for a single. Strauss looks nervous offering a pad to the fourth of the over but umpire Billy Bowden rightly disregards ludicrous lbw appeals. Each batsman works a single to finish another unsatisfactory over for the master spinner.

1209: Over 23 Kasprowicz decides to try his luck around the wicket, bowling to two slips, a gully and a point. Strauss is unperturbed, however, becoming accustomed to the new line before hammering successive cover-drives to bring up the century partnership. These move the Middlesex left-hander onto 47* but he refuses to get carried away, blocking the next delivery and leaving the final ball of the over.

1206: Trescothick 50: 74 balls, 9 x 4s, 1 x 6

1206: Over 22 Strauss sweeps one away for four forcing Warne to switch over the wicket to put Trescothick back on strike on 47*. The Somerset bowler gets a ball on the full and drives down to mid-on for a single, but is back facing one ball later after his partner pushes a low one way to mid-off. Trescothick picks the slider and pushes a two through cover to bring up his half-century off 74 balls.

1203: Over 21 Kasprowicz gets one to nip back into Trescothick for the first time, bisecting the batsman's defences. The over passes without a boundary thanks to some smart work from Michael Clarke but life remains easy enough for the Englishmen.

1200: Over 20 Warne tries his best to rustle up some magic but is getting little out of the pitch himself. England, now within 30 minutes of lunch, are predictably reluctant to take the fight to Australia.

1156: Over 19 Strauss begins the over with another single but Trescothick is not finding life quite so easy against Kasprowicz and at one stage has to kick a ball away from the crease after getting a poor bat on a rising delivery. He tries to get forward and reassert himself but an attempted cover drive gets an outside edge through the cordon for an undeserved four. If that were unconvincing, there is nothing wrong with a perfectly-timed off-drive for a second consecutive boundary to finish the over.

1152: Over 18 Strauss sweeps Warne for a single to put Trescothick on strike and the Somerset left-hander reciprocates. The England openers overused the sweep to Warne at Lord's but both of these shots are well timed and of modest ambition. Strauss sweeps Warne again, taking another single and Trescothick finishes the over with a big drive over the top for six. England have taken a "We are not afraid" attitude to the legspinner for the second Test and it is paying handsome dividends so far.

1148: Over 17 Kasprowicz keeps Trescothick pinned back with the help of Simon Katich at silly mid-off. But there is no need for risk on the part of the hosts and their vice captain continues to bat with patience and judgement.

1144: Over 16 Strauss looks comfortable stone-walling Warne and follows two blocks with two magnificent boundaries, the first off the back foot through off and the second a slog-sweep over midwicket. The legspinner continues with his mind games, grimacing as if the batsman is lucky but England are deservedly dominating this first session.

1141: Over 15 Kasprowicz continues to impress with heightened accuracy and movement off the pitch, but England look comfortable playing through the line and there is scant indication that a wicket is imminent.

1136: Over 14 Warne begins with a wide, outside-off line. Strauss neglects to play a shot to the first three deliveries and then skips down the pitch before striking the ball over the top for four down the ground. The ball becomes soaked on the boundary so drinks are taken mid-over. When play resumes, the over is completed with two dot balls.

1128: Warne comes on at the City End.

1127: Over 13 Kasprowicz gets the first major movement off the pitch of the morning, jagging an off-cutter away from Trescothick and catching the outside edge. Hayden pouches the catch at gully but a no-ball is called and England are handed a let-off. Warne is warming up throughout the over.

1123: Over 12 Trescothick continues to look comfortable against Gillespie, hooking one timid bouncer for four down to the long-leg boundary and judging the balls to play and leave alone to perfection. Ponting's search for inspiration must surely lead to Warne soon in the hope that this pitch will prove conducive to spin. If it doesn't then the decision to field looks increasingly poor.

1118: Over 11 Strauss begins watchfully to the 33-year-old with a short run-up and powerful, slingy action. But a no-ball throws Kasprowicz off his rhythm and the next delivery sits up outside off for Strauss to show off his favourite square cut. That goes for four and England are on top with the 50 already up.

1114: Kasprowicz comes on in place of Lee.

1112: Over 10 Trescothick milks more runs off the first ball and plays out the over. Australia clearly expected plenty of movement in the air this morning but it simply hasn't happened in cool, blustery conditions. The consequence is that both England openers have been able to drive with confidence but any shorter balls are easily dispatched by players both confident square of the wicket.

