Sydney Test, Day 1
Thursday, January 2, 2003

That was a slightly better start than England have usually managed in this series, but not much. They handed the initiative back to Australia by losing three late wickets, on a pitch where the bulk of the runs have to be scored in the first innings. A par score is 350-400, so Australia did really well to claw their way back. England could have done a lot more.

Mark Butcher's was a fantastic knock. He was gutsy to start with, and rode his luck, but later in the day he was really flowing, and some of his shots down the ground were as good as we've seen all summer. It was a shame he got out when he did, but it was clever bowling from Brett Lee – he just swung it a bat's width and took the inside edge.

Lee also did for Michael Vaughan, although it was Vaughan's form from Melbourne as much as anything that got him out. He felt he could simply hammer everything through the covers – even during a great over – and he got the nick.

Australia dropped a few catches, but that is nothing new. They have regularly been sloppy in the first innings, and like England they have dropped some 19 or 20 chances in the series. The difference is that Australia tend to knuckle down and take the half-chances when it matters most. But one day, the opposition are going to capitalise on their lives and dominate the attack. Australia got away with it today.

Of course, the Aussies were without Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath today, but I thought the attack acquitted themselves really well. The unsung hero was Stuart MacGill, who bowled 31 overs in the day, kept the run-rate below three an over – and on a first-day pitch as well. He dropped an easy catch, but then could have had both Nasser Hussain and Butcher, on 95, as well.

With MacGill keeping it tight at one end, and also creating the occasional chance, the quicks were able to operate with greater freedom. Australia covered themselves well for the loss of Warne and McGrath.

Steve Waugh might have been into the action earlier. If there's any down on a wicket, Steve will find it, and Robert Key was a textbook Waugh dismissal – low, sliding into the pads, with the batsman taking things a bit easy and being found out. It's the second time Key has fallen to a medium-pacer this series – only he will know what he is thinking. Maybe he's too relaxed, or maybe he tenses up at the thought of getting out to such impotent bowling.

Alec Stewart was a late inclusion after undergoing tests for chicken pox, but he didn't look like a man playing in his last Test. When he's in that sort of mood, he's worth a place as a batsman alone, while England blood a new keeper. Australia's field placings are always aggressive, with plenty of gaps and run-scoring opportunities, so when he plays his shots the bowlers can be put under pressure.

Stewart and John Crawley have a big task tomorrow. They must do the bulk of the work to get England towards 400, and then, with the wicket loosening up already, anything can happen. A few deliveries are already starting to disturb the surface, which will please Richard Dawson and, not least, Andrew Caddick, who can bowl well when there's a target of rough on a good length.

Ian Healy, who kept wicket for Australia in six winning Ashes series, will be providing his Expert View at the end of each day's play in the Tests. He was talking to Andrew Miller.

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