There would not be two players in the Australian line-up worse to reprieve than Steve Waugh and Ian Healy, both renowned fighters. But that is what the England fieldsmen did. Healy is an amazing cricketer, an all-rounder with a strike rate most top-order batsmen can only envy. His ally is as sure and dependable with the bat as Healy is with the gloves and Waugh specialises in retrieving seemingly desperate situations. They complemented each other perfectly as Healy blazed and Waugh deflected, and with Australia heading for a respectable total, they could well have congratulated each other on their good fortune.

Alec Stewart probably thought that fortune was smiling on him when he got the opportunity to bowl first without making a decision and when the Australian Cricket Board made a pre-game presentation to Mark Taylor to mark his 100th Test. Taylor was obliged to make a thank-you speech only 10 minutes before batting.

Taylor didn't live up to his reputation as a big-score player in the opening contest of a series (eight of his 19 Test centuries have come in that situation), but he did look to be in good touch. It's incredible to say in light of the situation at the start of the 1997 series, but England have to find a way to get rid of Taylor early if they are to restrict this Australian line-up. In addition, they have to quickly improve their fielding or it will haunt them throughout the series.