1108: Over 9 Lee begins with a bouncer, digging in the short ball to little effect. He continues to pursue a shorter pitch but Trescothick looks equally comfortable on the back foot as he lifts a no ball over point for four. A single off his legs keeps the scoreboard ticking over and Strauss blocks out the over.

1103: Over 8 Trescothick begins the over by showing Gillespie, as he already has Lee, the stylish cover drive. England then take a quick single to Michael Clarke of all people, a sign of how confident the hosts have become so quickly. Strauss immediately imitates Trescothick by picking up a full ball outside off and drives on the up through cover for four. Gillespie responds with a sharp-rising ball just past the outside edge but it is a rare highlight for Australia on a cool, grey morning in Birmingham.

1059: Over 7 Lee welcomes Strauss with a wayward delivery outside off and continues to bowl with a marked lack of menace and movement. Certainly the pitch is playing slow and true so far but there is still a failure to ask enough questions of batsmen who showed just two weeks ago that they are plagued by self-doubt.

1054: Over 6 Still the batsmen have not crossed so it remains a story of two separate duels. This battle, between Gillespie and Strauss, has been the stronger for the tourists so far but a poor delivery first up allows the batsman a half-volley which goes for four in front of square on the off side. He then fends a body-line ball down to fine leg for one and some belated strike rotation and Trescothick plays out the over.

1050: Over 5 Lee begins to find his line and rhythm but there is little pressure on Trescothick after the previous over and he is still not made to play enough shots. Again the bowler puts one right in the batsman's favourite area and again the ball is hammered away through cover. Damien Martyn gives admirable chase but can only scoop the ball back with his foot on the boundary rope and another four is given. An inconsequential dot ball outside off finishes a mediocre over.

1045: Over 4 Gillespie bowls Strauss a beauty, pitching on middle and off and jagging away. The ball gets a thick outside edge and arrows down low to the left of first slip Warne who cannot hold it in one hand. Strauss strikes back with a decent shot to cover, no run, but Gillespie finishes with another good 'un and suddenly we all remember that this is one half of the most successful bowling partnership in Australian history.

1042: Over 3 Trescothick meets the first ball of the over on the half-volley, driving through the off side for a stylish four. He blocks the next couple and continues to look secure on a flat pitch. Two consecutive full balls on off stump are dispatched to the cover boundary to finish a great over for the hosts.

1037: Over 2 Gillespie finds his line a little easier and does exact a couple of shots from Strauss. The first of these is a thick edge between third slip and gully for four; the second a strong push to cover, no run.

1034: Jason Gillespie will bowl to Strauss.

1033: Over 1 Lee begins with a wild wide, met with equally wild cheers from a crowd with a reputation for boisterousness. He continues to angle the ball across Trescothick and struggles to find his line throughout the over, failing to make the left-hander play.

1030: Brett Lee will open in McGrath's absence. Marcus Trescothick takes strike with Andrew Strauss his partner.

1000: Australia captain Ricky Ponting wins the toss and elects to field.

That decision is predictable as two days of sun are not thought to have done much for a pitch still suffering after last week's usual Birmingham rain and rather less usual Sparkbrook tornado.

It is a development which puts England's batsmen back in the spotlight after their abject first Test failure, with the spotlight particularly on a top three which must halt a summer of underachievement if the Ashes series is to even approach competitive.

Morale will have been boosted by the absence of McGrath and the expectation that Shane Warne will be blunted by the wet and windy West Midlands.

But they still face a team who reiterated their superiority a fortnight ago, and moreover a team who are winning the psychological battle if England's bizarre public ranting against the media are anything to go by.

0950: It is rare for your Ashes correspondent to take up his tools ahead of the contractually agreed 1000 start time – normally we like to meet the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with the air of Francis Drake, jack in hand.

The time for nonchalance has rather passed, however, with staggering news from Edgbaston - Glenn McGrath has been ruled out of the second npower Test.

In a move recalling the more frivolous excesses of Norman Wisdom, the Australia fast bowler turned his ankle in the warm-up after standing on a cricket ball as he tried to catch a rugby ball.

The result for Australia is that Michael Kasprowicz comes in, the only change to either side from Lord's.