It would be an outright lie if I said I didn't care who wins the Ashes. I wear a Team Cook t-shirt, not Team Clarke. But I certainly don't want to see a 5-0 whitewash of the Aussies. A close fought series, a taster of which we had at Trent Bridge throughout the first Test, should be what every cricket fan craves. Of course I want England to win more of the tense, edge of your seat, say goodbye to your nails type games, but who wants the series to be over with two test's left to play?
The greatest Ashes series in recent memory have been decided in the final test: 2005, 2009, 2010/11. Yes these were all England victories, but even if they hadn't been, they'd still be remembered for hard fought, exciting, enthralling test cricket. Despite coming into this series as underdogs, Australia have proved they're not to be taken lightly.
The pendulum of favour swung so much at Trent Bridge that it had to check in to a spa retreat for three days of yoga and relaxation before the onslaught begins again at Lord's. Round one, in the form of the toss, went to England, but it wasn't long before the tourists took control to bowl out England for 215.
At 117-9 England had it back. Then came Ashton Agar: the no.11 teenage batsman that smashed all the records for the last man in, and created a twitter #Ashtag whilst en route to 98 runs. Gritty innings from Cook and Pietersen poised the game in the balance, with a superb and determined century from Bell once again making England the bookies favourites. The penultimate swing came on the final morning, when the last wicket partnership for Australia between Brad Haddin and James Pattinson gave the Australians hope of an unlikely victory. The final twist in the tale came with a half hearted England review that revealed a gentle kiss of the ball on Haddin's bat on it's way to Matt Prior's gloves, to give England victory by 14 runs. Tense stuff.
If headlines and column inches counted for anything, the winner of the first Test would be the hotly debated Decision Review System and, to a lesser extent but undoubtedly entwined, the umpiring. Australia seem incapable of using the DRS to their best capacity. Forget net sessions and hours in the gym, Clarke and his men want to spend some time learning how to utilise the DRS before round two. As the first test proved, it can be a game changer.
Since it's first appearance in modern cricket, more often than not one or two DRS incidents have been talking points in a match. But it simply dominated this test. No doubt there are followers of the Baggy Green claiming that if it weren't for the DRS they would have won this test. By the same token, had Haddin seen Australia across the line, the England faithful would be debating the Agar 'stumping' decision in pubs across the land.
Clarke lost seven out of nine DRS reviews. It's there for the howler, which is a word that can definitely be attributed to the Broad incident. Umpire Aleem Dar missed a nick so big it had it's own postcode, but Clarke had used his two reviews, and Broad stood his ground, as is his right. Whilst Broad has been rebuked for failing to uphold the 'spirit of the game', fault plainly lies with the umpire.
Agar, Broad and the DRS were the talking points of this first test. But they should now be left behind, as the steamroller of the Ashes presses swiftly on to Lord's. Both teams have things to think about before Thursday. England will already know whether Finn remains in the side at his home ground, on a wicket that will suit him better than that of Trent Bridge, or whether Onions or Bresnan will take that final spot, the latter strengthening the batting line up.
Australia, as well as genning up on the DRS system, are likely to be thinking about Ed Cowan's place in the team, and whether Warner might return from his seat on the naughty step after punching England batsmen Joe Root in a nightclub during the Champions Trophy. It's possible they are considering playing spinner Nathan Lyon, in place of the inexperienced Agar, adding to the records he now holds. Has anyone ever scored 98 on debut and been dropped?
Despite needing a health warning for those with heart conditions, the first test of this series was what the Ashes is all about: riveting, unmissable test cricket. Here's to four more of the same.