1st Test: England v Australia at Birmingham, Jul 5-8, 2001 /

Jason Gillespie's Diary: Reflections on the First Test

Jul 11, 2001: Going from the hotel to the ground for the first day of the First Ashes Test in England was an unusually casual affair

1st Test, Australia v England, Statistical Highlights

Jul 11, 2001: It was the 1550th Test match in cricket history

Australia take Ashes lead with crushing victory over England

Jul 8, 2001: To compete with Australia, England's best side needed to play to their full potential but with injuries blighting selections, the best of the rest were unable to lift their games and Australia were clinical in completing an innings and 118 run

Gilchrist: English conditions made me nervous

Jul 7, 2001: Australian hero Adam Gilchrist admitted to feeling nerves prior to the First Test at Edgbaston, and to disappointment at his own wicket-keeping display after England's first innings

Gilchrist's assault leaves England battling to survive in First Ashes Test

Jul 7, 2001: The first two sessions were a re-enactment of yesterday

Alec Stewart: Blazing start to Ashes contest

Jul 7, 2001: Well, after all the build-up, the speculation and the media hype, the Ashes series is finally under way

Only the weather stops Waugh as Australia build first innings lead

Jul 6, 2001: Steve Waugh slammed on the brakes on the second day of the First npower Ashes Test but Australia lost none of the momentum that has kept them on top from the start of this match

Australia on top as Ashes series starts with a bang

Jul 5, 2001: The Ashes series got off to a thunderous start at Edgbaston with Australia finishing the first day on 132-2 in reply to England's 294 all out

First Test, Edgbaston

England v Australia 2001

2001: At Birmingham, July 5, 6, 7, 8