Wickets tumble on the opening day of The Ashes

England 215, Australia 75-4

The Ashes - 1st Test Match, Trent Bridge

A rather frantic first day saw 14 wickets fall as the ball swung under overcast skies at Trent Bridge. Peter Siddle picked up five for 50 as England, in what is becoming something of a habit at the beginning of test series, struggled to discover their batting form.

Australia started nervously - the much heralded James Pattinson's first ball was wide and a little reminiscent of Steve Harmison's infamously wayward opening to the 2006/07 Ashes at The Gabba. The ball swung from the off, but the Australian bowlers struggled for a consistent line and length and Joe Root, opening for England for the first time, looked comfortable enough.

But skipper Alastair Cook was dismissed by Pattinson for 13, nicking to Brad Haddin when eyeing a chance to drive through the vacant cover area.

Boundaries flowed pretty freely as the Aussie bowlers - Siddle in particular - found a nagging line beyond them in the morning session. England reached lunch on 98 for the loss of Cook and Root who was bowled by a Peter Siddle yorker that straightened a little. Siddle had found his range and was beginning to look dangerous.

Jonathan Trott, rock solid and scoring with unusual freedom. looked set for a big score but he and a still rusty Kevin Pietersen fell in quick succession after lunch and suddenly a decent position for England had turned into an impending collapse.

England's batsmen continued to get starts - Bairstow made 37 and looked positive but succumbed to what appears a technical flaw in his batting. His very tight bottom-handed grip tends to mean he plays across the line of straight deliveries and the left armer Mitchell Starc's fine yorker summoned the death rattle of stumps and bails.

With little resistance from England's lower middle order and tail, the end came at 215 - Trott's 48 the top score in a poor batting display.

Despite the considerable swing offered by the conditions, Australia had not really bowled well enough for England to have surrended so meekly. The dry pitch - deliberately prepared to suit England's spinner Graeme Swann and their seamers' reverse swing - had the appearance of a fourth rather than first day pitch with cracks already forming, but nonetheless held few real demons for the batsmen.

But there is a sobering truism in cricket that talks of not judging a pitch until both sides have batted on it.

So when Stephen Finn steamed in and had Shane Watson and Ed Cowan caught at slip in successive balls, the English supporters roared and this most passionate of rivalries was truly ignited.

Jimmy Anderson produced an absolute peach of a delivery - pitching on middle and hitting the top of off stump - to dismiss the Aussie's captain and finest batsman Michael Clarke for a duck. Chris Rogers, picked at the age of 35 because of his experience of English conditions, looked solid but followed LBW.

Steven Smith counter-attacked with typically unorthodox gusto, reaching 38 not out. He and Philip Hughes will resume today (Thursday 11 July) on 75 for 4.

England will be concerned for the fitness of Stuart Broad, who was hit twice on the upper body when batting. He did not take the field yesterday evening, let alone bowl.

The standard of cricket on day one may not have matched the heights of 2005 or 2009 but excitement? Drama? The Ashes never disappoints.